Will enable access to Trastuzumab & Pegfilgrastim in Africa & Asia
Bengaluru, India; February 4, 2021:
Biocon Biologics Ltd., a fully integrated ‘pure play’ biosimilars company and a subsidiary of Biocon Ltd. (BSE code: 532523, NSE: BIOCON), has signed an agreement with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) to expand access to lifesaving cancer biosimilars in over 30 countries in Africa and Asia as a part of the Cancer Access Partnership (CAP). The partnership is a significant step in delivering advanced cancer therapies to patients who need them the most and ensuring equitable access to high-quality biosimilars in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Biocon Biologics’ strong R&D and manufacturing capabilities have enabled the Company to offer affordable biologics such as bTrastuzumab and bPegfilgrastim to cancer patients in developed markets like the European Union (EU) and the United States (U.S.). Biocon Biologics aims to deliver substantial savings to healthcare systems by enhancing access and availability of these high-quality, affordable biosimilar cancer therapies in 25 countries in Africa and 5 countries in Asia currently covered under CAP, led by CHAI. Biocon Biologics will initially supply bTrastuzumab and bPegfilgrastim and will expand the arrangement to include other biosimilars.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson, Biocon Biologics said: “Biocon Biologics has been in the forefront of a long-running crusade against cancer through its high quality affordable biosimilars. The collaboration with CHAI further strengthens our resolve to address the unmet patient needs in Asia and Africa for advanced cancer therapies through cost-effective alternatives to expensive reference biologics. This is an extension of our commitment to enable universal access to cancer patients following the initiation of our Mission 10 cents to provide insulins for people with diabetes in LMICs.”
Dr. Christiane Hamacher, CEO, Biocon Biologics said: “We are extremely proud to collaborate with CHAI to realise our mission of enabling universal access to quality cancer care. Biocon Biologics is reimagining access to biologics in LMICs through strategic partnerships with global health organisations. We are committed to reducing the high cost of cancer care for healthcare systems through our biosimilars and are pleased to address the needs of patients in Africa and Asia through the Cancer Access Partnership (CAP).”
CHAI CEO, Dr. Iain Barton stated: “Expanding the Cancer Access Partnership to include high-quality biologics from Biocon takes us another step closer to ensuring that cancer patients have access to the quality medications that they need at an affordable price, no matter where they live. We welcome the new commitments and we look forward to partnering to bring these high-quality medicines to patients.”
As a committed global player in Biosimilars, Biocon Biologics is leveraging its science, scale and expertise to shift the access paradigm for patients in need of biosimilars across the globe. Biocon Biologics has developed monoclonal antibodies and therapeutic proteins for oncology, which are having a significant impact in the area of cancer care in several developed and emerging markets by providing high-quality, cost-effective alternatives to expensive reference biologics.
Biocon Biologics is the only Indian company to have commercialized three biosimilars – Trastuzumab, Pegfilgrastim and Insulin Glargine in the U.S. Its bTrastuzumab has received regulatory approvals in over 60 countries and has been commercialized in U.S., EU, Canada, Australia and selected Most of the World (MoW) markets. Its bPegfilgrastim has approvals in ~40 countries and is commercially available in U.S., EU, Canada and Australia currently.
Notes to editors
The cancer burden is significant and growing in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. In 2018, there were an estimated 811,000 new cases of cancer and 534,000 deaths from cancer in the sub-Saharan Africa region. In the same year, there were an estimated 2,252,981 new cases of cancer and 1,444,528 deaths from cancer in the Southeast Asia region.* Cancer patients in sub-Saharan Africa are twice as likely to die as those in the United States, often due to late diagnosis and lack of access to treatment. Based on population aging alone, annual cancer deaths in sub-Saharan Africa are projected to almost double by 2030.
*Source: Globocan 2020
About CHAI:
The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organisation committed to saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries. CHAI works with partners to strengthen the capabilities of governments and the private sector to create and sustain high-quality health systems that can succeed without its assistance. For more information, please visit: clintonhealthaccess.org
About CAP
The Cancer Access Partnership (CAP) is an initiative of Allied Against Cancer and an expansion of the Chemotherapy Access Partnership. American Cancer Society (ACS) and CHAI began working together in 2015 to improve care and treatment of cancer in sub-Saharan Africa, working with governments and cancer treatment institutions to address market inefficiencies, improve supply chains, and increase procurement to ensure quality medications were available at affordable prices. The market access agreements of CAP secured competitive prices, allowing these governments to realize substantial savings and improve the quality and quantity of treatment available. As a result of the agreements, several African governments and hospitals increased their commitment to procuring necessary cancer medicines by using the cost savings to increase the volumes of medicines procured, setting up innovative systems to supply high-quality cancer medications, and increasing budgets for cancer care and treatment. This collaboration has shown that access to high-quality cancer treatments can be expanded in a sustainable way. Global pharma majors like Pfizer, Novartis, and Mylan are participating in the Cancer Access Partnership.
All of the medications included in the agreements meet the quality standards set by a stringent regulatory authority such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
About Biocon Biologics Limited:
Biocon Biologics Limited, a subsidiary of Biocon Limited is uniquely positioned as a fully integrated ‘pure play’ biosimilars organization in the world. Building on the four pillars of Patients, People, Partners and Business, Biocon Biologics is committed to transforming healthcare and transforming lives. Biocon Biologics is leveraging cutting-edge science, innovative tech platforms and advanced research & development capabilities to lower treatment costs while improving healthcare outcomes. It has a platform of 28 biosimilar molecules across diabetes, oncology, immunology, dermatology, ophthalmology, neurology, rheumatology and inflammatory diseases. Five molecules from Biocon Biologics’ portfolio have been taken from lab to market, of which three have been commercialized in developed markets like United States, EU, Australia, Canada and Japan. With a team of over 4800 people Biocon Biologics aspires to transform healthcare through affordable innovative solutions as well as impact 5 million patients’ lives by FY 22. www.bioconbiologics.com/businesses/biosimilars/ Follow-us on Twitter: @BioconBiologics
About Biocon Limited:
Biocon Limited, publicly listed in 2004, (BSE code: 532523, NSE Id: BIOCON, ISIN Id: INE376G01013) is an innovation-led global biopharmaceuticals company committed to enhance affordable access to complex therapies for chronic conditions like diabetes, cancer and autoimmune. It has developed and commercialized novel biologics, biosimilars, and complex small molecule APIs in India and several key global markets as well as generic formulations in the US and Europe. It also has a pipeline of promising novel assets in immunotherapy under development. Website: www.bioconbiologics.com; Follow-us on Twitter: @bioconlimited
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release may include statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements based on management’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects upon Biocon and its subsidiaries/ associates. These forward-looking statements involve known or unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations include, amongst other: general economic and business conditions in India and overseas, our ability to successfully implement our strategy, our research and development efforts, our growth and expansion plans and technological changes, changes in the value of the Rupee and other currency changes, changes in the Indian and international interest rates, change in laws and regulations that apply to the Indian and global biotechnology and pharmaceuticals industries, increasing competition in and the conditions of the Indian and global biotechnology and pharmaceuticals industries, changes in political conditions in India and changes in the foreign exchange control regulations in India. Neither Biocon, nor our Directors, or any of our subsidiaries/associates assume any obligation to update any particular forward-looking statement contained in this release.
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