BRIEF—iBio and CC-Pharming to develop biosimilar rituximab

New York’s iBio has inked a deal with CC-Pharming of Beijing, for the joint development of products and manufacturing facilities for the Chinese biopharmaceutical market.

The deal will make use of iBio’s technology initially to develop a plant-derived biosimilar of Rituxan/MabThera (rituximab), with fees payable to iBio of $4.7 million. CC-Pharming will manage all operations in China.

The firms want to develop an antibody that is “superior to rituximab in performance and more affordable than rituximab in price.”

The companies say they expect to jointly select additional products for development and joint exclusive sales in the territory of China, using the same technology.