- CIMERLI is the first and only FDA-approved biosimilar interchangeable with Lucentis® (ranibizumab injection) for all indications, with 12 months of interchangeability exclusivity -

- Interchangeability designation and clinical equivalence to Lucentis provides confidence that existing Lucentis patients can be safely transitioned to CIMERLI -

- Dedicated retina sales team and CIMERLI Solutions™ patient services hub will ensure successful access and reimbursement -

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Sept. 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coherus BioSciences, Inc. (Coherus or Coherus BioSciences, Nasdaq: CHRS) today announced the commercial availability, beginning October 3, 2022, of CIMERLI™ (ranibizumab-eqrn), a biosimilar product interchangeable with Lucentis® (ranibizumab injection) for all approved indications. CIMERLI is an anti-VEGF therapy within a class of biologics that has been revolutionary in helping retinal patients maintain or gain vision. CIMERLI was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2022, having met FDA’s standards of biosimilarity and interchangeability to the reference product, including safety, efficacy and quality.1

"With the upcoming launch of CIMERLI, retina specialists, patients and payors can expect the same efficacy and safety as Lucentis delivered with the comprehensive savings and patient support services that Coherus is known to deliver," said Paul Reider, Chief Commercial Officer of Coherus BioSciences. “We look forward to competing in this large and growing market with our dedicated and experienced retina sales team, leveraging our proven commercial expertise as we accelerate adoption of CIMERLI over the coming months.”

“A biosimilar that is interchangeable with Lucentis will enable my patients greater treatment access and choice," said David M. Brown MD, FACS, Director of Clinical Research, Retina Consultants of Texas. "With the same five FDA-approved indications, clinical equivalence to Lucentis in terms of efficacy and safety, and the same dosage strengths, I believe that CIMERLI will address biologic treatment costs without compromising safety and clinical outcomes."

“Coherus has both the opportunity and the capability to be very successful with the CIMERLI launch, as we start the next leg of our revenue inflection towards our target range of $1.2B to $2.2B in 2026,” Denny Lanfear, CEO of Coherus BioSciences added. “We are well positioned competitively to build upon our very successful UDENYCA track record and deliver strong results. As a company, we embrace high performance in everything we do, while valuing our patient-centric approach to our mission. These qualities make me incredibly proud of our accomplishments and the broader Coherus team."

CIMERLI is indicated for patients with neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO), diabetic macular edema (DME), diabetic retinopathy (DR), and myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV). CIMERLI is contraindicated in patients with ocular or periocular infections or known hypersensitivity to ranibizumab products or any of the excipients in Lucentis and CIMERLI. Hypersensitivity reactions may manifest as severe intraocular inflammation.1

CIMERLI will be available on October 3, 2022, though U.S. specialty distributors at a list price of $1,360.00 and $816.00 per single-dose vial for the 0.5 mg and 0.3 mg dosages respectively. This represents a 30% discount from the list price of the reference product.

Additionally, through CIMERLI Solutions™, Coherus offers healthcare professionals comprehensive practice and patient support that includes extensive patient assistance, industry-leading electronic services, and office support to ensure successful access and reimbursement.

About CIMERLICIMERLI™ (ranibizumab-eqrn) is the only FDA-approved biosimilar interchangeable with Lucentis for all Lucentis FDA-approved indications. Formerly CHS-201 (also known as FYB201), it is a biosimilar to the reference product, U.S.-licensed Lucentis. CIMERLI has the same product attributes with Lucentis, in terms of dosage strengths (0.3 mg, 0.5 mg), formulation and excipients, and amino acid sequence. CIMERLI was approved by the FDA on August 2, 2022. Coherus owns the biologics license application (BLA) and commercial rights in the U.S. and its territories. Coherus licensed CIMERLI from Bioeq AG, a joint venture between Polpharma Biologics Group B.V. and Formycon AG.

