Samsung Bioepis starts selling Byooviz in U.S.

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Samsung Bioepis starts selling Byooviz in U.S.

Byooviz, a Samsung Bioepis biosimilar referencing ophthalmology treatment Lucentis [SAMSUNG BIOEPIS]

Byooviz, a Samsung Bioepis biosimilar referencing ophthalmology treatment Lucentis [SAMSUNG BIOEPIS]

Samsung Bioepis launched Byooviz, its biosimilar version of the eye treatment Lucentis, in the U.S., the company said Friday.
 
The wholesale price has been set at $1,130 per 0.5 milligrams, around 40 percent cheaper than the original drug.
 
This makes Byooviz the first biosimilar referencing Lucentis to be sold in the United States. The drug is an identical copy of ranibizumab, better known as Lucentis, developed by California-based Genentech. Lucentis is used to treat serious eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, macular edema and diabetic retinopathy. It is used to help prevent decreased vision and blindness.
 
The Lucentis patent expired in June 2020 in the United States. Last year alone, Lucentis generated global revenue of around 4.4 trillion won ($3.4 billion), with about 1.8 trillion won, or 41 percent, coming from the U.S.
 
Samsung Bioepis gained use approval for the eye treatment from the European Commission in late August, and from Korea's health regulator in May.
 
Biosimilars, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are biological products that are approved based on proof that they are highly similar to other FDA-approved products. The drugs have no clinically meaningful differences in terms of safety or effectiveness from the reference product, but they cost less.
 
"The launch of Byooviz, the first ophthalmology biosimilar in the U.S. marks a key step towards increasing options," said Ko Han-sung, CEO of Samsung Bioepis. “The priority of Samsung Bioepis is ensuring patients’ access to the medicines they need, and we will continue to advance our pipeline to bring better access to biologic treatments, by leveraging our decade of experience in developing, manufacturing, and commercializing these important biologics.” 
 
Samsung Bioepis has a total of 10 biosimilar products and candidates.

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]
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