Drug maker Lupin inks licensing pact with Axantia for Pegfilgrastim

Drug maker Lupin on Tuesday said it has inked a licensing and distribution pact with Axantia for Pegfilgrastim, used to stimulate the production of white blood cells, in the Middle East and North Africa. The Mumbai-based drug firm has entered into a license, supply and technology sharing agreement with Axantia Holding, a leading pharmaceutical company in the Middle East region, Lupin said in a statement.

Under the terms of the agreement, Axantia will register, distribute and market biosimilar Pegfilgrastim in certain territories including Saudi Arabia, certain GCC countries, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan, Libya and Algeria, it added.

Pegfilgrastim is indicated to reduce the duration of neutropenia and the incidence of febrile neutropenia in patients receiving chemotherapy.

Lupin had earlier received the USFDA acceptance for review of the Biologics License Application (BLA) for its proposed biosimilar to Neulasta (pegfilgrastim).