Amgen Announces Positive Top-Line Results from Phase III Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Biosimilar Candidate ABP 501

Amgen has announced a Phase III study evaluating the efficacy and safety of biosimilar candidate ABP 501 compared with Humira (adalimumab) in patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis met its primary and key secondary endpoints. The primary endpoint compared the ACR20 measurements (20% or greater improvement in ACR assessment) at week 24. The ACR20 was within the prespecified margin for ABP 501 compared to adalimumab, showing clinical equivalence. Safety and immunogenicity of ABP 501 were comparable to adalimumab. Key secondary endpoints included ACR50, ACR70 and DAS 28-CRP.

ABP 501 is being developed as a biosimilar candidate to adalimumab, an anti-TNF-a monoclonal antibody, which is approved in many countries for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

"The positive results from Amgen's biosimilar Phase III rheumatoid arthritis study showed clinical equivalence in efficacy, and comparable safety and immunogenicity, to adalimumab. Amgen's success on both our ABP 501 psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis studies underscores our expertise in the research and development of high-quality biologic therapies," said Sean E. Harper, executive vice president of R&D at Amgen. "Inflammation remains a core therapeutic area for Amgen, and we are committed to leveraging our long-term heritage in the space to deliver a portfolio of biosimilar and novel compounds that benefit patients worldwide."

Amgen has nine biosimilar molecules in development and expects to launch five of these biosimilars between 2017 and 2019.