Erbitux is a drug approved to treat colorectal and head & neck cancer. The drug is a chimeric (mouse/human) monoclonal antibody, and functions by inhibiting an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).
Three different companies have a share of Erbitux revenues:
- Eli Lilly and Company (LLY), which purchased ImClone, the original inventor of Erbitux, in 2008, and sells Erbitux in the U.S. with ImClonne's original partner Bristol-Myers Squibb.
- Merck KGaA has the rights to sell Erbitux outside of the U.S.