Positive results for another Humira biosimilar

The line-up of near-term biosimilar competitors to AbbVie’s (NYSE: ABBV) blockbuster Humira (adalimumab) – which generates annual sales of some $15 billion - is getting ever longer, even as the originator is still expressing confidence on its intellectual property protecting its market exclusivity.

Just today, Momenta Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: MNTA) announced that the confirmatory Phase III clinical study of M923, a biosimilar Humira candidate developed in collaboration with Baxalta, now part of Ireland-headquartered rare disease drug specialist Shire (LSE: SHP), in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis, met its primary endpoint.

Momenta’s shares were up 7.9% to $15.00 in pre-market trading.