Celltrion Healthcare sends cancer treatment Herzuma to Ukraine

Herzuma, Celltrion's biosimilar targeting stomach and breast cancers. [CELLTRION HEALTHCARE]

Celltrion Healthcare supplied Herzuma, a biosimilar targeting stomach and breast cancers, to Ukraine.

The provision came upon Ukraine's request to the Korean government amid the ongoing war with Russia. Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica) signed a 5-billion-won ($3.9 million) deal with Celltrion to support Ukraine.

Herzuma is an identical copy of Trastuzumab, better known as Herceptin from California-based Genentech.

Biosimilars, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, are biological products that are approved based on proof that they are highly similar to other FDA-approved products. The drugs have no clinically significant differences in terms of safety or effectiveness from the reference product, but they cost less.

The drug is developed by Celltrion. Celltrion Healthcare handles overseas sales of Celltrion products.

An initial 2 billion won worth of Herzuma was delivered to Ukraine on Dec. 11, while the remainder was sent on Dec. 19.

The European market share of Herzuma came to 12.7 percent in the second half, according to a report by health care big data tracker IQVIA Korea.

"The Ukraine government chose Herzuma [out of all its competitors] considering various factors like safety, efficacy and patients' preference," said a spokesperson for Celltrion Healthcare. "We hope Herzuma will help patients in Ukraine, who are suffering from a poor healthcare environment due to the war, to overcome their diseases and regain hope in life," said a spokesperson for Celltrion Healthcare.

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