Adalimumab is an antibody treatment for a range of inflammatory conditions, including various forms of arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis.

The first fully human monoclonal antibody to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2002, it has since been sold under the trade name Humira by AbbVie. It was approved for use in the European Union in 2003.

Fresenius Kabi, the generics unit of German healthcare giant Fresenius, has developed a biosimilar version of adalimumab named Idacio. Idacio was approved by the European Commission in April 2019 [1] and launched in Germany soon after [2].

On 28 May 2020, the company announced a marketing agreement with fellow German company Medac regarding the biosimilar. From 1 June 2020, Medac’s sales representatives will begin offering Idacio as an additional treatment option to the rheumatologists and dermatologists it has partnerships with.

Medac is a major provider of the immunosuppressant methotrexate for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. The new partnership is based on the fact that such patients are often treated with a combination of methotrexate and adalimumab.

A statement from Fresenius Kabi says:
‘[T]he partnership between Fresenius Kabi and Medac will offer patients and doctors new benefits and synergies in therapy offerings as well as consulting’.

The market for adalimumab biosimilars in Europe is intensifying; with Celltrion recently submitting an application to the European Medicines Agency for their adalimumab biosimilar, CT-P17 [3], in addition to the 10 already approved biosimilars in Europe [4].

Related articles
Adalimumab biosimilars in Europe: a review

Biosimilars of adalimumab

Biosimilars approved in Europe

References
1. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. EC approval for adalimumab biosimilar Idacio [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2020 Jun 5]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Biosimilars/News/EC-approval-for-adalimumab-biosimilar-Idacio
2. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Adalimumab biosimilar Idacio launched in Germany [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2020 Jun 5]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Biosimilars/News/Adalimumab-biosimilar-Idacio-launched-in-Germany
3. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Celltrion files application with EMA for adalimumab biosimilar [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2020 Jun 5]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Biosimilars/News/Celltrion-files-application-with-EMA-for-adalimumab-biosimilar
4. GaBI Online - Generics and Biosimilars Initiative. Biosimilars approved in Europe [www.gabionline.net]. Mol, Belgium: Pro Pharma Communications International; [cited 2020 Jun 5]. Available from: www.gabionline.net/Biosimilars/General/Biosimilars-approved-in-Europe

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 © 2020 Pro Pharma Communications International. All Rights Reserved.