South Korean drugmaker Celltrion began selling its biosimilar treatment for autoimmune diseases in Germany and the Netherlands, marking its latest push into Europe’s competitive pharmaceutical market.
The company’s Stelkimab, a copycat version of Johnson & Johnson’s blockbuster drug Stelara, will be supplied to IZA, a major Dutch pharmaceutical cooperative, under a two-year contract representing about 27% of the Netherlands’ ustekinumab market.
The treatment, available in both intravenous and subcutaneous forms, targets conditions including Crohn’s disease and psoriasis. Celltrion plans to expand distribution to Finland and Ireland this month, with its Irish unit scheduled to promote the drug at a gastroenterology conference in Dublin.
The European rollout comes as Celltrion seeks to capture share in the global ustekinumab market, valued at $20.4 billion last year according to IQVIA data. The company’s Europe head Ha Tae-hoon highlighted Celltrion’s integrated production and sales infrastructure as a competitive advantage for ensuring stable supply.
Stelkimab joins Celltrion’s existing autoimmune portfolio in Europe, which includes Remsima and the TNF-α inhibitor Yuflyma. The expansion reflects growing competition in the biosimilars market as patents expire on original branded medications.
