Celltrion Launches Ophthalmic Treatment Eydenzelt in Europe

Strengthening Product Portfolio with New Indications

Celltrion announced on December 16 that it has officially entered the global ophthalmology market by launching its ophthalmic treatment 'Eydenzelt' (ingredient name: Aflibercept) in major European countries, including Germany and the United Kingdom, earlier this month.

Celltrion's UK subsidiary secured an early foothold for product supply by successfully winning National Health Service (NHS) tenders in three administrative regions simultaneously with the launch of Eydenzelt. Among these, the northern England region, which represents the largest market among UK tendering bodies, was included, and in this region, Eydenzelt became the only officially listed biosimilar. Through these tender wins, Celltrion has established a foundation not only for an early entry into the UK ophthalmology market but also for expanding its market share across Europe in the future.

Celltrion Idengel Vial. Celltrion

In addition, Celltrion has completed the launch of Eydenzelt in Portugal, one of the leading tender markets in Europe, and plans to target the market by focusing on national tenders, which account for approximately 60% of the total market. The company aims to accelerate prescriptions by sequentially expanding the number of European countries where Eydenzelt is available through next year.

Celltrion plans to rapidly increase its performance in the ophthalmology market by actively leveraging the brand trust and direct sales competitiveness it has built up in Europe. In particular, the company intends to utilize the extensive human network established through the direct sales of its existing flagship biosimilar products, such as autoimmune disease treatments and anticancer drugs, to ensure that the high level of brand trust and product preference associated with Celltrion is carried over to Eydenzelt through targeted marketing activities.

With the launch of Eydenzelt, Celltrion expects to contribute to alleviating the healthcare budget burden in European countries by supplying high-quality biopharmaceuticals at reasonable prices, while also providing patients with new treatment options and improving access to care. To ensure the successful implementation of this strategy, Celltrion plans to quickly secure early market leadership and accelerate prescription growth through customized direct sales strategies tailored to the characteristics of each national market.

A Celltrion representative stated, "Celltrion, recognized as a leading biosimilar company across Europe, plans to ensure the successful market entry of Eydenzelt by leveraging the marketing competitiveness and brand trust built over many years of direct sales. We will continue to expand the number of countries where Eydenzelt is launched through next year, providing more patients with high-quality biopharmaceuticals at reasonable prices and rapidly increasing our influence in the European ophthalmology market."

Meanwhile, Eydenzelt's original reference drug, Eylea, is a blockbuster ophthalmic treatment that achieved global sales of 9.523 billion dollars (approximately 13.3322 trillion won) last year. In February of this year, Celltrion obtained product approvals from the European Commission (EC) for both vial and pre-filled syringe (PFS) formulations of Eydenzelt. Eydenzelt is approved for major indications including neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (wAMD), macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion, diabetic macular edema (DME), and myopic choroidal neovascularization.