Celltrion announced on the 29th that it has secured agreements to list its infliximab subcutaneous (SC) injection treatment, “Zympentra,” in all six public and private insurance sectors operated by the top three Prescription Benefit Managers (PBMs) in the United States.
Celltrion stated that it reached a final agreement on October 25th (local time) after negotiating insurance listing terms with a Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) representing one of the three major PBMs. This contract significantly strengthens insurance reimbursement infrastructure, crucial for accelerating sales by securing the entire public and private insurance market of the three main PBMs, the most influential players in the U.S. pharmaceutical prescription market.
After launching Zympentra in the largest pharmaceutical market in the world, the U.S., in March, Celltrion signed a listing contract with one of the three major PBMs, “Express Scripts” (ESI), just two weeks later. In July, they secured a listing contract with another large PBM and, in August, finalized a public insurance listing with the third.
To date, contracts for Zympentra have been completed with a total of 30 medium-sized and smaller PBMs and insurers, including the three major PBMs, covering over 90% of the U.S. insurance market. It is estimated that Zympentra has already secured the majority of the prescription market in the U.S., just over six months since its launch.
Securing listing agreements for all six public-private insurance sectors of the top three PBMs in just seven months is considered very uncommon. It is anticipated that the pace of listing negotiations with the remaining medium-sized and smaller PBMs and insurers will also accelerate, now that Zympentra is listed with all major PBMs.
Celltrion attributes the rapid insurance coverage acquisition for Zympentra in the U.S. to its differentiated product characteristics. Zympentra, the world’s only SC formulation infliximab treatment, enhances the convenience of administering infliximab, a drug with proven therapeutic efficacy and safety for over 20 years in medical settings. Given the U.S. market’s challenge of hospital accessibility, the product is highly valued for its ease of self-administration anywhere, without the need for regular hospital visits, appealing to both patients and healthcare professionals.
Zympentra’s media campaign, which began with YouTube ads last month, has expanded to TV commercials this month, boosting brand awareness across the U.S. The YouTube ad exceeded 2 million views within three weeks, drawing significant interest and positive feedback. The TV commercial is currently aired on major U.S. channels like ESPN, MSNBC, and USA Network, with strategic placements before and after major programs like MLB Baseball to maximize exposure. Starting next month, in-hospital media advertising will launch in 500 hospitals nationwide, aiming to maximize brand exposure to patients.
Thomas Nusbickel, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Celltrion USA, stated, “We dedicated substantial effort to negotiations with PBMs since the early phase of Zympentra’s launch to ensure sustainable revenue growth, and as a result, we successfully secured insurance coverage across all public-private sectors managed by the top three PBMs within seven months of launch. This achievement was made possible by Zympentra’s unique product competitiveness, and we will expand our sales activities to ensure that the superior therapeutic benefits are delivered to as many American patients as possible.”