Sandoz and Polpharma have quickly followed news of a European natalizumab filing with confirmation that the proposed biosimilar version of Tysabri has also been accepted for review by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Polpharma Biologics has claimed the first biosimilar natalizumab filing in Europe, after the European Medicines Agency accepted the firm’s marketing authorization application for review.

A management reshuffle at Sandoz has seen head of biopharmaceuticals Pierre Bourdage take on the role of chief operating officer among a number of changes, as parent company Novartis continues its strategic review of the generics and biosimilars unit.

Sandoz has responded to recent rumors that parent company Novartis is favoring a spinoff of the generics and biosimilars business over a sale or retention, insisting that “all options remain open” as a strategic review of the unit continues.