BRIEF—New Avastin biosimilar nearer to European approval

Korean biosimilars company Samsung Bioepis has announced that it has had its Marketing Authorization Application accepted for review by the European Medicines Agency for SB8, a copy of Roche’s cancer drug Avastin (bevacizumab).

If approved, SB8 will be commercialized in Europe by US pharma giant Merck & Co, and will not be the first Avastin biosimilar to receive European approval, with Amgen and Allergan winning the race in January 2018. Pfizer’s copy was also given the green light in February of this year.

These companies will have to wait till 2022 for Avastin’s main European patent to expire.