Fresenius said it has entered an exclusive development agreement with WuXi Biologics giving it option rights on up to 37 potential first to market biosimilar candidates over the next decade. The options could expand the Fresenius portfolio from 29 marketed and pipeline molecules today to as many as 66, aimed at originator medicines with more than 370 billion euros in list price based sales. Fresenius described it as the largest development agreement announced in the biosimilars industry to date.
The structure keeps Fresenius in control of the economics and the risk. It will select which candidates to advance against its own criteria, pay WuXi Biologics on a fee for service basis for each candidate selected, and hold exclusive global commercialisation rights, including the marketing authorisations and the full economics of every product brought to market. WuXi will run development through its network in Europe, the United States, China and Singapore. Neither company disclosed an aggregate contract value, so the 370 billion euro figure is the size of the originator market being targeted, not a revenue forecast.
The candidate portfolio spans 13 therapeutic areas, adding neurology, nephrology and cardiopulmonary medicine to Fresenius Kabi’s existing oncology, immunology and gastroenterology franchises, and covers monoclonal and bispecific antibodies, antibody drug conjugates and fusion proteins. Initial development is expected to focus on a biosimilar of polatuzumab vedotin, an antibody drug conjugate used in diffuse large B cell lymphoma, and teprotumumab, used in thyroid eye disease.
The deal follows Fresenius taking full control of mAbxience, its Spain headquartered biosimilars unit. It bought the remaining 45 percent from Insud Pharma and Invim Corporativo for up to 750 million euros including a contingent payment, in a transaction completed on September 30, 2026, and it may move manufacturing of selected WuXi developed products to mAbxience over time. Fresenius said its full year 2026 guidance is unchanged and development will be funded from operating cash flow.