A Second BioSimilar Player Launches In The EU Next Week -- Merck's Remicade® To Be Mightily Pressured In EU

We have long reported that both Celltrion and Hospira (soon to be a part of Pfizer) possess the requisite approvals in the EU to launch their respective biosimilars. [Additional backgrounder, here.]

The legacy Schering-Plough (and J&J -- by license/distribution agreement settlement proceedings) patents in the EU formally expire next week, on the 25^th -- and so Celltrion will launch that following morning. Of course in the 2010 spat settlement, J&J gave Merck the EU rights -- so this will not affect J&J immediately. This -- over time -- will actually be material to Merck. However, it is well-factored into the NYSE price at present. Here is a bit of the report from BioPharma-Reporter; do go read it all:

. . . .The South Korean drugmaker told delegates at the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation’s (ECCO) in Barcelona, Spain that Remsima could save the UK, Italy and France €336m ($413m) over the next five years. . . .

Celltrion told BioPharma-Reporter the predicted savings, which are based on its own analysis, will let national healthcare systems provide the treatment to more patients, sooner. . . .

As I say -- this has long been expected. But it presents very good news for the already strained Euro-zone payer health budgets. In most cases, that ultimately is a government entity, in the EU. So this is decidedly good news for patients -- and taxpayers, there. Onward.