Alvotech Initiates Clinical Studies for AVT04, a Proposed Biosimilar to Stelara® (Ustekinumab)

Alvotech, the Iceland-based biosimilar company, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in the comparative, confirmatory efficacy and safety clinical study (AVT04-GL-301) for AVT04, Alvotech‘s proposed biosimilar to the reference product Stelara®. The objective of the study is to demonstrate therapeutic equivalence between AVT04 and Stelara® in terms of safety, efficacy and immunogenicity in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis.

The AVT04-GL-301 study is being conducted in five countries in Central and Eastern Europe and it is expected that approximately 530 patients will be enrolled in the study.

In parallel, Alvotech is also conducting a PK similarity study (AVT04-GL-101) to demonstrate equivalent PK endpoints between the proposed biosimilar and the reference product Stelara. The AVT04-GL-101 study, that is also assessing safety and tolerability, is currently ongoing in Australia and New Zealand and is expected to enroll 294 healthy adult volunteers.

Ustekinumab, which is among the highest selling pharmaceutical products in the world, had worldwide sales of $7.7 bn in 2020.

AVT04 is the second proposed biosimilar product from Alvotech entering clinical studies, the first being AVT02, a proposed biosimilar to Humira®. Alvotech is the only known company that has both developed a biosimilar candidate for the high-concentration Humira® and is executing a switching study to support its approval as an interchangeable product.

Róbert Wessman, founder and Chairman of Alvotech, commented:

”As a founder, I am extremely proud to see us enter the second proposed biosimilar product into clinical trials. This brings us closer to our mission to expand patient access to high quality biosimilars at an affordable price.”

Mark Levick, CEO of Alvotech, added:

“We are pleased to have reached this important milestone where the first subjects are being enrolled in clinical trials for AVT04, and we look forward to continuing with recruitment and patient follow-up.

Additionally, the initiation of this clinical program, with two studies running in parallel, reinforces our commitment to improving the efficiency of the clinical development, with the ultimate goal of improving the lives of patients suffering from serious chronic or life-threatening diseases, through faster access to high-quality biosimilars.”

About Alvotech:

Alvotech is a multinational biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and manufacture of high quality biosimilars for global markets. We are specialists in biotechnology, seeking to be a global leader in the biosimilar space by delivering high quality, cost-competitive products and services to our partners and to patients worldwide. Our fully integrated approach, with high-quality in-house competencies throughout the value chain, enables the accelerated development of biosimilar products. Alvotech’s shareholder base includes, among others, Aztiq Pharma, led by founder and Chairman Mr. Robert Wessman, Fuji Pharma from Japan, YAS Holdings form Abu Dhabi, Shinhan from Korea, Baxter Healthcare SA from the US, ATHOS (Strüngmann Family Office) from Germany and CVC Capital Partners and Temasek from Singapore through their participation in Alvogen.

Alvotech‘s initial pipeline contains several monoclonal-antibody and fusion-protein biosimilar candidates aimed at treating autoimmunity, oncology and inflammatory conditions to improve quality of life for patients around the world. For more information, please visit our website, www.alvotech.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

About AVT04 and AVT02:

AVT04 is a monoclonal antibody (mAb) and a proposed biosimilar to STELARA® (ustekinumab). AVT04 is an investigational compound and has not received regulatory approval in any country. Biosimilarity has not yet been established by regulatory authorities and is not yet claimed.

AVT02 is a monoclonal antibody (mAb) and a proposed biosimilar to HUMIRA® (adalimumab). AVT02 is an investigational compound and has not received regulatory approval in any country. Biosimilarity has not yet been established by regulatory authorities and is not yet claimed.

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Contact information

Alvotech
Corporate Communications
Elisabet Hjaltadottir
E-mail: Alvotech.media@alvotech.com