Celltrion announced on the 27th that it started media advertising for its autoimmune disease treatment, Jimptetra, in the United States on the 26th (local time).
Unlike South Korea, where advertising of prescription drugs to the general public is restricted due to related regulations, the United States allows advertising of prescription drugs. This enables American patients to have easier access to drug information and to communicate closely with healthcare professionals during the drug selection process. Celltrion plans to initially start advertising through YouTube and then, from next month, broadcast TV commercials nationwide across various TV channels and OTT platforms in the U.S.
Jimptetra is accelerating its entry into the U.S. market by leveraging its convenience as the "world's only infliximab subcutaneous injection." The active ingredient in Jimptetra, infliximab, has long been proven effective and safe for inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. However, existing drugs containing this ingredient have only been available as intravenous injections administered at hospitals or clinics. Given the difficulty of visiting medical institutions in the U.S., there has been significant market demand for a subcutaneous injection form that allows patients to self-inject.
This Jimptetra advertisement highlights the product's advantage of high dosing convenience, conveying that patients can improve their quality of life on their own. The ad depicts patients struggling with daily life, such as having to give up personal schedules to visit hospitals regularly for intravenous (IV) treatment. It realistically portrays autoimmune disease patients facing not only pain from their illness but also various difficulties in everyday life environments?such as travel, hobbies, and personal schedules?due to regular hospital visits. However, after consulting with a doctor and choosing Jimptetra, which allows self-administration, the ad concludes with the patients enjoying a free and happy life by designing their own daily routines.
Advertising image of Celltrion's autoimmune disease treatment 'Jimpentra' in US media [Photo by Celltrion]
In particular, this advertisement holds great significance as one of the core sales activities for Jimptetra that Celltrion is promoting in the U.S. In the U.S., the three major factors influencing drug prescriptions?providers, payers, and patients?are collectively referred to as the "3Ps."
Among these, Celltrion has focused on increasing product awareness by having Chairman Seo Jung-jin personally meet with doctors from the early launch stage to promote Jimptetra to providers. Additionally, Celltrion has achieved considerable success by listing Jimptetra on the formularies of the three major pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that influence 80% of the U.S. insurance market.
Furthermore, by intensifying patient-targeted marketing through this advertisement, Celltrion expects to accelerate prescription rates. The company plans to expand its media scope to digital advertising campaigns on social media platforms such as Instagram and LinkedIn, and actively consider advertisements easily accessible to patients at prescription sites, including in-hospital posters, printed materials, and outdoor media.
Celltrion currently projects Jimptetra’s sales target for this year at 250 billion KRW. Moreover, it expects to achieve 1 trillion KRW in sales next year. Previously, Chairman Seo Jung-jin stated about Jimptetra, "It can generate annual sales of up to 3 trillion KRW within three years," adding, "Even conservatively, it is a product that can reach up to 5 trillion KRW."
Thomas Nussbickel, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Celltrion’s U.S. subsidiary, said, “With this Jimptetra media advertising, we are confident that American autoimmune disease patients will not only learn about a new treatment option with improved dosing convenience but also gain the happiness of enjoying a free daily life by autonomously designing their lives. We will strengthen our sales capabilities to continuously supply high-quality biopharmaceuticals in the world’s largest pharmaceutical market, the U.S., so that more patients can benefit from Celltrion’s treatments.”
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