Natco in biogenerics in deal with Mabxience; plans generic launches in South Africa

Hyderabad, India-based generic drugmaker Natco Pharma (524816: BY) has entered into an exclusive agreement with Mabxience, the biosimilar division of Swiss firm Chemo SA and has also indicated that it plans to launch several generic cancer drugs onto the South African market.

Under the agreement Mabxience, Natco will purchase four monoclonal antibody (MAb) drug substances from Chemo and use them for manufacturing finished dosage pharmaceutical formulations. Three of these - trastuzumab, bevacizumab and rituximab – are for the treatment of cancers, while etanercept is for auto-immune disease. Natco’s obligations under the agreement will include manufacturing of the drug, undertaking local clinical trials, filing registration of dossiers, applying for market authorizations and commercializing the products in India and a few other Asian countries.

With the product combinations chosen by Natco, the MAb initiative is likely to be completed in a period of 24 to 36 months, the company said.