[THE INVESTOR] Celltrion Healthcare, the sales and marketing unit of Korean drug maker Celltrion, said on April 27 it has named Nippon Kayaku as its Japanese retail partner for Truxima.

The Japanese drug company has secured the exclusive sales rights for Celltrion’s three biosimilar drugs -- Truxima, Remsima and Herzuma. 

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The two companies will seek Japanese regulatory approval for Truxima after collecting patient data through clinical studies in the country. Truxima is a copycat version of Roche’s blockbuster lymphatic cancer treatment Rituxan.

“Through the partnership with Celltrion, Nippon Kayaku will establish a strong foothold in the fast-growing biosimilar market in Japan,” the Tokyo-headquartered firm said in a statement.

Rituxan, also known as Mabthera, is Roche’s top-selling drug that generated revenue of US$7.35 billion last year. Japan makes up nearly 5 percent of the global sales.

Celltrion debuted Remsima, the biosimilar version of Johnson & Johnson’s Remicade, in Japan in 2014. In April this year, the company also filed for approval to sell Herzuma, referencing Roche’s Herceptin, in the country.

“We will carry out aggressive marketing activities for Truxima and promote awareness of biosimilar drugs overall along with Nippon Kayaku,” Celltrion said in a statement.

Celltrion started selling Truxima in the UK since April before its Korean launch set for June this year.

By Park Han-na (hnpark@heraldcorp.com)