Celltrion's 'Steqeyma' Achieves Double-Digit Market Share in the U.S. One Year After Launch

[Financial News] Celltrion's autoimmune disease treatment 'Steqeyma' is rapidly increasing prescriptions in the U.S. market. With the overall growth of Celltrion's biosimilar portfolio in the U.S. and the continued launch of new products, the expansion of its local business is expected to accelerate.
According to pharmaceutical market research firm IQVIA on the 3rd, Steqeyma recorded a prescription share of 16.2% in the U.S. ustekinumab-based drug market last July.
Ustekinumab is an ingredient used to treat diseases caused by immune system abnormalities, such as psoriasis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis. The size of the U.S. market is estimated to be approximately 20 trillion won.
Steqeyma has been steadily expanding its prescriptions since its launch in the U.S. last year. After reaching double digits for the first time in February of this year with a market share of 10.2%, it increased its share by 6 percentage points in just five months.
It is believed that the rapid securing of insurance coverage in the U.S. influenced the expansion of prescriptions. In particular, as it was included as a preferred drug on the insurance prescription lists of major U.S. pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), patient access to receiving actual prescriptions has increased.
A PBM is a company that negotiates drug prices with pharmaceutical companies to manage insurance costs and decides which medications to include in insurance coverage. In the United States, inclusion in a PBM's prescription list is considered a key factor in expanding drug prescriptions.
Another autoimmune disease treatment, 'Yuflyma,' is also expanding its prescriptions in the United States. Yuflyma, a biosimilar containing adalimumab, recorded a market share of 9.4% in July. At the end of last year, it expanded its insurance coverage by being included in the public insurance prescription lists of two out of three major U.S. PBMs.
Existing products are also maintaining a stable prescription flow.
The blood cancer treatment 'Truxima' recorded a 38.6% market share in the rituximab biosimilar market in July. It has maintained the top position in prescription market share for six consecutive months. Recently, it also became the first rituximab biosimilar to obtain 'interchangeability' status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
'Inflectra,' an autoimmune disease treatment containing the active ingredient infliximab, also maintained a leading position in the biosimilar market, recording a market share of 30.7% in July. Inflectra is the U.S. product name for the domestic product name 'Remsima.'
Celltrion plans to expand its product portfolio in the U.S. by increasing prescriptions for existing products and launching new ones. In particular, with the upcoming launch of 'Omriclo,' a treatment for chronic spontaneous urticaria, the company anticipates synergistic effects by leveraging its existing sales network in the field of autoimmune disease treatments.
"Existing and new products, including Steqeyma, are expanding prescriptions in the U.S. market," a Celltrion official said. "We will leverage our local direct sales network to enhance sales effectiveness for each product and continue sales growth in the U.S. market through the launch of new products."

[email protected] Jeong Sang-hee Reporter