Roche's Breast Cancer Drug Herceptin Faces Biosimilar Competition -Cinco Dias

Within a few weeks of each other, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency have approved the authorization of the sale of Herceptin biosimilars, Spain's Cinco Dias reports.

--Herceptin is a drug developed by Roche Holding AG (ROG.EB) for the treatment breast cancer.

--Cinco Dias says that on Dec. 1, the FDA approved the biosimilar Ogivri, developed by Mylan NV (MYL). The news comes only a few days after the European Medicines Agency authorized the commercialization of Ontruzant on Nov. 20, developed by Samsung Bioepis, a joint venture created by Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (005930.SE) and Biogen Inc. (IIB).

--In general, the price for biosimilars is around 20% to 25% lower than patented drugs, Cinco Dias reports, which could force the Swiss company to lower its prices to fight competition in some countries.

--Herceptin generated 5.9 billion euros ($6.99 billion) in sales last year for Roche, it says.

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December 05, 2017 06:07 ET (11:07 GMT)