Celltrion's headquarters in Incheon / Courtesy of Celltrion

Korean biopharmaceutical firm Celltrion said Friday it has received an approval to sell its anticancer biosimilar Vegzelma in Europe.

According to the company, the European Commission recently approved the sale of the biosimilar, also known as CT-P16, which referenced Switzerland-based Roche Holding's blockbuster pill Avastin.

The approval came two months after an earlier sales recommendation given by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use under the European Medicines Agency.

Avastin, which kills cancer cells by removing blood vessels, is approved to treat numerous cancers, including metastatic colorectal cancer.

A Celltrion official said the company will work to ensure Vegzelma's European release goes swiftly and smoothly, and also work toward receiving sale approvals in other countries and regions as well. (Yonhap)