Roche Makes Tocilizumab Launch Prediction As Biosimilars Progress

One Analyst Suggests: ‘There Have Been Filings’

Roche gave small insight into its expectations around biosimilar competition for its Actemra/RoActemra (tocilizumab) treatment for inflammatory diseases. Extraordinary demand for the biologic led sales to skyrocket by 143% in the third quarter and caused supply constraints for the originator.

Sales of Actemra have soared amid the pandemic • Source: Alamy

Roche has offered a glimmer of insight into when it expects biosimilar competition for another of its blockbuster monoclonal antibodies, the IL-6 inhibitor Actemra/RoActemra (tocilizumab) for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, which has seen demand soar after it was backed as a treatment option to alleviate symptoms of COVID-19.

In a limited pool, the announcement will put several proposed biosimilar sponsors on alert, including Fresenius Kabi, Biogen/Bio-Thera Solutions and...

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