MADRID, Feb 16 (APM) - Celltrion's biosimilar of Johnson & Johnson/Merck & Co's Remicade (infliximab) will be launched in Spain on Tuesday, priced at a headline 30% discount the branded agent - broadly matching Hospira's price. (APMMA 41482)
The biosimilar will be launched under the name Remsima by generics firm Kern Pharma Biologics, the company said in a statement on Monday.
It would not provide a price, but from hospital sources APM understands the copy will be sold at 386.93 euros including taxes which compares to Remicade at 557.63 euros - although this is subject to some local discounting.
Although Hospira and Celltrion took the medicine through EU regulation collaboratively, their partnership did not expend as far as co-marketing the same drug, at least in the EU. (APMMA 34726)
In a statement, Raúl Díaz-Varela, Kern’s CEO, stressed the company's interest in biosimilars saying Remsima is the first one in a “long list” launches.
According to Spanish generic manufacturers association AESEG, biosimilars will bring in 1.5 billion euros in savings by 2020, will improve drug access and boost innovation.
Speaking at a meeting organised by Spanish health journalists association ANIS in Madrid recently, Carolina González Criado, vice director of pharmaceutical services at Spanish region of Galicia, said by using infliximab’s biosimilar the healthcare system would save 41 million euros (APMMA 41282).
The figure goes as high as 33 billion euros for all the EU over the next five years including all biosimilars, Paul Greenland, Hospira’s head of biologicals told APM in January (APMMA 41308).
Kern announced an agreement with Celltrion last December and created subsidiary Kern Pharma Biologics for future operations including biosimilars.
The firm had started distributing Remsima in Portugal at the beginning of 2014, according to the information displayed in Kern’s website. It was approved for use in hospitals across France in December (APMMA 40915).
U.S. advisers will discuss Remsima in March (APMMA 41449).
Remsima has the same indications as infliximab namely autoimmune inflammatory chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crhon’s disease, ulcerous colitis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
When marketed by Hospira the biosimilar will be called Inflectra.
bd/ns
TRY APM Market Access AND GET ACCESS TO THE FULL CONTENT
Interviews with KOLs/senior executives amongst the Regulators, Payers, Health, Medical & Pharmaceutical organisations
Events coverage with a unique focus on Market Access & sustainability of healthcare systems
6 European bureaus : Berlin, Brussels, London, Madrid, Milan & Paris
Ask for a Free trial and get access to the latest stories
Our coverage includes:
- Health Care
- Market Access
- HTA – policies & practices
- European medicine regulations
- Drug safety issues
- Pricing & Reimbursement
- International medicines agencies
If you are a Payer, Pharmaceutical or Consulting professional our premium data will keep you informed on the regulatory, pricing, market access and cost-effectiveness issues that impact all stakeholders.
REQUEST
an initial 10 day temporary access of APM Market Access.
