Celltrion's Begzelma Rises to No. 1 in Bevacizumab Prescriptions in Japan

Sequential Launch of Follow-Up Products Including Remsima SC Next Year

Celltrion announced on October 30 that its metastatic colorectal and breast cancer treatment, Begzelma (ingredient: bevacizumab), has claimed the top spot in prescriptions in Japan, driven by robust growth in the market.

Beggzelma. Celltrion

According to pharmaceutical market research firm IQVIA and local data, as of September, Begzelma achieved a 50% market share in Japan, surpassing both the original and competing biosimilar products to rank first in prescriptions. Notably, Begzelma demonstrated more than threefold growth compared to the same month last year (15%), establishing a dominant lead in the Japanese bevacizumab market, where five products are competing.

Celltrion's breast and gastric cancer treatment, Herzuma (ingredient: trastuzumab), also maintained a commanding lead over competitors in Japan during the same period, holding a 74% market share. Locally, the success is attributed to the tailored sales activities of Celltrion’s Japanese subsidiary and distribution partners, which have taken into account the characteristics of Japan’s cancer treatment system that is favorable to biosimilars.

In Japan, anticancer drugs are subject to the “Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) system,” under which the government determines the total medical expenses for cancer treatments. In this system, hospitals can generate profit by using lower-priced drugs, as they retain the difference between the set medical cost and the actual drug cost. Additionally, the government benefits from rebates and patients see reduced out-of-pocket expenses, making the DPC system generally advantageous for hospitals, the government, and patients alike.

Celltrion is also delivering strong results in the autoimmune disease sector in Japan. Its flagship product Remsima (ingredient: infliximab) holds a 43% market share, while Yuflyma (ingredient: adalimumab) has achieved a 14% share, making them the leading biosimilars in their respective categories.

The influence of Celltrion’s products in Japan is expected to continue expanding. Stekima (ingredient: ustekinumab), launched in August this year, is enhancing marketing synergy based on the performance of existing autoimmune disease products. In addition, Aptozuma (ingredient: tocilizumab), which received product approval from Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare last month, is slated for launch next year.

Kim Howoong, Executive Vice President of Celltrion’s Global Sales Division, stated, “All of our products currently sold in Japan are demonstrating overwhelming results, proving Celltrion’s unique marketing capabilities and product competitiveness. Next year, we will sequentially launch follow-up products, including Remsima SC, to further strengthen our sales competitiveness in Japan, while also driving both revenue and profit growth to successfully improve our performance.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.