Cadila Pharmaceuticals Launches Biosimilar Rituximab

Ahmedabad, India-based Cadila Pharmaceuticals has launched Ritucad, its biosimilar product referencing Roche’s blockbuster MabThera/Rituxan (rituximab) originator biologic, for the Indian market, Cadila announced in a July 29, 2020 press release. Ritucad is used for treating blood cancer, including Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and rheumatoid arthritis. Roche’s MabThera/Rituxan had nearly CHF 5 billion (US $5 billion) in 2019 sales (1).

Ritucad will be made available in a single-dose vial of two strengths, 100 mg and 500 mg. Ritucad marks the second biosimilar in a series of biosimilar products planned by Cadila in 2020. The company also recently launched Bevaro, a biosimilar referencing Roche’s top-selling Avastin (bevacizumab), a cancer-treating biologic that had CHF $7 billion (US $7.6 billion) in 2019 sales (1).

Reference

1. Roche, “Finance Report 2019,” roche.com/investors, March 2020.

Source: Cadila Pharmaceuticals