Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL) has announced that its subsidiary, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories SA, has entered into a commercialization and licensing agreement with Bio-Thera Solutions, a Chinese biopharmaceutical company, to develop and market biosimilars of two Janssen human monoclonal antibodies, Stelara (Ustekinumab) and Simponi (Golimumab), for the Southeast Asian market. The biosimilars, BAT2206 and BAT2506, are developed by Bio-Thera and will be manufactured and supplied by the company, while Dr. Reddy’s will be responsible for seeking regulatory approvals and commercializing them in licensed territories in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
As part of the agreement, Dr. Reddy’s will also have exclusive commercial rights to market BAT2206 in Colombia. The CEO of Dr. Reddy’s, MV Ramana, stated that the partnership will enable the company to expand its biosimilar offerings in emerging markets and provide access to affordable medicines for patients. The CEO of Bio-Thera, Dr. Shengfeng Li, noted that the partnership is the company’s first deal focused solely on Southeast Asia and that Dr. Reddy’s is the perfect partner to help bring their biosimilars to patients in the region. The agreement demonstrates Bio-Thera’s commitment to patients in Southeast Asia. The partnership is expected to benefit the patients in the region by providing access to affordable medicines.