Cipla shares ease after Keytruda biosimilar pact

Shares of Cipla edged lower on Friday even after the company announced an exclusive US partnership for a biosimilar version of Merck’s blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda. Cipla’s US subsidiary Invagen Pharmaceuticals signed a deal with China’s Qilu Pharmaceutical for QL2107, a proposed biosimilar to pembrolizumab. Under the agreement, Qilu will handle development, regulatory filings, manufacturing and supply, while Cipla USA will commercialise the product in the United States using its existing infrastructure. The collaboration strengthens Cipla’s oncology and specialty biosimilars portfolio and aligns with its strategy to expand access to more affordable cancer therapies. Keytruda, one of the world’s top-selling medicines with multi-indication approvals, is expected to face biosimilar competition after its main US patents expire around 2028.