Mvasi (bevacizumab-awwb), a biosimilar to Avastin (bevacizumab), and Kanjinti (trastuzumab-anns), a biosimilar to Herceptin (trastuzumab) have been made available by Amgen and Allergan. 

Mvasi, a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor, is indicated to treat:

  • Metastatic colorectal cancer, in combination with intravenous 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for first- or second-line treatment. 
  • Metastatic colorectal cancer, in combination with fluoropyrimidine-irinotecan- or fluoropyrimidine-oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy for second-line treatment of patients who have progressed on a first-line bevacizumab product-containing regimen. 
  • Non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer, in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel for first line treatment of unresectable, locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic disease.
  • Recurrent glioblastoma in adults
  • Metastatic renal cell carcinoma, in combination with interferon alfa.
  • Cervical cancer that is persistent, recurrent, or metastatic, in combination with paclitaxel and cisplatin, or paclitaxel and topotecan.

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Mvasi is supplied as a 100mg/4mL or 400mg/16mL solution for intravenous infusion in single-dose vials. The list price is $677.40 per 100mg single-dose vial and $2709.60 per 400mg single-dose vial.


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Kanjinti, a HER2/neu receptor antagonist, is indicated for: 

  • Adjuvant treatment of HER2-overexpressing node positive or node negative (ER/PR negative or with 1 high risk feature) breast cancer as part of a treatment regimen consisting of doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and either paclitaxel or docetaxel; as part of a treatment regimen with docetaxel and carboplatin; or as a single agent following multi-modality anthracycline based therapy.
  • In combination with paclitaxel for first-line treatment of HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer, and as a single agent for treatment of HER2-overexpressing breast cancer in patients who have received 1 or more chemotherapy regimens for metastatic disease.
  • In combination with cisplatin and capecitabine or 5-fluorouracil, for the treatment of patients with HER2-overexpressing metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma who have not received prior treatment for metastatic disease.

Kanjinti is supplied as 420mg lyophilized powder in a multiple-dose vial for reconstitution; the list price is $3697.26 per vial. Prior to treatment, HER2 testing using FDA-approved tests should be performed. The product should not be substituted for or with ado-trastuzumab emtansine.

“Following several recent launches in Europe, we are excited to be launching our first two biosimilars in the US, which will provide for immediate savings for Medicare patients and commercial payers,” said Murdo Gordon, executive vice president of Global Commercial Operations at Amgen.

For more information visit amgen.com.

This article originally appeared on MPR