Celltrion's Zymfentra product (Celltrion)

Celltrion has secured contracts to list its Zymfentra — the world’s only subcutaneous injection formulation of its infliximab Remsima — across all public and private insurance sectors managed by the top three US pharmacy benefit managers.

Celltrion announced Tuesday that it had recently finalized an agreement with a pharmaceutical group purchasing organization representing one of these major pharmacy benefit managers to secure the listing of Zymfentra in private insurance formularies.

This contract establishes a robust reimbursement foundation, expected to significantly boost sales and lay the groundwork for annual sales of 1 trillion won ($723 million).

“We have been dedicated to securing PBM agreements since the product’s launch to sustainably increase Zymfentra sales, and this effort has resulted in securing insurance across the top three US PBMs in just seven months," Celltrion’s Chief Commercial Officer Thomas Nusbickel said. "The success was due to Zymfentra’s competitive edge, and we will continue to expand our efforts to ensure as many US patients as possible benefit from the product’s excellent therapeutic benefits."

After launching Zymfentra in March in the US, Celltrion signed a listing contract with Express Scripts, one of the three major PBMs, just two weeks later. This was followed by contracts with another major PBM in July and with the final PBM for public insurance coverage in August. To date, including the three top PBMs, Celltrion has completed contracts with 30 small to midsized PBMs and insurers nationwide. Combined, these organizations cover over 90 percent of the US insurance market.

Celltrion attributes the rapid expansion of US insurance coverage for Zymfentra primarily to the product's distinctive features.

Given the characteristics of the US market, where hospital access can be limited, Zymfentra’s ease of self-administration appeals to both patients and health care providers. With some 460,000 US patients receiving biologics for inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, Zymfentra’s blend of treatment efficacy and user convenience is expected to benefit such individuals significantly.

By Kim Hae-yeon (hykim@heraldcorp.com)