Samsung Bioepis’ Enbrel drug copy gets EU approval

SEOUL (Reuters) – Samsung Bioepis Co Ltd said on Sunday it had received European Commission approval for its copy of the blockbuster biotech arthritis drug Enbrel.

The drug, known scientifically as etanercept, will be sold in Europe by U.S. biotechnology group Biogen and rolled out gradually across all 28 European Union member states as well as Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, the South Korean company said in a statement.

Samsung Bioepis, a unit of South Korea’s largest conglomerate, the Samsung Group [SAGR.UL], is also developing copies of other biotech blockbusters such as Remicade, Humira, Herceptin and Lantus.

(Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Ed Davies)

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