pharm edaily

Celltrion Remsima SC.(Photo by Celltrion)

[Song Young-doo, Edaily Reporter] Celltrion Remsima SC, the world’s only subcutaneous(SC) formulation of infliximab, has achieved explosive growth in Europe over the past four years.

According to pharmaceutical market research firm IQVIA on May 28, Remsima SC, which launched in Europe in 2020, expanded its market share from just 4% in 2021 its first full year on the market to 22% by the end of 2024, marking more than a fivefold increase.

When combined with the intravenous(IV) formulation Remsima, the Remsima product family now holds a dominant 71% market share in Europe as of late 2024. In effect, 7 out of every 10 autoimmune disease patients prescribed infliximab in Europe are being treated with one of Celltrion’s Remsima products.

The rapid uptake of Remsima SC is attributed to its dosing convenience and high favorability among both physicians and patients. Given its success in Europe, expectations are rising for Zymfentra?the U.S. brand name for Remsima SC. Since the product has already achieved prescription stability in Europe, Celltrion anticipates a sharp increase in Zymfentra prescriptions once major U.S. insurers complete formulary listings, which are currently underway.

Celltrion’s other autoimmune disease treatments are also gaining traction in Europe. Yuflyma, a biosimilar of adalimumab, reached a 21% market share in Europe as of late 2024. Despite entering the market as a latecomer in 2021 and holding just 1% market share in 2022, Yuflyma has rapidly ascended to become a leading treatment option within two years.

In addition, Stekyma, a biosimilar of ustekinumab launched in Europe in October 2024, quickly gained early traction by securing over 2 percentage points in market share within just two months. Celltrion attributes this early success to tailored sales strategies executed by its local affiliates in major European countries, each adapted to the specific characteristics of the local pharmaceutical market.

Beyond autoimmune diseases, Celltrion is also seeing success in oncology. Vegzelma, launched in Europe in the second half of 2022, overcame a 2~3 year head start by competing products and, by the end of 2024, claimed a 28% share of the bevacizumab market ranking first among the nine available bevacizumab products, including the originator.

Celltrion’s flagship oncology biosimilars Truxima(rituximab) and Herzuma(trastuzumab) also maintain stable prescription levels, with nearly 30% market share each in Europe. The company plans to leverage cross-product marketing synergies among its oncology portfolio to drive further growth.

A Celltrion representative commented, “In Europe, the combination of convenient administration, therapeutic efficacy, and tailored sales strategies driven by our local affiliates has greatly accelerated Remsima SC’s market influence. We believe this momentum will positively impact our performance in the U.S., the world’s largest pharmaceutical market. With our current products already leading prescriptions in Europe, we plan to build on this success with the launch of new biosimilars in the second half of the year, further driving business growth.”