Celltrion enters US autoimmune market with Avtozma

Celltrion launched its autoimmune disease treatment Avtozma (tocilizumab) in the US, the world’s largest pharmaceutical market, earlier this month, marking the company’s entry into a competitive sector long dominated by multinational drugmakers.

The newly released Avtozma is an intravenous formulation sold directly through Celltrion’s US subsidiary. To enhance market competitiveness, the company set its wholesale acquisition cost at about 35 percent lower than that of the original reference drug. The pricing strategy is aimed at gaining early traction in the market.

Avtozma, an interleukin-6 inhibitor, received full approval from the US Food and Drug Administration in January, with the same label as the reference biologic. Its approved indications include rheumatoid arthritis, giant cell arteritis, pediatric idiopathic arthritis, COVID-19 and cytokine release syndrome.

With the launch, Avtozma has been listed as a preferred drug in the Minnesota formulary of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, a major US health insurer. Industry observers expect this to improve the drug’s chances of being adopted as a preferred treatment by other insurers across additional states.

Celltrion said it plans to expand its US market presence by pursuing negotiations with major industry players, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the country’s three largest prescription drug benefit management companies.

Thomas Nusbickel, chief commercial officer of Celltrion’s US unit, said, “Celltrion aims to offer biopharmaceuticals that combine clinical efficacy with affordability, while striving to improve patients’ quality of life.”

The reference drug, Roche’s Actemra, recorded global sales of 2.65 billion Swiss francs ($3.31 billion) last year, including 1.33 billion francs from the US market.