Celltrion gains ground as one of most-prescribed drug suppliers in Italy

Celltrion Inc., South Korea’s leading biosimilar maker, has been securing a string of orders from regional governments in Italy for autoimmune and cancer treatments, strengthening its foothold in one of Europe’s largest pharmaceutical markets.

According to Celltrion on Tuesday, it recently won new orders for Steqeyma (ustekinumab), its biosimilar to the autoimmune therapy Stelara, in auctions from three state governments in Italy – Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige and Sardegna.

That follows the contracts for the same treatment awarded by four other regional governments in the country earlier this year. Steqeyma was launched in Italy in January.

Celltrion will supply Steqeyma to those regions through May 2026.

REMSIMA

Celltrion’s flagship autoimmune treatment, the Remsima line (infliximab) – in both intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) forms – is also adding to its string of contract wins in Italy.

In Umbria, Remsima has won the regional tender for infliximab treatments. In Puglia, Remsima SC secured a contract renewal for supply through May 2027.

Remsima SC is now sold in all 20 regional governments in Italy.

According to pharmaceutical market research firm IQVIA, Remsima IV and Remsima SC together held a 66 percent share of the infliximab market in Italy as of the first quarter.

Celltrion’s Yuflyma, an adalimumab-based autoimmune therapy, is also gaining ground in Italy.

The drug is currently sold in the Lazio and Umbria regions, with supply contracts set to run for the next two to three years.

Despite entering Italy’s adalimumab biosimilar market three years after rival products, Yuflyma holds a 52 percent share, securing more than half of prescriptions for Humira and its biosimilars, according to IQVIA.

ANTI-CANCER DRUGS

Celltrion’s oncology portfolio is also performing strongly. It has been supplying Truxima (rituximab) and Vegzelma (bevacizumab) to the states of Lazio and Umbria, respectively, since the first half of this year.

Including Herzuma (trastuzumab) used to treat breast and gastric cancers, Celltrion’s three anti-cancer treatments are placed among the top-prescribed therapies in their categories in Italy.

DIRECT-SALES STRATEGY

Since establishing a direct sales network in Italy in 2020, Celltrion's tailored sales strategy is paying off.

The company also has leveraged competitive pricing, stable supply and product competitiveness, while building close ties with regional tendering bodies and leading physicians. 

It expects the addition of new, high-margin biosimilars to its portfolio in the second half of the year to accelerate its global expansion.

Write to Dae-Kyu Ahn at powerzanic@hankyung.com
 

Yeonhee Kim edited this article.