1. CIMERLI™ (ranibizumab-eqrn) U.S. Prescribing Information, August 2022.https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2022/761165s000lbl.pdf

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION & INDICATIONS

CIMERLI™ (ranibizumab-eqrn) is interchangeable* to Lucentis® (ranibizumab injection)

CIMERLI™ (ranibizumab-eqrn), a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor, is indicated for the treatment of patients with:

• Neovascular (Wet) Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
• Macular Edema Following Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO)
• Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)
• Diabetic Retinopathy (DR)
• Myopic Choroidal Neovascularization (mCNV)

CONTRAINDICATIONS

• CIMERLI™ is contraindicated in patients with ocular or periocular infections or known hypersensitivity to ranibizumab products or any of the excipients in CIMERLI™. Hypersensitivity reactions may manifest as severe intraocular inflammation

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS 

• Endophthalmitis and Retinal Detachments: Intravitreal injections, including those with ranibizumab products, have been associated with endophthalmitis and retinal detachments. Proper aseptic injection technique should always be utilized when administering CIMERLI™. Patients should be monitored following the injection to permit early treatment, should an infection occur
• Increases in Intraocular Pressure: Increases in intraocular pressure (IOP) have been noted both pre-injection and post-injection (at 60 minutes) with ranibizumab products. Monitor intraocular pressure prior to and following intravitreal injection with CIMERLI™ and manage appropriately
• Thromboembolic Events: Although there was a low rate of arterial thromboembolic events (ATEs) observed in the ranibizumab clinical trials, there is a potential risk of ATEs following intravitreal use of VEGF inhibitors. ATEs are defined as nonfatal stroke, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or vascular death (including deaths of unknown cause)

Neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration

• The ATE rate in the 3 controlled neovascular AMD studies during the first year was 1.9% (17 of 874) in the combined group of patients treated with 0.3 mg or 0.5 mg ranibizumab compared with 1.1% (5 of 441) in patients from the control arms. In the second year of Studies AMD-1 and AMD-2, the ATE rate was 2.6% (19 of 721) in the combined group of ranibizumab-treated patients compared with 2.9% (10 of 344) in patients from the control arms. In Study AMD-4, the ATE rates observed in the 0.5 mg arms during the first and second year were similar to rates observed in Studies AMD-1, AMD-2, and AMD-3
• In a pooled analysis of 2-year controlled studies (AMD-1, AMD-2, and a study of ranibizumab used adjunctively with verteporfin photodynamic therapy), the stroke rate (including both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke) was 2.7% (13 of 484) in patients treated with 0.5 mg ranibizumab compared to 1.1% (5 of 435) in patients in the control arms (odds ratio 2.2 [95% confidence interval (0.8-7.1)])

Macular edema following retinal vein occlusion

• The ATE rate in the 2 controlled RVO studies during the first 6 months was 0.8% in both the ranibizumab and control arms of the studies (4 of 525 in the combined group of patients treated with 0.3 mg or 0.5 mg ranibizumab and 2 of 260 in the control arms). The stroke rate was 0.2% (1 of 525) in the combined group of ranibizumab-treated patients compared to 0.4% (1 of 260) in the control arms

Diabetic macular edema and Diabetic Retinopathy

• In a pooled analysis of Studies D-1 and D-2, the ATE rate at 2 years was 7.2% (18 of 250) with 0.5 mg ranibizumab, 5.6% (14 of 250) with 0.3 mg ranibizumab, and 5.2% (13 of 250) with control. The stroke rate at 2 years was 3.2% (8 of 250) with 0.5 mg ranibizumab, 1.2% (3 of 250) with 0.3 mg ranibizumab, and 1.6% (4 of 250) with control. At 3 years, the ATE rate was 10.4% (26 of 249) with 0.5 mg ranibizumab and 10.8% (27 of 250) with 0.3 mg ranibizumab; the stroke rate was 4.8% (12 of 249) with 0.5 mg ranibizumab and 2.0% (5 of 250) with 0.3 mg ranibizumab
• Fatal events in patients with diabetic macular edema and diabetic retinopathy at baseline: A pooled analysis of Studies D-1 and D-2 showed that fatalities in the first 2 years occurred in 4.4% (11 of 250) of patients treated with 0.5 mg ranibizumab, in 2.8% (7 of 250) of patients treated with 0.3 mg ranibizumab, and in 1.2% (3 of 250) of control patients. Over 3 years, fatalities occurred in 6.4% (16 of 249) of patients treated with 0.5 mg ranibizumab and in 4.4% (11 of 250) of patients treated with 0.3 mg ranibizumab. Although the rate of fatal events was low and included causes of death typical of patients with advanced diabetic complications, a potential relationship between these events and intravitreal use of VEGF inhibitors cannot be excluded 

ADVERSE REACTIONS 

• Serious adverse events related to the injection procedure have occurred in