Glenmark expands global reach with cancer drug Envafolimab agreement

Glenmark Specialty S.A, a subsidiary of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, today announced a partnership with Jiangsu Alphamab Biopharmaceuticals and 3D Medicines (Beijing) to bring the innovative cancer drug Envafolimab to patients across India, Asia Pacific, West Asia, Africa, Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Latin America.

Under the agreement, Glenmark S.A will receive exclusive rights to develop, register, and commercialise Envafolimab for cancer treatment in specified territories. Jiangsu Alphamab will remain the exclusive manufacturer and supplier of the drug.

The agreement includes an upfront payment to Jiangsu Alphamab of a low double-digit million US dollar amount up to launch on behalf of the licensors, followed by milestone payments based on sales performance and a royalty fee. The exact figures were not disclosed.

Commenting on this, Glenn Saldanha, Chairman and Managing Director, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals stated, “This is an important milestone for Glenmark, as through this transformational deal, we gain access to the first recombinant humanised single domain antibody against PD-L1 in a subcutaneous formulation for a wide territory globally. We are excited at the opportunity to take this innovative immuno-oncology product to cancer patients across the emerging markets and meaningfully contribute towards improving their access to potentially life-saving treatments.”

Envafolimab is a first-in-class PD-L1 inhibitor, a type of immunotherapy drug that harnesses the body's immune system to fight cancer. It has already been approved in China and has shown promising results in clinical trials for various cancer types. The product has already benefited over 30,000 patients in China.

Envafolimab is currently being investigated in clinical trials for additional cancer indications, including soft tissue sarcoma and non-small cell lung cancer. The success of this partnership could pave the way for Glenmark to bring these potential future therapies to emerging markets as well.