STADA and Alvotech broaden European patients’ options by launching Hukyndra® high-concentration, citrate-free adalimumab
BAD VILBEL, Germany & REYKJAVIK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--STADA is offering Hukyndra®, the Alvotech-developed high-concentration, citrate-free formulation biosimilar of adalimumab to patients and their caregivers in selected European countries, including France, Germany, Finland, and Sweden. Launches in further European countries are scheduled over the coming months.
The biosimilar to Humira®, with its 100 mg/mL adalimumab in 40 mg/0.4 mL custom-designed pre-filled auto-injector pen as well as 40 mg/0.4 mL and 80 mg/0.8 mL pre-filled syringe presentations, offers a comprehensive range of biosimilar presentations and devices designed with ease of patient use in mind.
Adalimumab marks the first biosimilar to be commercialized by STADA under a development and manufacturing partnership with Alvotech that, in total, spans seven biosimilars and biosimilar candidates across autoimmunity, oncology, and ophthalmology indications1. The partners’ goal is to make available these European-made biosimilars to European patients and caregivers over the coming months and years. The pipeline includes the AVT04 ustekinumab biosimilar candidate, for which Alvotech recently announced clinical study results demonstrating therapeutic equivalence to the reference product Stelara®.2
Head of Global Specialty, EVP, Bryan Kim commented: “Our Hukyndra high-concentration alternative to Humira® – STADA’s fifth marketed biosimilar after epoetin zeta, pegfilgrastim, teriparatide and bevacizumab – adds to STADA’s growing portfolio of biosimilar and specialty care assets aimed at broadening patient access, adding value and supporting sustainable European healthcare systems.”
“Although biosimilar medicines have been marketed in Europe for over 16 years, significant unmet needs exist for patients to access key therapies,” Kim continued. “Through the combination of Alvotech’s scientific and manufacturing expertise with STADA’s pan-European commercial excellence, we can deliver a portfolio of high-quality biologic products to patients in Europe, with a goal of expanding access to critical therapies. Positively impacting the lives of European patients with inflammatory disorders with our high-concentration, citrate-free alternative to Humirais fully in line with STADA’s purpose of caring for people’s health as a trusted partner.”
Anil Okay, Alvotech’s chief commercial officer, commented: “We are thrilled to take this important step with STADA into multiple European markets. The commercial partnership with STADA allows Alvotech to leverage its strengths as a purpose-built R&D and manufacturing platform, singularly focused on biosimilars, which are of vital importance for healthcare systems globally.”
In November 2021, STADA received approval from the European Commission for the Hukyndra high-concentration 100 mg/mL adalimumab biosimilar in the 27 EU member countries plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein3. Developed by Alvotech under the AVT02 name, the biosimilar is authorized for all of the reference product’s indications, treating a range of inflammatory conditions in adults and children, including arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. In April 2022, Alvotech and STADA announced that they had paved the way to launching their Hukyndra biosimilar to Humira® by resolving all intellectual property disputes in Europe with the manufacturer of the reference product4.
Manufactured entirely in Europe by Alvotech, STADA’s Hukyndra biosimilar offers an alternative to Humira with no clinically meaningful differences in terms of safety, quality and efficacy. Hukyndra is a patient-friendly option because of attributes that correlate with less injection-site pain, including an administered volume that is half of low-concentration adalimumab biosimilars, a citrate-free buffer and a thin 29G needle5.
STADA is supporting Hukyndra launches in individual national markets through tailored educational materials and well as dedicated patient support programs.
About AVT02 (adalimumab)
AVT02 is a monoclonal antibody and a biosimilar to Humira® (adalimumab). AVT02 is approved in the EU, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein (Hukyndra®) and Canada (Simlandi™). AVT02 dossiers are under review in multiple countries; in the U.S. the initial BLA for approval as a biosimilar is in deferred status, pending the result of FDA inspections.
About AVT04 (ustekinumab)
AVT04 is a monoclonal antibody and a biosimilar candidate to Stelara® (ustekinumab). AVT04 is an investigational product and has not received regulatory approval in any country. Biosimilarity has not yet been established by regulatory authorities and is not claimed.
About STADA Arzneimittel AG
STADA Arzneimittel AG is headquartered in Bad Vilbel, Germany. The company focuses on a three-pillar strategy consisting of generics, specialty pharma and consumer healthcare products. Worldwide, STADA Arzneimittel AG sells its products in approximately 120 countries. In financial year 2021, STADA achieved group sales of EUR 3,249.5 million and reported earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of EUR 776.5 million. As of 31 December 2021, STADA employed 12,520 people worldwide.
About Alvotech
Alvotech is a biotech company, founded by Robert Wessman, focused solely on the development and manufacture of biosimilar medicines for patients worldwide. Alvotech seeks to be a global leader in the biosimilar space by delivering high quality, cost-effective products and services, enabled by a fully integrated approach and broad in-house capabilities. Alvotech’s current pipeline contains eight biosimilar candidates aimed at treating autoimmune disorders, eye disorders, osteoporosis, respiratory disease, and cancer. Alvotech has formed a network of strategic commercial partnerships to provide global reach and leverage local expertise in markets that include the U.S., Europe, Japan, China, and other Asian countries and large parts of South America, Africa and the Middle East. Alvotech’s commercial partners include Teva Pharmaceuticals, a US affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA; US), STADA Arzneimittel AG (EU and select other territories), Fuji Pharma Co., Ltd (TSE: 4554; Japan), Cipla/Cipla Gulf/Cipla Med Pro (NSE: CIPLA; Australia, New Zealand, South Africa/Africa), JAMP Pharma Corporation (Canada), Yangtze River Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd. (China), DKSH (SWX:DKSH; Taiwan, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan), YAS Holding LLC (Middle East and North Africa), Abdi Ibrahim (Turkey), Kamada Ltd. (NASDAQ and TASE: KMDA; Israel), Mega Labs, Stein, Libbs, Tuteur and Saval (Latin America) and Lotus Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (1795:TT; Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, and South Korea). Each commercial partnership covers a unique set of product(s) and territories. Except as specifically set forth therein, Alvotech disclaims responsibility for the content of periodic filings, disclosures and other reports made available by its partners. For more information, please visit www.alvotech.com.
About Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II
The Oaktree Acquisition Corp. franchise was formed to partner with high-quality, growing companies to facilitate their successful entry to the public markets. By leveraging the deep capabilities and experience of its sponsor, an affiliate of Oaktree, which manages $164 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2022, Oaktree Acquisition Corp. seeks to provide best-in-class resources and execution, coupled with a focus on long-term partnership and shareholder value creation. For more information about Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II, please visit www.oaktreeacquisitioncorp.com.
Additional Information
In connection with the Business Combination, OACB, Alvotech S.A. and the legal entity named Alvotech, previously named Alvotech Lux Holdings S.A.S., (“TopCo”) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission a Registration Statement on Form F-4 (as amended or supplemented through the date hereof, the “Registration Statement”) containing a proxy statement of OACB and a prospectus of TopCo.
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