Yesterday, India-based Cadila Pharmaceuticals announced the launch of its bevacizumab biosimilar for the Indian market under the brand name BEVARO. Bevacizumab is a biosimilar of Genentech’s AVASTIN and is indicated for the treatment of multiple cancers, including ovarian cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, and kidney cancer. Last month, we provided an update on a number of other bevacizumab biosimilar candidates, including news that China-based Bio-Thera Solutions had announced that China’s National Medical Products Administration had accepted its Biologics License Application for its proposed bevacizumab biosimilar, BAT1706.

Last week, Bio-Thera and Russian biopharmaceutical company Pharmapark announced an agreement that would grant Pharmapark exclusive distribution and marketing rights in Russia to Bio-Thera’s golimumab biosimilar candidate, BAT2506. BAT2506 is a biosimilar of Janssen’s SIMPONI, which is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. According to their announcement, Bio-Thera intends to begin a global Phase III study of BAT2506 with patients with psoriatic arthritis later this year.