Samsung Bioepis wins Japan approval for Stelara biosimilar

Samsung Bioepis said Tuesday it has received approval from Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for SB17, or ustekinumab, a biosimilar to the autoimmune disease treatment Stelara. Stelara, which targets the immune signaling proteins interleukin-12 and interleukin-23, is approved for conditions including plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and ulcerative colitis. The drug is one of the world’s best-selling biologics, reaching around 15 trillion won ($10.1 billion) in global sales annua