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Pfizer Throws In China Biosimilar Towel, Divests Site To WuXi

Changing Market To Blame?

 
• By Brian Yang

After an earlier frenzy around local production and supply, policies to encourage generics, and fast-evolving procedural streamlining, Pfizer’s $350m ambition to develop and make cheaper biologics in China has come to an abrupt halt with the sale of its manufacturing site in a deal with services heavyweight WuXi Apptec.

New York, July 19, 2016: Corporate lettering on the exterior of the Pfizer headquarters in Manhattan.
PFIZER SELLS HANGZHOU BIOLOGIC PRODUCTION SITE TO WUXI BIOLOGICS • Source: Shutterstock

Just five years ago, Pfizer Inc. was in an upward swing to develop and manufacture several biosimilars in China, the potentially largest market for the follow-on biologics, especially for cancer. But now its ambitions seem to be largely tamed.

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