Celltrion's Zympentra Listed as Preferred Drug in Major U.S. Healthcare Company Formulary

Benefits Applied from the 1st of This Month,
Sales Expected to Accelerate with Expanded Prescription Coverage
Inflectra Listed as a Preferred Drug in UnitedHealthcare Formulary

Celltrion announced on January 19 that its infliximab subcutaneous (SC) formulation, Zympentra (marketed as Remsima SC in the United States), has been listed as a preferred drug in the formulary (private insurance) of Evernorth Health Services, a healthcare services company under the Cigna Group in the United States.

Zympentra. Celltrion

Cigna is one of the leading healthcare services companies in the United States. It operates Express Scripts (ESI), one of the top three pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), and Cigna Healthcare, which ranks among the top 10 insurers, making it a highly influential player across the healthcare market.

Celltrion’s U.S. subsidiary previously signed a contract with ESI after launching Zympentra, resulting in its inclusion as a preferred drug. The recent listing by Evernorth is an extension of these achievements, allowing Cigna-affiliated insurance members to receive prescriptions for Zympentra without the complex administrative procedures that are typically required for drug coverage.

Since its initial launch in the U.S. in 2024, Zympentra has recorded an average monthly prescription growth rate of 31%. This growth is attributed to successful contracts with major reimbursement channels, including the top three PBMs, as well as small and medium-sized PBMs and insurers. As a result, Celltrion has secured coverage for over 90% of the U.S. reimbursement market, establishing a stable foundation for prescriptions.

Celltrion’s flagship autoimmune disease treatment, Inflectra (marketed as Remsima in the United States), has also been listed in the formulary of UnitedHealthcare, a major U.S. insurer. Notably, Inflectra-not the original product or competing biosimilars-has been designated as a preferred drug, giving it a competitive advantage in prescriptions. Reimbursement for Inflectra is set to begin on February 1.

These achievements with key products are expected to have a positive impact on Celltrion’s other offerings as well. Stekyma (ingredient: ustekinumab) and Aptozma (ingredient: tocilizumab), both newly launched in the U.S. last year, are also autoimmune disease treatments and can benefit from increased marketing synergy. Celltrion plans to leverage its established network of prescribers, built through sales of existing products, to rapidly capture market share.

A Celltrion representative stated, "With both Zympentra and Inflectra now listed in the formularies of major U.S. insurers, we have successfully secured a reimbursement foundation. We anticipate accelerated sales growth based on product competitiveness and prescription preference. Following the launch of high-margin follow-up products last year, we plan to further expand our autoimmune disease portfolio this year with new product launches such as Aptozma SC formulation and Omriclo. We will pursue more aggressive marketing activities to quickly establish a strong presence in the U.S. autoimmune disease market."