China suspends Bristol-Myers’ cancer drug sales over findings at U.S. plant

(Reuters) – Sales of Bristol-Myers Squibb Co’s cancer drug Abraxane have been suspended in China based on findings at a third-party manufacturing plant in the United States.

FILE PHOTO: Logo of global biopharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb is pictured on the blouse of an employee in Le Passage, near Agen, France March 29, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau/File Photo

The suspension by the China National Medical Products Administration was announced by partner Beigene Ltd and confirmed by Bristol-Myers on Wednesday.

Beigene and Bristol-Myers were working to restore supply as soon as possible, said China-based Beigene, which signed an agreement with Bristol-Myers’ Celgene unit in 2017 to market and distribute Abraxane.

“This decision only applies to the China market and does not impact our ability to supply Abraxane outside of China,” Bristol-Myers said in an emailed statement.

The drug brought in sales of $1.2 billion for Bristol-Myers in 2019.

Along with remediation efforts at the U.S. site, Bristol-Myers has applied for approval to source its supply of Abraxane for the China market from an alternative manufacturing facility, Beigene said.