EPIRUS and Polpharma strike biosimilars deal

EPIRUS Biopharmaceuticals and Polish generics company Polpharma Group have struck a multi-product, multi-region profit-sharing deal for select EPIRUS biosimilars — including BOW015 (infliximab, reference biologic Remicade), BOW050 (adalimumab, reference biologic Humira) and BOW070 (tocilizumab, reference biologic Actemra) — representing $6 billion in innovator sales in the specified territories. 

With EPIRUS leading the global product development and clinical programmes, both parties will jointly fund clinical development and collaborate on regulatory filings. EPIRUS will also be responsible for process development, scale-up and manufacturing, with Polpharma overseeing commercialisation. Clinical development costs and eventual operating profit will be split 51 per cent Polpharma and 49 per cent EPIRUS. Polpharma will contribute approximately $30 million towards clinical development costs, as well as cover product launch costs. 

“This profit-sharing collaboration with Polpharma enables us to better direct our business and retain future value,” said Amit Munshi, president and chief executive officer, EPIRUS.  “We have an aggressive plan to bring our products to markets globally and to build a pure-play, sustainable and profitable biosimilar business.”

EPIRUS retains the commercial rights to Switzerland and Norway along with select EU countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg the Netherlands and Sweden.  EPIRUS also retains rights to North America and other global markets not addressed in this agreement.

“Partnering with EPIRUS allows us to combine their technical expertise with our commercial strength,” said Jerzy Starak, chairman of the supervisory board, Polpharma. “We are pleased to join the experience of both teams and the potential of these markets to provide patients with more affordable access to modern treatment.”