April 24, 2024

• 

[THE INVESTOR] A new Lantus biosimilar funded by Samsung Bioepis and developed by US-based Merck Sharp & Dohme has been approved for sale in Europe, MSD said on Jan. 25.

SB9, also known as MK-1293, is a biosimilar candidate referencing Sanofi’s diabetes drugs Lantus which has been clocking annual sales of 10 trillion won (US$8.57 billion). 

The approval from the European Medicines Agency will further put pressure on Sanofi which has been hit by the arrival of insulin Lantus biosimilar in the markets.

“We are preparing to launch the drug in some European markets, but the exact date has not been confirmed,” an official at MSD said.

Samsung Bioepis, Samsung Group’s biosimilar development unit, has contributed to MK-1293’s development as an investment partner.

MDS also seeks to commercialize the investigational insulin in the US market. Its new drug application for SB9 is currently under review by the US Food and Drug Administration.

By Park Han-na (hnpark@heraldcorp.com)