Handok, Inc.

WESTBURY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BioIVT, a global research partner and biospecimen solutions provider for drug and diagnostic development, today announced an exclusive commercial agreement with Handok Biotech Co. LTD., which will allow Handok to offer researchers in South Korea access to a wider range of high-quality, innovative products. The strategic alliance provides unparalleled opportunities for researchers, ultimately, elevating life science research in Asia. The Agreement’s Regional Impact With this agreement, Handok Biotech will exclusively represent BioIVT’s comprehensive portfolio of biofluids, tissues, cell products, media, and subcellular fractions/enzymes in South Korea. Access to this diverse range of biological materials is essential to drive drug discovery, development, toxicology, and personalized medicine research. “We are excited to collaborate with Handok Biotech to further propel life sciences research in East Asia,” said Dimas Neto, Director, Global Channel Partnerships at BioIVT. “Together, we remain dedicated to advancing scientific discoveries that have the potential to transform healthcare and improve patient outcomes worldwide.” “By combining Handok Biotech’s long-standing experience and strong presence in the region, and BioIVT’s industry-leading products, we’re eager to create unparalleled opportunities for researchers to access high-quality, reliable solutions,” said Mun-Chul Lee, CEO at Handok Biotech. “This relationship will provide faster lead times and competitive pricing, while ensuring ongoing technical support and customer service, further enhancing the overall research experience.” With over 35 years of experience in biospecimen procurement to bring the best products to researchers in need – including its diverse donor pool consisting of over 600 recallable consented donors in the U.S. and U.K. – BioIVT continues to enable smarter science and accelerate medical breakthroughs through strategic partnerships, including other recent commercial agreements in South Asia. If you’re interested in learning more, or enhancing clinical research via a commercial agreement, please visit www.bioivt.com. About Handok Biotech HANDOK, a leading innovation-driven pharmaceutical/healthcare company in Korea, develops and distributes healthcare solutions to improve health and quality life for all. Handok has a core business focus on diabetes, rare diseases, cardiovascular, oncology, medical devices, diagnostics, and consumer health. Handok, founded in 1954, grew as a joint venture with Hoechst/Aventis/Sanofi from 1964 to 2012. Handok has also established strategic collaborations in several areas with multiple multinational pharmaceutical companies. For more information, please visit http://www.hdbio.net/. About BioIVT BioIVT enables smarter science and accelerates medical breakthroughs by delivering high-quality personalized biospecimen solutions and research services to the life science and diagnostic industries. We specialize in control and disease state samples including human and animal tissues or preparations, ADME products and research services, cell and gene therapy products, blood, and other biofluids. Our unmatched portfolio of clinical specimens directly supports precision medicine research and the effort to improve patient outcomes by coupling comprehensive clinical data with donor samples. By combining our technical expertise, exceptional customer service, and unparalleled access to biological specimens, BioIVT serves the research community as a trusted partner in ELEVATING SCIENCE®. For more information, please visit www.bioivt.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

The regulatory filings for Bmab 1200 in certain markets are currently under review. Credit: Corona Borealis Studio/Shutterstock. Biocon Biologics has reached a settlement and licence agreement with Janssen Biotech, Janssen Sciences Ireland and Johnson & Johnson (collectively called Janssen) for the commercialisation of Bmab 1200 (bUstekinumab), a proposed biosimilar to Stelara (Ustekinumab). Biocon plans to commercialise the product in key markets such as Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan on receipt of regulatory approvals. The agreement resolves patent disputes between the parties and enables market entry for Biocon Biologics’ product in these regions. The regulatory filings for Bmab 1200 are currently under review. The development follows the company’s previous announcement of a settlement agreement in the US, which permits the launch of Bmab 1200 no later than 22 February 2025, pending approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). See Also: AstraZeneca may pull plug on UK vaccine manufacturing plans Ginkgo Bioworks gets grant for modified aav capsid proteins and virus vectors The FDA has accepted the company’s biologics licence application for Bmab 1200 under the 351(k) pathway. Stelara is a monoclonal antibody indicated to treat various immune-mediated ailments by targeting interleukin IL-12/23. It is approved for conditions such as psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The reference brand, Stelara, reported global sales of $10.85bn in 2023. Biocon Biologics CEO and managing director Shreehas Tambe stated: “This settlement agreement is testament to our proven track record of science and innovation and is another key milestone in our journey to bring our biosimilar Bmab 1200 (bUstekinumab) to global markets. “Bmab 1200 will significantly strengthen our immunology franchise, enabling us to offer an affordable and effective treatment option for patients impacted by autoimmune diseases.” In May 2024, Biocon entered an exclusive licence and supply agreement with Handok to commercialise synthetic Liraglutide in South Korea.

Biocon will handle Liraglutide’s development, manufacturing and supply. Credit: Poetra.RH / Shutterstock.com. Indian biopharmaceutical company Biocon has entered an exclusive licence and supply agreement with Handok to commercialise synthetic Liraglutide in South Korea. A vertically integrated, complex drug, Liraglutide is administered using pre-filled injection pens. It is designed for chronic weight management alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Biocon will handle Liraglutide’s development, manufacture and supply in South Korea. Handok will oversee the regulatory approvals and commercialisation of the product in the market. Handok’s diabetes care portfolio includes Amaryl, Tenelia and the real-time glucose monitoring device Barozen Fit. See Also: Alvotech and Dr Reddy’s partner to commercialise AVT03 (Cilostazol + rosuvastatin) by Korea United Pharm for Chronic Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) (Ischemic Heart Disease): Likelihood of Approval Global contract research organisation IQVIA ‘s moving annual total for the fourth quarter of 2023 values the market opportunity for Liraglutide in South Korea at $47m. Biocon CEO and MD Siddharth Mittal stated: “We are pleased to enter into this strategic partnership with Handok, which will enable patients in South Korea dealing with weight management to gain access to our GLP-1 peptide drug product, synthetic Liraglutide. “This also aligns with our commitment to expand our portfolio of innovative, affordable medicines to address the unmet needs of patients around the world. We look forward to leveraging Handok’s strong capabilities to help patients in the region better manage their disease.” In December 2023, Biocon’s subsidiary Biocon Biologics completed the integration of Viatris’ biosimilars business across 31 European countries.