Celltrion’s Vegzelma overtakes Roche’s Avastin in Europe

Celltrion’s metastatic colorectal and breast cancer treatment Vegzelma (bevacizumab) has surpassed Roche’s original drug Avastin, becoming the most prescribed bevacizumab product in Europe.

On the 5th, Celltrion announced that Vegzelma achieved a 29% market share in the European bevacizumab market as of Q3 2023, based on data from IQVIA. This marks a major milestone just two years after its European launch in October 2022. The drug saw a 9 percentage point increase in market share compared to the previous quarter, widening the gap with competitors.

Celltrion attributes Vegzelma’s rapid growth to its direct sales strategy through its European subsidiaries. Since transitioning to direct sales in 2020, starting with its autoimmune disease treatment Remsima (infliximab) and later expanding to Herzuma (trastuzumab) and Truxima (rituximab), the company has strengthened its network with key stakeholders across European markets.

A significant factor in Vegzelma’s market share surge was Celltrion’s contract with UnihA, France’s largest pharmaceutical procurement group for university hospitals. Awarded in June 2023, the contract secured Vegzelma’s supply for the next two years until 2027, further boosting its market presence.

Celltrion’s autoimmune disease treatments are also steadily gaining traction. In the EU, Remsima SC increased its market share by 1 percentage point to reach 25%, while Yuflyma (adalimumab) saw a 3 percentage point increase, reaching 17%. These figures highlight the ongoing expansion of Celltrion’s autoimmune portfolio.

Leveraging its established market position and expertise in Europe, Celltrion aims to drive strong performance with its newly launched products. The company is sequentially introducing its ustekinumab biosimilar, Stekyma, in Europe, focusing on early market penetration. At the end of last year, four additional products, including the autoimmune treatment Aptozuma (tocilizumab) and the ophthalmic treatment Eydenzelt (aflibercept), received positive opinions from the European Medicines Agency (EMA)’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP).

With these anticipated approvals, Celltrion expects to further strengthen its European portfolio synergy.

A company representative stated, “Our existing products continue to deliver stable performance in Europe, and the expansion of our follow-up product lineup is accelerating our market dominance. We will leverage this momentum to maximize the success of our 11 commercialized products in the European market, including Stekyma and our newly approved therapies.”