Core Viewpoint - Biocon Biologics Ltd. has received a Notice of Compliance from Health Canada for its biosimilar YESAFILI (aflibercept), marking it as the first biosimilar to EYLEA approved in Canada, with a launch scheduled for July 4, 2025 [1][3]. Company Overview - Biocon Biologics Ltd. is a fully integrated global biosimilars company and a subsidiary of Biocon Ltd., focused on providing affordable access to high-quality biologics [1][10]. - The company has commercialized nine biosimilars and has a pipeline of 20 biosimilar assets across various therapeutic areas, including diabetology, oncology, and ophthalmology [11]. Product Details - YESAFILI is a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor indicated for the treatment of several serious retinal diseases, including neovascular age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema [6][4]. - The approval of YESAFILI was based on comprehensive data demonstrating its similarity to EYLEA in terms of quality, safety, and efficacy, with no clinically meaningful differences observed in a Phase 3 study [2][4]. Market Impact - The approval of YESAFILI is seen as a significant achievement for Biocon Biologics in Canada, enhancing access to advanced biologic therapies for Canadian patients and ophthalmologists [3][10]. - The launch of YESAFILI will be the company's 10th biosimilar to be commercialized globally, reflecting its commitment to expanding access to affordable biologics [3][11].

Core Viewpoint - Alvotech and Advanz Pharma announced a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommending approval for AVT06, a proposed biosimilar to Eylea® [1][5] Company Overview - Alvotech is a global biotech company focused on developing and manufacturing biosimilar medicines, aiming to be a leader in the biosimilar space with a pipeline that includes eight disclosed candidates targeting various therapeutic areas [11][12] - Advanz Pharma is a UK-based global pharmaceutical company specializing in specialty, hospital, and rare disease medicines, with a commercial presence in over 90 countries [13] Product Details - AVT06 is intended for treating adults with neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), visual impairment due to macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion, diabetic macular edema, and myopic choroidal neovascularization [4][8] - In 2024, global sales of Eylea® were approximately US$9 billion, with one-third of these sales occurring in Europe [5] Clinical Study Results - A confirmatory clinical study (AVT06-GL-C01) demonstrated therapeutic equivalence between AVT06 and Eylea®, meeting its primary endpoint [6] Commercialization Rights - Alvotech is responsible for the development and commercial supply of AVT06, while Advanz Pharma holds exclusive commercialization rights for most European countries [5][7]

Core Viewpoint - Alvotech and Advanz Pharma have received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommending approval for AVT06, a proposed biosimilar to Eylea® [1][5] Group 1: Company Overview - Alvotech is a global biotech company focused on developing and manufacturing biosimilar medicines [11] - Advanz Pharma is a UK-based pharmaceutical company specializing in specialty, hospital, and rare disease medicines [13] Group 2: Product Details - AVT06 is intended for treating various eye disorders, including neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME) [4][8] - The global sales of Eylea® were approximately US$9 billion in 2024, with one-third of these sales occurring in Europe [5] Group 3: Clinical Study and Development - A confirmatory clinical study (AVT06-GL-C01) demonstrated therapeutic equivalence between AVT06 and Eylea®, meeting its primary endpoint [6] - Alvotech is also developing AVT29, a proposed biosimilar to Eylea® HD, with Advanz holding distribution rights for both biosimilar candidates [7]

Core Viewpoint - Sandoz reported a net sales growth of 3% in Q1 2025, marking the fourteenth consecutive quarter of growth, driven by a strong biosimilar pipeline and commercial excellence [3][5][6]. Financial Performance - Q1 2025 net sales reached USD 2,480 million, with volume contributing six percentage points to growth, while price erosion accounted for a three percentage point decline [5][6]. - The company anticipates mid single-digit net sales growth for the full year 2025 and a core EBITDA margin of around 21% [7][4]. Segment Performance - Generics net sales were USD 1,809 million, stable with a 2% growth on a comparable growth rate (CGR) basis, representing 73% of total net sales [9][8]. - Biosimilars net sales amounted to USD 671 million, reflecting an 11% growth (14% on a CGR basis), accounting for 27% of total net sales [10][8]. Regional Performance - Europe net sales grew by 7% to USD 1,372 million, driven by recent launches in biosimilars [14][12]. - International net sales declined by 2% to USD 590 million, but grew by 2% when adjusted for the divestment of the China business [15][12]. - North America net sales increased by 1% to USD 518 million, with a 3% growth when excluding the impact of the Cimerli withdrawal [16][12]. Future Outlook - Sandoz plans to launch several major biosimilars in the second half of 2025, including Wyost®/Jubbonti® and Tyruko® [6][4]. - The company is also experiencing favorable regulatory developments, which may streamline biosimilar development processes [20][4]. Legal Developments - Sandoz has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amgen in the US, alleging anti-competitive practices related to the market position of Enbrel® [21].

Core Insights - Regeneron Pharmaceuticals is set to present 27 abstracts, including eight oral presentations on EYLEA HD, at the ARVO 2025 Annual Meeting, showcasing its effectiveness in treating wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), and diabetic retinopathy (DR) [1][2][5] Group 1: EYLEA HD Efficacy and Real-World Data - Initial real-world data from nearly 40,000 patients treated with EYLEA HD indicate positive impacts on vision and longer dosing intervals in everyday clinical practice [2][6] - New analyses will compare EYLEA HD and faricimab regarding efficacy, dosing frequency, and potential economic benefits for patients with wAMD and DME [1][6] Group 2: Presentations at ARVO - Key presentations will include analyses of real-world experiences with EYLEA HD among treatment-naive patients and those switching from other anti-VEGF therapies [6][8] - A network meta-analysis will indirectly compare the efficacy and number of injections for EYLEA HD and faricimab based on Phase 3 clinical trial data [6][8] Group 3: Safety and Adverse Reactions - The most common adverse reactions (≥3%) reported in patients treated with EYLEA HD include cataract, conjunctival hemorrhage, and increased intraocular pressure [3][29] Group 4: Economic Impact and Modeling - A modeling analysis will assess the potential economic benefits of EYLEA HD compared to faricimab for treating patients with wAMD or DME in the U.S. over three years [6][8] Group 5: Background on EYLEA HD - EYLEA HD is developed to provide comparable efficacy and safety to EYLEA but with fewer injections, and it is currently approved in the U.S. for treating wAMD, DME, and DR [19][20] - The drug is part of a broader research and development program at Regeneron aimed at addressing serious eye diseases [21]

Unity Biotechnology (UBX) Update / Briefing March 24, 2025 08:00 AM ET Speaker0 Good morning, and welcome to the Unity Biotechnology Conference Call and Webcast. At this time, all attendees are in a listen only mode. A question and answer session will follow the formal presentations. As a reminder, this call is being recorded and a replay will be made available on the Unity website following the conclusion of the event. I'd now like to turn the call over to Lynn Sullivan, Chief Financial Officer of Unity Bi ...