Amgen reports positive data from rheumatoid arthritis biosimilar trial

Amgen has announced new clinical trial data that supports the efficacy and safety of its new biosimilar candidate ABP 501 in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

The drug is being developed as a biosimilar candidate to adalimumab, an anti-TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody developed by AbbVie and sold under the brand name Humira. This latest phase III trial compared Amgen's biosimilar to the original reference product.

It was revealed that Amgen's version was able to deliver an equivalent performance in terms of safety and effectiveness, meaning the therapy was able to meet its primary and key secondary endpoints.

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

Dr Sean Harper, executive vice-president of research and development at Amgen, said: "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."

ABP 501 previously demonstrated its effectiveness in the treatment of psoriasis in clinical trial data announced last year.