– Marks Amneal’s third biosimilar approval in 2022
BRIDGEWATER, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: AMRX) (“Amneal” or the “Company”) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has approved the Company’s Biologics License Application (“BLA”) for pegfilgrastim-pbbk, a biosimilar referencing Neulasta®. The product will be marketed under the proprietary name FYLNETRA™.
FYLNETRA was developed in collaboration with Kashiv Biosciences, LLC, located in Chicago, Illinois. It is used to treat neutropenia (low neutrophils which are a type of white blood cells that fight infection) which is commonly experienced by patients undergoing chemotherapy.
This marks the third biosimilar approval Amneal received this year for products used in oncology, the second-largest biosimilar category in the U.S. Earlier this year, Amneal received approval of Releuko® (filgrastim-ayow), a filgrastim biosimilar referencing Neupogen®, and Alymsys® (bevacizumab-maly), a bevacizumab biosimilar referencing Avastin®. Amneal expects to launch these three products over the second half of 2022, along with a full patient support program.
“This is our third U.S. biosimilar approval this year and we are very enthusiastic about our future in the fast growing $28 billion U.S. biosimilars market. Biosimilars represent the next wave of affordable medicines and are closely aligned with our mission to provide high quality, affordable medicines to as many patients as possible,” said Chirag and Chintu Patel, Co-Chief Executive Officers.
“Building on our successful partnership with the recent approval of our first biosimilar, Releuko, we are pleased to receive approval for our second biosimilar. Kashiv is one of a few domestic companies to manufacture and launch multiple biosimilars in the United States. Kashiv aims to continue bringing high quality biosimilars to the global markets over the coming years. I would like to extend a humble thank you to our highly talented team, without whom this would not have been possible,” said Dr. Chandramauli Rawal, Chief Operating Officer for Kashiv.
According to IQVIA®, U.S. annual sales for pegfilgrastim for the 12 months ended March 2022 were $3.1 billion, $1.0 billion of which represented biosimilar sales.
Indications: FYLNETRA is a leukocyte growth factor indicated to decrease the incidence of infection, as manifested by febrile neutropenia, in patients with non-myeloid malignancies receiving myelosuppressive anti-cancer drugs associated with a clinically significant incidence of febrile neutropenia.
Limitations of Use: FYLNETRA is not indicated for the mobilization of peripheral blood progenitor cells for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
FYLNETRA IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
FYLENTRA is contraindicated in patients with a history of serious allergic reactions to human granulocyte colony-stimulating factors such as filgrastim products or pegfilgrastim products.
Before you take FYLNETRA, tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to breast feed, and if you have sickle cell disorder, kidney problems or receiving radiation therapy.
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
- Fatal splenic rupture: Patients may experience enlarged spleen which can rupture and cause death.
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS): Patients may develop fever and lung infiltrates or respiratory distress. Discontinue FYLNETRA in patients with ARDS.
- Fatal sickle cell crises: Serious sickle cell crises have been reported in patients with sickle cell disorders receiving FYLNETRA. Discontinue FYLNETRA if sickle cell crisis occurs.
- Serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis: Permanently discontinue FYLNETRA in patients with serious allergic reactions.
- Kidney injury (Glomerulonephritis): Kidney injury have been reported in patients on FYLNETRA. Consider dose-reduction or interruption of FYLNETRA in patients with kidney injury.
- Decreased platelet count (thrombocytopenia); and increased white blood cell count (leukocytosis) have been reported. Monitor platelet counts and white blood cell count.
- Capillary leak syndrome has been reported after G-CSF administration, including pegfilgrastim products, and is characterized by hypotension, hypoalbuminemia, edema and hemoconcentration.
- The possibility that pegfilgrastim products act as a growth factor for any tumor type, including myeloid malignancies and myelodysplasia, diseases for which pegfilgrastim products are not approved, cannot be excluded.
- Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) and Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML): Monitor patients with breast and lung cancer using FYLNETRA in conjunction with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for signs and symptoms of MDS/AML.
