April 20, 2024

• 

[THE INVESTOR] Korea’s fourth-largest drug maker Daewoong Pharmaceutical said on Dec. 18 it has secured the exclusive sales rights for Samfenet, a biosimilar referencing Herceptin developed by Samsung Bioepis, in Korea.

The contract came about a month after Samsung Bioepis received marketing approval for its version of Roche’s blockbuster breast cancer therapy from Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on Nov. 8. 

With the deal, Daewoong Pharmaceutical has expanded its oncology product portfolio to biosimilars from chemical cancer treatments like Supect -- leukemia drug developed by Ilyang Pharmaceutical and supplementary treatments including Instanyl nasal spray and Matrifen patch.

“The introduction of Sampenet means not just an increase in the number of items in its portfolio but also a full-fledged entry into the anti-cancer drug market,” Daewoong Pharmaceutical President Lee Jong-wook said.

Switzerland-based Roche raked in 6.78 billion Swiss francs (US$6.78 billion) in 2016 from Herceptin, the world’s eighth top-selling drug. Herceptin posted over 100 billion won (US$89.70 million) in sales in Korea last year.

Once Samfenet hits local pharmacy shelves, it will compete with Celltrion’s copycat version of Herceptin which was launched in April.

The sales of Celltrion’s Herzuma began after years of legal battle with Roche over patent issues although the drug had received the Korean regulator’s nod in 2014. Herzuma came into the market at up to 30 percent less price than the reference product Herceptin. Celltrion’s affiliate Celltrion Pharm distributes Herzuma here.

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