Biogen and Bio-Thera Solutions Partner Over Actemra Biosimilar

Biogen and Chinese drugmaker Bio-Thera Solutions have teamed to develop a biosimilar of Roche’s Actemra (tocilizumab) biosimilar, BAT1806, currently being evaluated in phase 3 trials for moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Under the agreement, Bio-Thera will receive an upfront payment of $30 million, contingent upon the phase 3 study yielding successful results, in addition to potential milestone payments and royalties.

Cambridge, Mass.-based Biogen will gain exclusive rights to BAT1806, an anti-interleukin-6 receptor monoclonal antibody, in all territories excluding China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

Actemra is FDA-indicated for treating moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis in adults, juvenile idiopathic polyarthritis, systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, giant-cell arteritis and cytokine release syndrome. The blockbuster drug earned global sales of more than $3 billion in 2020.