Celltrion Healthcare said that Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has approved a three-week cycle method for Herzuma (Ingredient: Trastuzumab), an anticancer antibody biosimilar, in treating breast cancer.

Celltrion's anticancer antibody biosimilar Herzuma

Trastuzumab biopharmaceutical has two methods – a one-week cycle method (52 doses) and three-week cycle (18 doses) -- in treating breast cancers. The company received approval for the one-week cycle method from the Japanese ministry in November last year.

As the proportion of breast cancer patients who receive the three-week cycle method in the Japanese Trastuzumab market exceeds 90 percent, the company expects that the new approval will help the company in expanding its market share in the country.

Celltrion Healthcare operates a co-promotion system in Japan, where it supplies Herzuma through a local subsidiary and its distribution partner, Nippon Kayaku.

As the two partners acquired the know-how in biosimilar sales and distribution network experience in supplying Remsima in Japan, the Korean company expects great synergy from the co-promotion on the three-week cycle of Herzuma.

"The fact that Japan is applying the diagnosis procedure combination (DPC) system for breast cancer disease is seen as a good sign for expanding the prescription of Herzuma," Celltrion Healthcare said.

Biosimilar prescriptions for diseases included in the DPC system can benefit all stakeholders as it can reduce the patient's financial burden, government medical expenses, and improve hospital profitability, it added.

"As Japan is aging rapidly, interest in biosimilars that can alleviate the government's financial burden continues to grow," a company official said. “As Celltrion has expanded communication with Japanese hospitals under the co-promotion agreement, we will continue to strengthen the marketing activities for Herzuma."

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