Qilu Pharma of Jinan signed an agreement for China co-development and marketing of a biosimilar developed by Korea's Alteogen. The molecule, ALT-L2, is a biosimilar to Roche's Herceptin, which is used to treat breast and gastric cancers. ALT-L2 is ready to start a Phase III trial in Canada. Alteogen will transfer the technology for the drug to Qilu for China use. In February, Qilu Pharma launched a biosimilar version of AstraZeneca's Iressa in China, a treatment for non-small cell lung cancer.
