Polpharma Biologics and Libbs Farmacêutica Sign Licensing Agreement for a Biosimilar for Autoimmune Diseases

ZUG, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Polpharma Biologics, a leading biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development and manufacturing of biosimilars, is thrilled to announce the signing of a landmark licensing agreement with the Brazilian company Libbs Farmacêutica! Through this strategic partnership, Libbs Farmacêutica will gain exclusive rights to commercialize a cutting-edge biosimilar for autoimmune diseases in the rapidly growing Brazilian market.

Polpharma Biologics retains full responsibility for the development and manufacturing of the biosimilar. Libbs Farmacêutica will hold an exclusive license for the commercialization, marketing and distribution of the biosimilar in Brazil. This collaboration opens up exciting new opportunities and demonstrates the shared commitment of both companies to delivering innovative and accessible therapies to patients.

“Entering the Brazilian market with a biosimilar is a significant step for Polpharma Biologics and reflects our ongoing mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable biological treatments worldwide,” said Anjan Selz, CEO of Polpharma Biologics. “Our collaboration with Libbs Farmacêutica, a company with deep knowledge of the Brazilian market, provides us with strong commercial expertise. Combined with our development and manufacturing capabilities, this partnership will significantly increase access to biological therapies for people in Brazil who are living with autoimmune diseases.”

"We currently treat more than 15 million patients with our products. This partnership with Polpharma Biologics is fully aligned with Libbs' strategy of investing in a diversified portfolio of medicines with potential to further expand the Brazilian population's access to healthcare," says Alcebíades de Mendonça Athayde Junior, CEO of Libbs.

This modern therapy offers an effective and well-tolerated option for patients living with autoimmune conditions. The biosimilar medicine is still under development and is expected to be submitted to Anvisa for approval within three years.

About Polpharma Biologics

Polpharma Biologics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals and biosimilars for global markets. Our Swiss-based biosimilars-focused entity manages the entire value chain: from product selection and investment allocation to program execution to asset monetization. This ensures rapid progress from concept to launch in close collaboration with our global partners.

Polpharma Biologics’ biosimilar portfolio includes a range of high-value programs spanning early development to commercial stages. Our international team of senior experts has extensive experience in program leadership, regulatory strategy, CMC integration, device development, clinical oversight, and quality assurance. By working with trusted CDMOs, we provide end-to-end biosimilars, from cell line development to finished products, across a variety of major therapeutic areas. Our commercial partners help ensure that patients worldwide gain access to these medicines.

Our mission is to accelerate access to biologics. To achieve this, we maintain a robust and expanding pipeline of biosimilars in development. More information: https://polpharmabiologics.com/

About Libbs

Libbs is a 100% Brazilian pharmaceutical company with the purpose of transforming knowledge into health. To offer high-quality products and solutions, we work collaboratively in a process of continuous improvement and invest in research and innovation. With 67 years of history and 4,000 employees, we have been, for the eighth consecutive year, among the best companies to work for in Brazil, according to GPTW (Great Place to Work). Our specialties include cardiology, dermatology, gastroenterology, gynecology, hematology, oncology, central nervous system, and respiratory system.

In 2024, we brought healthcare to more than 15 million people through a portfolio comprising 97 product brands in over 200 presentations, across reference, similar, chemotherapeutic, and biosimilar (monoclonal antibodies) categories. Our Biotec is the first industrial-scale monoclonal antibody plant in Brazil, and, in 2024, it gained a Pilot Plant dedicated to the development of biomolecules, scaling up bioprocesses, and producing clinical material for studies through partnerships or as a CDMO.

We invest approximately 10% of our revenue in R&D and maintain initiatives such as the Research Incentive Program (PIP), which supports independent clinical studies. We support causes and campaigns that guide the population regarding prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment. We are always open to developing new partnership projects. More information can be found at www.libbs.com.br.