Biosimilars popularity rising and emerging markets gaining a foothold, says GlobalData

Biosimilars are increasing in popularity with pharma companies, however, an important consideration for the interested parties is knowing which markets are saturated and which are still open, according to data and analytic company, GlobalData.

“The deal activity can provide a useful indication of which biosimilar drugs are in development,” commented Lisa Marris, healthcare analyst at GlobalData. “The recent strategic alliance deals show the potential of bringing these biosimilar monoclonal antibodies to market for therapy areas such as cancer or autoimmune diseases.”

Over the past five years almost every top biosimilar drug (five out of the top six, with the exception of etanercept) have been monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases or cancer.

The top drug in terms of highest deal value was found to be rituximab and the drug involved in the most deals was adalimumab. Three out of the top six biosimilars were revealed to have been involved in the highest strategic alliance deals in the past five years. The $275 million co-development agreement between Epirus and Orygen Biotecnologia in 2013 allowed Epirus to market Orygen Biotecnologia’s infliximab, rituximab and trastuzumab biosimilars in Brazil.

Sanofi’s co-development with JHL Biotech in 2016 was the second most valuable deal and involves the most drugs of any other deal in the past five years. Sanofi acquired the rights to the rituximab biosimilar, as well as its pipeline adalimumab, bevacizumab and trastuzumab biosimilars.

In looking at the countries with the highest deal values and highest number of deals over the past five years, it was found that the US continues to dominate biosimilar activity with the highest total deal value and highest percentage of deals for an individual country. The EU as a whole had a larger proportion of deals compared with the US, which were mainly made up of Germany and the UK. Additionally, Brazil and South Korea were found to be active in the biosimilar market.

The partnership between Epirus and Orygen Biotecnologia was Brazil’s most notable deal. The South Korean company Celltrion entered into a co-marketing agreement with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries to commercialise its pipeline biosimilars for rituximab and trastuzumab, in the US and Canada. Marris added: “This shows that, although the US is likely to continue to dominate the future of biosimilar activity, the emerging markets are beginning to get a foothold in the biosimilar marketplace.”