Celltrion's Remsima SC surpasses 20% of EU market share in Q1

Celltrion said its Remsima SC, the world’s only infliximab subcutaneous injection (SC), has achieved a significant milestone in the European market.

Remsima SC, referencing the original drug Remicade, developed by Janssen, is designed to treat a range of conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis, adult Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.

According to IQVIA, a drug market research firm, Remsima SC reached a 21 percent market share across Europe in the first quarter of this year, marking the first time it has surpassed the 20 percent threshold since its launch in 2020.

The company stressed that the achievement underscores Remsima SC’s growing prominence as a key therapeutic option for autoimmune diseases in Europe.

While the product has shown a continuous expansion in prescriptions over the past four years, the recent performance in Europe's major five markets (EU5) – Germany, Spain, U.K., Italy, and France -- has particularly driven this success.

The company stressed that it has secured a 22 percent market share average for the five countries through strategic bid wins.

Celltrion attributed this success to tailored sales strategies led by its local subsidiaries that align with the unique characteristics of each national market.

In Germany, where individual sales activities are crucial for securing pharmaceutical supply channels, Celltrion stressed that its subsidiary has strengthened networks with hospitals of various sizes, which has resulted in a 40 percent market share for Remsima SC.

Contrastingly, in France, a market known for its large-scale bidding processes, Celltrion explained that Remsima SC has benefited from significant contract wins with major procurement organizations such as UniHA.

The dual formulation strategy, which leverages the synergy between different forms of Remsima, has been particularly effective, pushing Remsima SC’s market share to 28 percent.

Meanwhile, the company also noted that Other Celltrion products are also gaining traction in Europe.

The biosimilar ‘Vegzelma’ (ingredient: bevacizumab), used for metastatic colorectal cancer and breast cancer, nearly doubled its market share to 17 percent in the first quarter, which Celltrion attributed to strategic wins in government and hospital association bids in countries like Italy and Belgium.

The company expect to expand market share for Vegzelma in Europe further thanks to exclusive distribution agreements in Germany and recent contract wins in France.

Yuflyma (ingredient: adalimumab), another autoimmune disease treatment, has seen its market share increase to 10 percent, marking its first entry into double digits.

"The remarkable growth of Remsima SC in Europe highlights the significant unmet demand in the SC formulation market,” a Celltrion official said. “We anticipate that similar factors, such as low hospital accessibility and high costs of intravenous injections, will drive substantial demand in the U.S. market.”

The company is committed to rapidly expanding its market share to enhance patient convenience globally, he added.