- Aortitis has been reported in patients receiving pegfilgrastim products.
- Increased hematopoietic activity of the bone marrow in response to growth factor therapy has been associated with transient positive bone imaging changes.
ADVERSE REACTIONS
Most common adverse reactions (≥ 5% difference in incidence compared to placebo) are bone pain and pain in extremity.
For full prescribing information, see package insert located here.
About Amneal
Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: AMRX), headquartered in Bridgewater, NJ, is a fully integrated essential medicines company. We make healthy possible through the development, manufacturing, and distribution of generic and specialty pharmaceuticals, primarily within the United States. The Company has a diverse portfolio of over 250 products in its Generics segment and is expanding across a broad range of complex products and therapeutic areas, including injectables and biosimilars. In its Specialty segment, Amneal has a growing portfolio of branded pharmaceutical products focused primarily on central nervous system and endocrine disorders, with a pipeline focused on unmet needs. Through its AvKARE segment, the Company is a distributor of pharmaceuticals and other products for the U.S. federal government, retail, and institutional markets. For more information, please visit www.amneal.com.
Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained herein, regarding matters that are not historical facts, may be forward-looking statements (as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Such forward-looking statements include statements about FLYNETRA (pegfilgrastim-pbbk), including its potential benefits, management’s intentions, plans, beliefs, expectations or forecasts regarding FLYNETRA and other products, including among other things: product research and development; discussions of future operations; expected operating results and financial performance, including potential future revenues from FLYNETRA and other products; the Company’s strategy for growth; regulatory actions; market position and expenditures. Words such as “plans,” “expects,” “will,” “anticipates,” “estimates” and similar words are intended to identify estimates and forward-looking statements.
The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations of future events. If the underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of the Company.
Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: our ability to successfully develop, license, acquire and commercialize new products on a timely basis, including the risks and uncertainties regarding the launch timing and commercial success of FLYNETRA; the competition we face in the pharmaceutical industry in general, including the potential approval of additional biosimilar versions of pegfilgrastim; our ability to obtain exclusive marketing rights for our products; our ability to manage our growth through acquisitions and otherwise; our dependence on the sales of a limited number of products for a substantial portion of our total revenues; the continuing trend of consolidation of certain customer groups; our dependence on third-party suppliers and distributors for raw materials for our products and certain finished goods and any associated supply chain disruptions; litigation outcomes, including intellectual property disputes or other legal efforts to prevent or limit Amneal from selling its products; the impact of severe weather; the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; risks related to federal regulation of arrangements between manufacturers of branded and generic products; our reliance on certain licenses to proprietary technologies from time to time; the significant amount of resources we expend on research and development; the risk of product liability and other claims against us by consumers and other third parties; risks related to changes in the regulatory environment, including U.S. federal and state laws related to healthcare fraud abuse and health information privacy and security and changes in such laws; changes to FDA product approval requirements; the impact of healthcare reform and changes in coverage and reimbursement levels by governmental authorities and other third-party payers; our dependence on third-party agreements for a portion of our product offerings; the impact of global economic conditions, including any economic effects stemming from adverse geopolitical events, an economic downturn and inflation rates; our ability to identify, make and integrate acquisitions or investments in complementary businesses and products on advantageous terms; our substantial amount of indebtedness and our ability to generate sufficient cash to service our indebtedness in the future, and the impact of interest rate fluctuations on such indebtedness; our obligations under a tax receivable agreement may be significant; and the high concentration of ownership of our Class A Common Stock and the fact that we are controlled by the Amneal Group. The forward-looking statements contained herein are also subject generally to other risks and uncertainties that are described from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in its subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Forward-looking statements included herein speak only as of the date hereof and we undertake no obligation to revise or update such statements to reflect the occurrence of events or circumstances after the date hereof.
Contacts
Anthony DiMeo
Head of Investor Relations
anthony.dimeo@amneal.com