Biocon Cancer Drug To Be Available In Pakistan

Biocon will make available its proprietary cancer drug BIOMAb-EGFR in Pakistan through an exclusive marketing arrangement with Ferozsons Laboratories Ltd. Ferozsons is rated by IMS as the No 1 oncology company in that country. The successful debut of BIOMAb in India since mid-September 2006 has apparently elicited strong licensing interest for the drug in the region. Pakistan''s oncology market is put at $70 million (around Rs 315 crore) and it reports over 25,000 new cases of head and neck cancer alone each year, according to Globocan. Monoclonal antibodies - on which BIOMAb is based - represent the therapeutics category growing at 30 per cent CAGR. Biocon is taking up global studies to extend BIOMAb''s use to beyond head and neck cancer, to colorectal, lung cancer, glioma and pancreatic cancers.