Mylan launches breast cancer drug in India

Drug major Mylan Inc today said it has launched breast cancer drug Hertraz Herceptin in India.

The company's subsidiary Mylan Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd has launched the world's first trastuzumab biosimilar, which will be marketed by Mylan under the brand name Hertraz Herceptin, a company statement said.

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Hertraz, which has been approved by the Drug Controller General of India, is indicated for the treatment of HER2- positive metastatic breast cancer and is available in two strengths, 440 mg and 150 mg.

"The launch of Hertraz not only represents a significant milestone in our biosimilars development programme with Biocon, but more importantly, supports our mission to expand access to high quality medicine around the world and demonstrates our progress against one of Mylan's key future growth drivers," Bresch said.

Trastuzumab is one of the five products Mylan is developing in partnership with Biocon for the global markets.

Mylan has exclusive commercialization rights for biosimilar trastuzumab in the US, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and in the European Union and European Free Trade Association countries and co-exclusive commercialisationrights with Biocon for product in India.

According to IPSOS data, trastuzumab had sales of around USD 21 million (about Rs 131 crore) in India for the 12 months ended December 31, 2012.