• Out-licensing of first biosimilar from Formycon’s product development pipeline
  • Successful long-term positioning as a global biosimilars development company
  • Formycon to receive success-based payments in the three-digit million euro range

Munich – Formycon AG today announced the signing of an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement with Santo Holding GmbH, owned by the well noted German pharmaceutical investors Andreas and Thomas Strüngmann, granting rights to the first biosimilar drug of Formycon’s development pipeline. Under the terms of the agreement, Santo Holding will assume responsibility and bear the costs for the development and commercialization of the Formycon biosimilar drug. Formycon will perform the entire further development of the product for Santo Holding.

Formycon will receive an immediate, single-digit million euro up-front payment and will be entitled to additional payments in the three-digit million euro range based upon the attainment of specific regulatory and sales results.

“I am delighted that we have been able to gain Santo Holding for this cooperation arrangement with Formycon. This attests to the strength of Formycon’s long-term strategic orientation as a global biosimilars development company. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the entire team at Formycon, which has worked so hard to bring about this successful outcome,” declared Dr. Carsten Brockmeyer, CEO of Formycon AG.

“This is the first licensing agreement to emerge from Formycon’s own biosimilars development pipeline,” added Dr. Nicolas Combé, CFO of Formycon AG. “Our cooperation arrangement with Santo Holding marks yet another major step as we build Formycon into a leading company in the development of global biosimilars, an industry with enormous growth potential.”

“Biosimilars will in the future become an important treatment option for patients around the world. We are pleased that we have found in Formycon a recognized and experienced partner in biosimilars development,” said Dr. Thomas Strüngmann.

Background: What are “biosimilars”?
Since their introduction in the 1980s, biopharmaceuticals have revolutionized the treatment of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. In the coming years, many of the patents for these biopharmaceuticals will expire; by the year 2020, medications with revenues of more than USD 100 billion will lose their patent protection. In this way, it will become possible to launch follow-on products, known as “biosimilars”. In contrast to traditional generic drugs, the development and production of biosimilars is highly complex and requires specialized expertise.