CT-P6 is intended to be a biosimilar of Roche’s breast cancer blockbuster Herceptin (trastuzumab). Herceptin is a HER2+ breast cancer therapy designed to treat aggressive HER positive metastatic and adjuvant breast cancer.

The Celltrion study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of the company’s biosimilar trastuzumab (CT-P6) versus Roche’s Herceptin both given in combination with docetaxel followed by FEC (5-fluorouracil, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide) in patients with HER2+ operable early breast cancer.

The trial is a multicentre, double-blind, randomized, active controlled, parallel-group study. The main objective of the study is to demonstrate the equivalent efficacy of CT-P6 and Herceptin (trastuzumab) in patients with HER2+ operable early breast cancer determined by pathological complete response (pCR). The primary efficacy endpoint is defined as the absence of invasive tumour cells in the breast and axillary lymph nodes. The trial will include 532 female patients, aged 18 years and above, with 160 being recruited from 90 sites within the European Economic Area (EEA).

This is a major international trial for Celltrion. The trial is expected to last three years and will include 25 countries across the globe, including Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, Chile, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Korea, Latvia, Mexico, The Netherlands, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Ukraine and the US.

Roche’s worldwide sales of Herceptin in 2013 were CHF 6.1 billion (US$6.8 billion) making it a lucrative target for biosimilars manufacturers. Celltrion received approval for its biosimilar monoclonal antibody (mAb) Herzuma (trastuzumab) with the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), formerly the Korea Food and Drug Administration, in January 2014 [1].

Trastuzumab will be Celltrion’s second monoclonal antibody biosimilar. The company gained European approval for the world’s first monoclonal antibody biosimilar Remsima/Inflectra (infliximab) as part of its collaboration with US-based generics major Hospira [2]. Celltrion has also gained approval for Remsima in South Korea [3] and Colombia [4], and has also applied for approval in Japan [5].

In anticipation of gaining US approval for its biosimilar of infliximab, Celltrion has also filed a lawsuit in March 2014 in the US District Court of Massachusetts seeking to invalidate certain patents covering Janssen Biotech’s Remicade (infliximab).

Related articles

Celltrion stops phase III trial of biosimilar rituximab

Phase I/IIb trial of CT-P6 shows comparability to trastuzumab

References
1. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Biosimilar trastuzumab approved in Korea trastuzumab [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2014 Apr 11]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Biosimilars/News/Biosimilar-trastuzumab-approved-in-Korea
2. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. EC approves first monoclonal antibody biosimilar [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2014 Apr 11]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Biosimilars/News/EC-approves-first-monoclonal-antibody-biosimilar
3. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Biosimilar monoclonal antibody approved in Korea [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2014 Apr 11]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Biosimilars/News/Biosimilar-monoclonal-antibody-approved-in-Korea
4. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Remsima approved in Colombia [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2014 Apr 11]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Biosimilars/News/Remsima-approved-in-Colombia
5. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Celltrion applies for biosimilar infliximab approval in Japan [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2014 Apr 11]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Biosimilars/News/Celltrion-applies-for-biosimilar-infliximab-approval-in-Japan

Permission granted to reproduce for personal and non-commercial use only. All other reproduction, copy or reprinting of all or part of any ‘Content’ found on this website is strictly prohibited without the prior consent of the publisher. Contact the publisher to obtain permission before redistributing.

Copyright – Unless otherwise stated all contents of this website are © 2014 Pro Pharma Communications International. All Rights Reserved.