Natco Pharmaceuticals inks pact with Swiss firm Chemo Sa Lugano for purchase of drug ingredients

NEW DELHI: Natco Pharmaceuticals today said it has entered into an agreement with Mabxience, the biosimilar division of Swiss firm Chemo Sa Lugano, to purchase four ingredients that will be used in the manufacture of finished drugs.

"Under the agreement, Natco will purchase four mAb drug substances from Chemo and use the same for manufacturing finished dosage pharmaceutical formulations," Natco Pharma said in a statement.

Three of the these substances - Trastuzumab, Bevacizumab and Rituximab - belong to the oncology segment, while Etanerceptis targets auto-immune diseases, Natco said.

As per the terms of the pact, Natco will manufacture the drug products, undertake local clinical trials, file for registration of dossiers, apply for market authorisations and commercialise the product in India and a few other countries, the company said.
The company, however, did not disclose the financial details of the purchase.

Oncology is the largest therapy area within the monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) space, the company said ,adding that the "market for mAbs has grown rapidly and is currently at a revenue level of around USD 35 billion."

Shares of Natco Pharmaceuticals were being quoted at Rs 236 apiece in late afternoon trade on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) today, up 6.69 per cent from their previous close.