Celltrion marks decade of biosimilar innovation in Europe with new campaign

The campaign coincides with 10 years since the world’s first monoclonal antibody biosimilar infliximab, Remsima, received regulatory approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Biosimilars have been pivotal in driving treatment advancements in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID) such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Thousands of patients in Europe and globally have benefitted from biosimilars since their initial approval, incurring both patient health and economic benefits.

The innovation and evolution of biosimilars has delivered benefits beyond their reference product. The development of new administration methods has ushered in a new era, offering patients a more convenient and accessible treatment options which can be administered at home.

Alongside the patient benefits, biosimilars have delivered savings to economies and healthcare systems across the world. Several analyses have found that use of biosimilars in place of their reference product in Europe could save hundreds of millions of Euros.

For instance, the use of infliximab biosimilar had saved approximately £100 million in a year in the United Kingdom alone, according to the announcement made by UK's National Health Service (NHS).

Celltrion’s new campaign aims to highlight the positive impact of biosimilars to patients and healthcare systems, whilst reflecting on what the future could hold through continued innovation.

Activities will include a global speaker tour, presentations by KOLs showcasing the latest clinical data, a report highlighting a decade of innovation and a celebration at United European Gastroenterology Week (UEGW) 2023 in Copenhagen.

Taehun Ha, SVP and head of europe division at Celltrion Healthcare, said: “We are proud to recognise the tremendous impact that biosimilars have had on patients in Europe. Efforts to make high-quality biologics more affordable have paved the way for the widespread adoption of biosimilars across the continent and supported in improving patient outcomes. We at Celltrion remain committed to creating innovative treatments that prioritise the needs of patients and expand their treatment options.”

Professor Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet, head of the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) group at the Gastroenterology Department of the University Hospital of Nancy, France, added: “Initially, we were intrigued by the arrival of biosimilars, especially with the first pivotal studies focusing solely on rheumatology."

"However, it became clear biosimilars offered a promising opportunity to reduce healthcare costs and improve the management of multiple diseases. Studies such as PLANETCD and NORSWITCH have added to the extensive evidence of their efficacy and safety, quickly reassuring us, in addition to our real-life experience. Biosimilars made it possible to reduce treatment prices - it was an economic revolution for patients and healthcare systems.”