#Alfresa Holdings #Kidswell Bio #Kaiomu Bioscience

Introduction

On October 6, 2023, four companies—Alfresa Holdings, Kidswell Bio, Kaiomu Bioscience, and Mycenax Biotech—announced their commitment to establishing a joint venture aimed at producing active pharmaceutical ingredients and formulations for biosimilars. This agreement marks a significant step towards enhancing the available treatment options for patients and optimizing healthcare costs in Japan.

Background and Purpose of the Joint Venture

Biosimilars are essential as they offer a similar level of safety, effectiveness, and quality as already approved biologics but at a lower cost. The introduction of biosimilars expands treatment options for patients while alleviating the financial burdens on healthcare systems. With concerns regarding economic security, especially in crisis situations, there is an urgent need to establish a robust Japanese manufacturing framework for biosimilars.

The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has prioritized the promotion of biosimilars. They aim for biosimilars to account for over 80% of the number of approved biologics by the end of FY2029. As part of this initiative, the ministry supports the creation of manufacturing facilities for biosimilars through subsidies, known as the