[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Bioepis is seeking to develop a biosimilar version of Roche’s Lucentis which treats a visual disorder, Reuters reported on June 2.
In a U.S. filing, the company said it plans to start phase 3 clinical trials for its copy of Lucentis in September. The drug posted sales of US$1.5 billion around the globe in 2016.
Lucentis is used to treat eye conditions that can impair vision such as macular degeneration, which can lead to irreversible vision loss.
“The company can‘t yet determine when it will release the biosimilar, as there are different expiration dates of the patent rights to Lucentis in different countries,” an official from Samsung Bioepis said.
By Park Han-na and newswires (hnpark@heraldcorp.com)