Celltrion Launches 'Jimpentra' in the US, Collaborates with Patient Associations to Improve Disease Awareness

Published 05 Apr.2024 10:39(KST)

Celltrion announced on the 5th that it will work to raise awareness and improve understanding of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) through partnership activities with the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation (CCF), the largest IBD patient organization in the United States.

Celltrion's autoimmune disease treatment drug, Jimptentra [Photo by Celltrion]

CCF is a nonprofit foundation composed of patients with IBD, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and their families. It is known as the largest IBD-related patient organization in the U.S. Since its establishment in 1967, CCF has been conducting various activities for over 50 years to improve the quality of life of IBD patients in the United States. In particular, it has contributed to the advancement of IBD treatments by funding clinical trials at major medical institutions in the U.S., while also working to improve patient convenience by connecting approximately 3 million IBD patients and healthcare professionals annually through education for medical personnel and policy improvement activities.

Celltrion is aiming to expand its influence in the U.S. IBD field through various partnership activities with CCF. Earlier this year, the company participated in an educational program for gastroenterology fellows in the New York area, providing training to IBD specialists in the region. It also conducted training on Jimpentra for staff at the IBD Help Center operated by CCF to ensure smooth patient support. Additionally, Celltrion has begun establishing its presence within the U.S. IBD community by posting introduction materials on the official site of Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Week (CCAW), held at the end of last year, as well as on CCF-operated social media channels.

Since CCF has high expectations for Jimpentra, this partnership activity is also anticipated to have a positive impact on expanding the prescription of the product. In January, Celltrion received the Lucky Seven Alliance Award at the Crohn's and Colitis Congress hosted by CCF in Las Vegas, USA. This award is a merit-based honor given to companies or organizations that have contributed to improving the health of IBD patients.

Regarding the award, CCF explained, "We recognized Celltrion's potential to make a significant impact on the U.S. IBD community this year." This indicates considerable expectations for the high dosing convenience of Jimpentra. The active ingredient of Celltrion's autoimmune disease treatment Jimpentra, infliximab, holds the number one market share in the U.S. IBD market. However, it has only been available in intravenous injection form administered at medical institutions, resulting in a high unmet demand for a subcutaneous injection formulation that patients can easily self-administer at home. Jimpentra is the first and only drug among infliximab products to successfully develop a subcutaneous injection formulation.

Michael Osso, President of CCF, said, "IBD patients suffer from various symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and bleeding, which make it difficult to lead a normal daily life," and added, "We look forward to continuing various partnership activities with Celltrion, which has provided new treatment options to U.S. IBD patients through the launch of Jimpentra."

A Celltrion representative stated, "Since IBD patients and their families highly evaluate and anticipate the competitiveness of Jimpentra, we expect that the preference for Jimpentra will increase as Celltrion's influence expands through partnership activities with CCF," and added, "We will continue to collaborate with CCF and other major IBD patient organizations in the U.S. to carry out various activities aimed at improving the quality of life for IBD patients."