Glenmark launches biosimilar Adalimumab in India

MUMBAI: Mumbai based Glenmark Pharmaceuticals on Wednesday said it has launched the biosimilar Adalimumab under a licensing agreement with Cadila Healthcare Ltd. Adalimumab is used in the treatment of Plaque Psoriasis and Rheumatoid Arthritis is the spin off version of US drug maker AbbVie which sells the drug in the name of Humira. Adalimumab biosimilar in India was first launched by Zydus in 2014. Glenmark will market the biosimilar drug under the name of ADALY.

Glenmark did not give any financial detail for the drug, but globally Adalimumab is estimated to be a $16 billion drug in 2016, making it the "best" selling drug in the world.

For Glenmark this is the first biosimilar launch in India. “The launch of this biosimilar will significantly enhance our presence in this segment. We are encouraged by the recent launch of Apremilast for psoriasis in India and the launch of ADALY reaffirms our commitment towards meeting unmet needs of patients and providing the latest treatment options,” said Sujesh Vasudevan, President – India Formulations, Middle East and Africa at Glenmark.