Russian biotechnology company Biocad, in collaboration with Moroccan pharmaceutical company Sothema Labs, launched a new manufacturing facility in Morocco to serve the North African market with rituximab and bevacizumab biosimilars, approved in October for the treatment of cancer.
In addition to Morocco, the companies plan to market the biosimilars in Senegal, Gabon, and Côte d’Ivoire.
Biocad estimated the North African market for rituximab, bevacizumab, trastuzumab and other high-tech monoclonal antibody drug products at $220 million, with the individual Moroccan market valued at $40 million.
The collaboration between Biocad and Sothema Labs, which began four years ago, involved technology transfer and validation, stability and quality testing, and product authorization during the period.
According to Biocad, the originating drug is 30 percent more expensive than its new bevacizumab and rituximab biosimilars. The products are expected to go on sale “in the coming days,” Dmitry Morozov, the CEO of Biocad, said.
“This is the first successful case of transferring technologies of the (monoclonal antibody) drug products manufacturing to North Africa amid the refusal of Western companies to implement such projects,” Morozov said. “Russia, represented by Biocad, helped its partner to launch a high-tech production.” He added that once the manufacturing site reaches its full production capacity, the partners expect to capture more than 50 percent of the relevant cancer drug market.
Meanwhile, Biocad also reached an agreement to manufacture finished dosage products in Algeria “using the production capacities of their strategic partner.” No further details on that agreement were released.
(Source: Biocad)
