Biosimilar drugmakers partnering to ensure early entry to global markets, says analyst

With rising competition and declining prices, it has increasingly become important for biosimilar manufacturers like Biocon (BSE: 532523) and Mylan (Nasdaq: MYL) to adopt an agile go-to-market strategy by forging global partnerships and collaborations, especially when the biosimilar in focus is none other than the high-value biologic – Humira (adalimumab), new research shows.

Data and analytics company GlobalData notes that Indian drugmaker Biocon recently announced that its profit share on Humira biosimilar Hulio, which is licensed to Mylan by Fujifilm Kyowa Kirin Biologics (FKB), was extended to global markets under an expanded in-licensing arrangement.

Shreya Brahmbhatt, pharma project manager at GlobalData, says: “These partnerships also reflect that top biosimilar companies are focused on effectively growing in the international markets since the US adalimumab biosimilar market is closed until 2023 due to the existing patent protection of Humira.”