The world’s first antibody biosimilar, ‘Remsima’, is changed to a subcutaneous (SC) formulation of infliximab as ‘Zymfentra’ (U.S. product name). Zymfentra is recognized as a new drug for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March and is released in the U.S. market. /Courtesy of Celltrion

Celltrion announced on the 28th that the market share of its autoimmune disease treatment ‘Remsima SC (ingredient name infliximab)’ has more than quintupled in the European market within four years of its launch.

According to the company, the market share of Remsima SC in Europe recorded 22% as of the end of last year, based on a survey by the pharmaceutical market research organization IQVIA. It has steadily expanded from 4% in its first year of sales in 2021.

Remsima SC is a product developed by Celltrion that changes the intravenous (IV) formulation of its original autoimmune disease treatment Remsima to a subcutaneous (SC) injection.

While the intravenous formulation requires patients to visit a hospital for infusion, the subcutaneous formulation allows patients to inject the medication themselves into areas such as the abdomen. This offers the advantage of increased convenience for patients, as they do not need to visit a hospital. Autoimmune diseases refer to conditions where the immune system becomes abnormal and immune cells attack normal cells.

According to the company, the overall market share of the Remsima product line, including the intravenous (IV) formulation Remsima, reached 71%. This means that 7 out of 10 patients prescribed infliximab are using Celltrion products.

Celltrion’s representative anticancer drugs, Truxima (ingredient name rituximab) and Herjuma (ingredient name trastuzumab), also boast nearly 30% market share in Europe. The company explained that ‘Vegzelma,’ which was launched in Europe in the second half of 2022, recorded a 28% market share in its second year of sales, making its way into the leading ranks.

A Celltrion official noted, “Thanks to the convenience of administration, therapeutic efficacy, and customized sales strategies led by local subsidiaries, the influence of Remsima SC is rapidly expanding in Europe,” adding, “We expect this will also have a positive impact in the United States, the largest pharmaceutical market in the world.” The company plans to continue its growth by launching new biosimilar products in the second half of the year.

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