Celltrion's metastatic colorectal cancer and breast cancer treatment "Vegzelma" (ingredient name: bevacizumab) has risen to the top prescribing position in Europe.
According to IQVIA, a pharmaceutical market research firm, as of the third quarter of 2024, Vegzelma recorded a 29% market share in Europe, surpassing all competing products, including original drugs, to become the top prescribed bevacizumab.
A Celltrion official noted that this was an achievement reached just two years after the product launched in Europe in October 2022, stating, "In particular, during that quarter, there was a 9 percentage point increase compared to the previous quarter, successfully widening the gap with competing products."
The company attributed Vegzelma's rise to market leader status to the active direct sales efforts of its European subsidiary. Celltrion transitioned all its sales products to direct sales starting with its autoimmune disease treatment "Remsima" (ingredient name: infliximab) in 2020, followed by its 2022 oncology products "Herzuma" (ingredient name: trastuzumab) and "Truxima" (ingredient name: rituximab). Since then, the overseas subsidiaries established in each country have continually strengthened their networks with key stakeholders, including bidding institutions and prescribers.
The increased market share of Vegzelma is attributed to winning a procurement contract with "UniHA" (the major university hospital purchasing group) last June, the largest pharmaceutical procurement agency in France. This contract is set to supply Vegzelma for the next two years until 2027, thereby providing further momentum for market expansion.
In the field of autoimmune diseases, prescriptions continue to see a steady increase, particularly for "Remsima SC," which grew by 1 percentage point to 25% compared to the previous quarter, and "Yuflyma" (ingredient name: adalimumab), which increased by 3 percentage points to 17% market share.
Celltrion's strategy is to leverage its solid position and expertise built in the European market to ensure that newly launched products also achieve success. The company is currently focusing on market capture by sequentially launching its autoimmune disease treatment "Steqeyma" (ingredient name: ustekinumab) in Europe. At the end of last year, four products, including the autoimmune disease treatment "Apotuzumab" (ingredient name: tocilizumab), the eye disease treatment "Idencelt" (ingredient name: aflibercept), and the bone disease treatment "Stovo-clo"-"Osenvet" (ingredient name: denosumab), received a positive recommendation for approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) and are currently undergoing the final approval process.
A Celltrion official stated, "As the expansion of sales for follow-up product lines adds to existing products, our market dominance is gaining momentum," adding, "Based on this success, we will do our utmost to ensure that all 11 commercialization products, including Steqeyma, which is expanding its launch regions, and those newly launching, can continue to achieve the best performance in the European market."