Thousand Oaks-based biotech giant Amgen said July 13 it will partner with a Japanese company to develop and commercialize biosimilars in Japan.

Under the partnership, Amgen will develop and manufacture biosimilars while Daiichi Sankyo will obtain marketing approval, distribution and commercialization rights in Japan for the products. The deal also includes several late-stage development drugs.

Amgen will retain all other distribution and commercialization rights in Japan.

Biosimilars are designed as lower cost treatments and similar to generics but are made with living organisms and aren’t identical to the complex compounds they replicate. Because the compounds are not identical, extensive testing must still take place to ensure their safety, which does not lower the cost of the drugs as much as generics.

• Contact Philip Joens at pjoens@pacbiztimes.com.