Mylan and Biocon have announced that the results of the Heritage study have been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Study results confirm the efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of MYL-1401O, the proposed biosimilar trastuzumab co-developed by Mylan and Biocon, in comparison to branded trastuzumab.

The results of the trial were first presented at this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress. Branded trastuzumab is indicated to treat certain HER2-positive breast and gastric cancers.

“We are encouraged by the confirmatory efficacy and safety results of the HERITAGE study recently published in JAMA. This study was the last major step of a multiple-phased program to demonstrate that proposed biosimilar trastuzumab meets the criteria for equivalence in comparison to branded trastuzumab. Published study results showed an overall response rate of 69.6% for MYL-1401O compared to 64% for branded trastuzumab. Tumor progression, progression-free survival and overall survival was not statistically different between proposed biosimilar trastuzumab and branded trastuzumab at week 48,” said Dr. Hope S. Rugo, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

“We are proud that JAMA has recognized the results of the HERITAGE study and are encouraged that the proposed biosimilar trastuzumab, MYL-1401O, could provide an effective treatment option for metastatic breast cancer patients,” said Rajiv Malik, president, Mylan.

Dr. Narendra Chirmule, sr. vice president & head R&D, Biocon, said that the  development of biosimilars requires a systematic scientific approach from design of the process to development. The global clinical progress of our various biosimilars programs demonstrates the strength of our R&D capabilities in this area. We are pleased that JAMA has published the clinical study results of trastuzumab after its very rigorous peer review process.

The Heritage data was submitted by Mylan to the USFDA as part of the biologics license application (BLA) for MYL-1401O last month.