Amgen And Watson To Collaborate On Cancer Generic Medicines
Dec 23, 2011
Amgen And Watson To Collaborate On Cancer Generic Medicines.
The New York Times (12/20, B6, Pollack, Subscription Publication) reports that Amgen announced on Monday "that it would team up with Watson Pharmaceuticals, a leading generic drug manufacturer, to develop and sell lower-price copycat versions of several biologic cancer drugs." Both "companies did not specify which drugs they would develop" but "the most likely candidates are...trastuzumab [Herceptin] for breast cancer, rituximab [Rituxan] for lymphomas and bevacizumab [Avastin] for various cancers."
The companies are "are teaming up to produce 'biosimilar' versions of several biologic medicines for cancer, an important partnership in a future niche that many hope will lower costs of some of the most expensive medicines," the AP (12/20) reports. "Together, they plan to develop and then sell what are called biosimilars or follow-on biologics, medicines similar to innovative biologic drugs but not identical in the way generic drugs are copies of brand-name" medications. Biologic medications "are complex, injected drugs 'manufactured' in living cells, rather than by mixing chemical compounds together and turning them into" medications.
Dow Jones Newswires (12/20, Solsman, Subscription Publication) reports, "Under the deal, Amgen will lead the development, manufacturing and initial commercialization of the oncology antibody products." In addition, "Watson will initially receive royalties and sales milestones from product revenues, and it will contribute up to $400 million in codevelopment costs as well as share product development risks."