On 9 June 2025, Samsung Bioepis announced that it has entered into a partnership agreement with NIPRO Corporation in Japan for multiple biosimilars, including SB17, Samsung Bioepis’ biosimilar to Janssen’s Stelara® (ustekinumab).
Under the terms of the agreement, Samsung Bioepis is responsible for the development, manufacture and supply of the biosimilars, with NIPRO responsible for their commercialisation in Japan.
This follows Biocon Biologic’s announcement on 21 May 2025, that its commercial partner, Yoshindo, launched Ustekinumab BS Subcutaneous Injection in Japan for the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris and psoriatic arthritis. In September 2023, Alvotech announced that Fuji Pharma, its commercialisation partner in Japan, had received marketing approval for AVT04 (ustekinumab) from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.