Celltrion Signs Formulary Listing Agreement for 'Stekima' with Major U.S. PBM

Reimbursement to Begin on July 1

Celltrion has succeeded in expanding coverage for its autoimmune disease treatment, Stekima, by signing a formulary listing agreement with one of the top five pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in the United States. Reimbursement under this agreement is scheduled to begin on July 1.

Stekima. Celltrion

This is the second major PBM agreement Celltrion has secured for Stekima's formulary listing in the United States. On April 3, Celltrion also completed a contract with one of the top three PBMs in the country, securing inclusion in both public and private insurance formularies managed by that PBM.

In the U.S., reimbursement is only provided for drugs listed on formularies managed by PBMs, making contracts with PBMs essential for product sales. Considering this, Celltrion's achievement of securing its first major PBM contract within a month of Stekima’s U.S. launch, followed closely by another agreement with a different major PBM, is raising expectations for strong sales. Since the launch of Stekima in the U.S. in March, Celltrion has reportedly secured coverage for approximately 30% of the total U.S. market.

Celltrion's U.S. subsidiary has previously built a favorable network with key local stakeholders by directly selling other autoimmune disease treatments such as Zymfentra and Yuflyma. In particular, trust in Celltrion products is increasing among healthcare professionals who actually prescribe these medicines, and as Stekima is added to more formularies, prescriptions are expected to accelerate further.

Additionally, with a strengthened autoimmune disease product portfolio, more strategic marketing activities such as bundling have become possible. Celltrion’s U.S. subsidiary plans to leverage its portfolio strengths to maximize sales synergy by focusing its sales efforts accordingly.

Thomas Nussbaumer, Chief Commercial Officer of Celltrion USA, stated, “With major PBM contracts signed in quick succession within just over a month of Stekima’s U.S. launch, coverage is expanding steadily. Celltrion will continue to work closely with insurers, physicians, and patient advocacy groups to ensure that American patients suffering from chronic diseases can quickly benefit from Stekima’s therapeutic advantages.”

Meanwhile, according to pharmaceutical market research firm IQVIA, the global market for ustekinumab, the active ingredient in Stekima, is estimated to be approximately $21.66 billion (about 30.32 trillion KRW) as of 2024, with the U.S. market accounting for about $16.70 billion (about 23.39 trillion KRW), representing around 77% of the total.