Samsung Bioepis enters Japanese market through partnership

Samsung Bioepis President & CEO Kim Kyung-ah, left, poses with NIPRO President Yoshihiko Sano after signing the two sides' partnership for development and commercialization at the latter's headquarters in Japan, June 2. Courtesy of Samsung Bioepis

Korean biosimilar developer Samsung Bioepis said Monday it will make its entry into the Japanese market through a partnership with a Japanese health care company.

According to Samsung Bioepis, it has entered into a license, development and commercialization agreement in Japan with NIPRO for Bioepis’ multiple biosimilar candidates, including autoimmune disease biosimilar SB17.

This is the first time for Samsung Bioepis to sign a partnership with a Japanese firm to make a foray into the Japanese market.

Under the terms of the agreement, Samsung Bioepis will be responsible for the development, manufacture and supply of the medicines, while NIPRO will be responsible for their commercialization in Japan.

“This partnership marks an important step towards expanding our footprint in Japan,” Samsung Bioepis CEO Kim Kyung-ah said.

“We look forward to collaborating with NIPRO, a company renowned for its high-quality medical devices and health care solutions, to accelerate access to treatments in the Japanese market. We will continue to advance our development platform and innovate access to treatments for health care systems, payers, physicians and patients around the world.”

SB17 is a biosimilar to Janssen’s Stelara used to treat various inflammatory conditions, including psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Marketed as Pyzchiva, the drug earned approvals in the U.S. and Europe last year, contributing to the company’s sales growth.

In the first quarter of this year, Samsung Bioepis posted 400.6 billion won in sales ($294.67 million) and 128 billion won in operating profit, representing 43 percent and 236 percent year-on-year growths, respectively.

Samsung Bioepis is set to be spun off from its parent Samsung Biologics in October as an independent firm, to address clients’ concerns for potential conflict of interest between Samsung Biologics’ contract drug manufacturing and development business and Bioepis’ biosimilar business.