Cipla, China's Qilu partner for US launch of Merck's Keytruda biosimilar

Cipla said on Thursday its U.S. unit entered an exclusive partnership with China's Qilu Pharmaceutical to license a biosimilar version of Merck's cancer drug Keytruda ‌for ⁠the U.S. ⁠market.

Under the agreement, Qilu will handle development, regulatory approvals, manufacturing and supply of QL2107, a biosimilar version of Merck's Keytruda, while Cipla USA will ⁠be responsible for ‌commercialization and sales in the United States.

QL2107 was ⁠developed to offer patients a more ​affordable treatment option that matches the ​original cancer therapy's safety and efficacy profile.


Cipla said the agreement supports its strategy to expand its oncology-focused biosimilars portfolio, ‌leveraging Qilu's research and manufacturing capabilities and Cipla's U.S. commercial network.

Keytruda, until recently ⁠the world's top-selling drug, is used against 20 different kinds of cancerous tumors and 45 types and stages of cancer. Merck is set to lose patent protection for Keytruda in 2028.