Canadian Cancer Patients Have New Affordable Treatment Option

Toronto, ON /CNW/ - Apobiologix, a division of Apotex Inc., expanded its leadership in Canada's biosimilar market with the approval of its first therapeutic treatment, Bambevi®. The company, a pioneer and leader in oncology biosimilars in Canada, recently received approval from Health Canada for its first therapeutic product.

Bambevi ( bevacizumab) is used in combination with chemotherapy to treat specific types of colorectal, lung, brain and ovarian cancer. This approval, coupled with well-established Apobiologix supportive care products, further enables Apobiologix to deliver on its mission to transform access to affordable therapies in oncology and beyond.

Apobiologix successfully launched its first product, Grastofil® (filgrastim), in Canada in 2016, followed by the launch of Lapelga® in 2019, the first-ever pegfilgrastim biosimilar approved in any highly regulated market. These products encourage the body's production of white blood cells, which helps to fight infection in patients undergoing certain cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation. Apobiologix was the first company to offer a portfolio of G-CSF biosimilars.

"Biosimilars provide an opportunity for the sustainability of global healthcare systems by increasing competition and reducing costs, and most importantly, giving patients increased access to highly effective and often lifesaving biological drugs," said Mike Woolcock, SVP, Commercial Operations. The availability of Grastofil and Lapelga has saved the healthcare system tens of millions of dollars while expanding utilization for patients in need by tens of thousands at the same time.

Designed to be similar to another already approved biological medicine, biosimilars are approved to the same standards of quality, safety and efficacy that apply to biological medicines.

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