On January 22, 2020 Genmab A/S (Nasdaq: GMAB) reported that worldwide net trade sales of DARZALEX (daratumumab) as reported by Johnson & Johnson were USD 2,998 million in 2019 (Press release, Genmab, JAN 22, 2020, View Source [SID1234553395]). Net trade sales were USD 1,567 million in the U.S. and net trade sales in the rest of the world were USD 1,430 million. Genmab receives royalties on the worldwide net sales of DARZALEX as calculated on the basis of the license agreement terms under the exclusive worldwide license to Janssen Biotech, Inc. (Janssen) to develop, manufacture and commercialize DARZALEX. Worldwide net trade sales of DARZALEX in 2018 were USD 2,025 million, resulting in royalty income of DKK 1,708 million to Genmab.

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Genmab has also achieved a USD 150 million sales volume milestone payment triggered by sales of DARZALEX reaching USD 3 billion in the calendar year of 2019 as calculated on the basis of the license agreement terms. Under the license agreement, DARZALEX sales are calculated based on a hedged foreign exchange rate and as such are different than net trade sales reported by Johnson & Johnson. The difference was mainly due to the translation of sales denominated in currencies other than USD into USD under the license agreement. No further sales volume milestones are due under the license agreement.

"We are extremely pleased that DARZALEX continued its solid sales growth in 2019, as it is indicative of the strong benefit DARZALEX provides across its many indications in multiple myeloma," said Jan van de Winkel, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Genmab. "We are grateful to our partner for DARZALEX, Janssen, and their continued efforts to ensure that this treatment is made available to all the many patients who might benefit from it."

The milestone was included in the original financial guidance issued by Genmab on February 20, 2019, and in the improved financial guidance issued on November 6, 2019, as such there is no change to the company’s financial guidance for 2019.

About DARZALEX(daratumumab)
DARZALEX (daratumumab) intravenous infusion is indicated for the treatment of adult patients in the United States: in combination with bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone as treatment for patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma who are eligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with bortezomib, melphalan and prednisone for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, or bortezomib and dexamethasone, for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy; in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies, including lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor (PI); and as a monotherapy for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least three prior lines of therapy, including a PI and an immunomodulatory agent, or who are double-refractory to a PI and an immunomodulatory agent.1 DARZALEX is the first monoclonal antibody (mAb) to receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) approval to treat multiple myeloma. DARZALEX intravenous infusion is indicated for the treatment of adult patients in Europe: in combination with bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone as treatment for patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma who are eligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with bortezomib, melphalan and prednisone for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant; for use in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, or bortezomib and dexamethasone, for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy; and as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma, whose prior therapy included a PI and an immunomodulatory agent and who have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy2. The option to split the first infusion of DARZALEX over two consecutive days has been approved in both Europe and the U.S. In Japan, DARZALEX intravenous infusion is approved for the treatment of adult patients: in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, or bortezomib and dexamethasone for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma; in combination with bortezomib, melphalan and prednisone for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant. DARZALEX is the first human CD38 monoclonal antibody to reach the market in the United States, Europe and Japan. For more information, visit www.DARZALEX.com.

Daratumumab is a human IgG1k monoclonal antibody (mAb) that binds with high affinity to the CD38 molecule, which is highly expressed on the surface of multiple myeloma cells. Daratumumab triggers a person’s own immune system to attack the cancer cells, resulting in rapid tumor cell death through multiple immune-mediated mechanisms of action and through immunomodulatory effects, in addition to direct tumor cell death, via apoptosis (programmed cell death).1,2,3,4,5,6

Daratumumab is being developed by Janssen Biotech, Inc. under an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize daratumumab from Genmab. A comprehensive clinical development program for daratumumab is ongoing, including multiple Phase III studies in smoldering, relapsed and refractory and frontline multiple myeloma settings. Additional studies are ongoing or planned to assess the potential of daratumumab in other malignant and pre-malignant diseases in which CD38 is expressed, such as amyloidosis, NKT-cell lymphoma and T-cell ALL. Daratumumab has received two Breakthrough Therapy Designations from the U.S. FDA for certain indications of multiple myeloma, including as a monotherapy for heavily pretreated multiple myeloma and in combination with certain other therapies for second-line treatment of multiple myeloma.