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Iceland-based Alvotech, a global biotech company specialising in the development and manufacture of biosimilar medicines for patients worldwide, and Indian pharmaceutical firm Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories have entered into a collaboration and license agreement to co-develop, manufacture and commercialise a biosimilar candidate to Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) for global markets.
Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) is indicated for the treatment of numerous cancer types. In 2024, worldwide sales of Keytruda were $29.5 billion. The collaboration combines Dr. Reddy’s and Alvotech’s proven capabilities in biosimilars, thereby, speeding up the development process and extending the global reach for this biosimilar candidate.
Under the terms of the agreement, the parties will be jointly responsible for developing and manufacturing the biosimilar candidate and sharing costs and responsibilities. Subject to certain exceptions, each party will have the right to commercialise the product globally.
“This agreement demonstrates Alvotech’s ability to leverage its dedicated R&D and manufacturing platform for biosimilars, accelerating the expansion of our pipeline by pursuing growing global markets. It further enables us to increase the availability of cost-effective, critical biologic medications to patients world-wide,” said Róbert Wessman, chairman and CEO of Alvotech.
"Oncology has been a top focus therapy area for us and this collaboration will further enhance our capabilities in oncology, as pembrolizumab currently represents one of the most critical therapies in immuno-oncology,” said Erez Israeli, CEO of Dr. Reddy’s.
