News briefs: Rituximab biosimilar; Watson to change name; Baxter Brazil plans; India revokes Pegasys patent

5 November 2012

Swiss drug major Novartis’ (NOVN: VX) generics subsidiary Sandoz has initiated a Phase III clinical trial in the USA for epoetin alfa, which it markets under the brand name Binocrit in the European Union for oncology and nephrology indications, to support registration in the USA.

It is estimated that more than 600,000 patients in the USA and 550,000 patients in Europe are treated for anemia with epoetin alfa and similar medicines that regulate the formation of red blood cells. The Sandoz follicular lymphoma Phase III clinical trial for biosimilar monoclonal antibody rituximab, a biosimilar of Roche’s Rituxan/MabThera (which generated sales of over $5 billion in the first three quarters of this year; The Pharma Letter October 16), continues to progress well says Sandoz.

Watson to adopt Actavis name for global operations

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