Sandoz Licenses Biosimilar Rights from Shanghai Henlius Biotech
Swiss generic drugmaker Sandoz has reached an agreement with Shanghai Henlius Biotech to acquire rights to three biosimilar drugs. The deal involves payments of up to $77 million upfront, as well as potential milestone payments of up to $160 million and commercial milestones of up to $77 million.
The biosimilars in question are for cholesterol treatment, lupus, and colorectal cancer, all currently in development or pre-clinical stages. These drugs are similar versions of Amgen's evolocumab, GSK's belimumab, and Bristol-Myers Squibb's cetuximab.
Huang Yu, CEO of Henlius Biotech, stated that the agreement with Sandoz represents a significant milestone for Henlius. The deal marks the company's first licensing agreement for its biosimilar portfolio.