After a strong first quarter, Japan’s Towa Pharmaceuticals saw stability in its domestic revenues but a drop in revenues from its overseas business in its financial second quarter. After launching a series of molecules in June 2020, the company has lined up 10 launches for December 2020 as well. 

Lotus Pharmaceuticals has expanded its biosimilar pipeline to five by bringing in rights in Taiwan and South East Asia markets to Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical’s biosimilar of Kyowa Kirin’s Nesp (darbepoetin alfa).

As the global generics industry had predicted, the unexpected growth seen in the first quarter of 2020 due to forward buying caused by COVID-19 levelled off in the second quarter. However, a few companies managed to report a “mixed” second quarter or a positive first half for 2020, even after experiencing challenges, such as operational interruptions, posed by the pandemic.

Second-quarter earnings results from two of the Big Three – Teva and Mylan – hold much of the intrigue in August, while more competition in the nascent Avastin biosimilar market could materialize in Europe.