Sandoz and Samsung Bioepis have received final European Commission approval for their partnered Pyzchiva biosimilar rival to Stelara. But with European competition on ustekinumab due to kick off in just a matter of months, further applicants are also waiting in the wings.

After getting off to a slow start last year, US biosimilar rivals to Humira are beginning to gain more traction. Sandoz is increasing its share on a weekly basis, Alvotech and Teva have struck a deal for their newly-approved interchangeable 100mg/ml biosimilar, and the latest market data shows biosimilars capturing twice as much of the market in Q1 as in Q4 2023.

Leadership succession is proceeding within South Korean pharmaceutical corporations such as Daiichi Sankyo Korea, Astellas Pharma Korea, Kyowa Kirin Korea as well as MSD Korea.

Boehringer Ingelheim’s decision not only reflects the company’s difficulties in gaining traction for the first interchangeable version of adalimumab, but also the wider problems for Humira biosimilars in the US.