Samsung Bioepis fiercely chases Celltrion in biosimilar mkt

Domestic sales gap reduced from KRW 47.5 billion to KRW 26.5 billion in one year

Samsung Bioepis’s domestic biosimilar sales jump 3.2 times in one year to reach KRW 42.5 billion

Sales of Avastin biosimilar Onbevzi exceed KRW 20 billion in 2nd year of release... Adalloce’s sales rise rapidly

Celltrion’s biosimilar sales in Korea last year reach KRW 69 billion... Sales of Remsima, Truxima, and Herzuma rise smoothly

Samsung Bioepis has been rapidly chasing Celltrion in the domestic biosimilar business and expanding sales in the market.

 

As of last year, domestic biosimilar sales of Samsung Bioepis and Celltrion were KRW 42.5 billion and KRW 69 billion, respectively.

 

Samsung Bioepis’s sales more than tripled in one year, greatly narrowing the gap with Celltrion.

 

Samsung Bioepis has been copromoting sales of its biosimilar products in the domestic market with Boryung, Yuhan Corp, Samil Pharm, and Daewoong Pharmaceutical.

 

Samsung Bioepis’s new product releases and the sales power of domestic pharmaceutical companies are analyzed to have created synergy and driven an increase in sales last year.

 

◆Biosimilar sales in Korea KRW 69 billion for Celltrion vs Samsung Bioepis KRW 42.5 billion According to the market research institution IQVIA, Celltrion made total sales of KRW 69 billion with its biosimilars.

 

In the same period, Samsung Bioepis made KRW 42.5 billion in total biosimilar sales.

 

The sales gap between the two companies had been reduced greatly with Samsung Bioepis releasing a series of new products during the past 3 years.

 

Celltrion’s domestic biosimilar sales by year increased from KRW 54.4 billion in 2019 to KRW 54.9 billion in 2020, KRW 60.7 billion in 2021, then to KRW 69 billion in 2022.

 

In the same period, Samsung Bioepis’s biosimilar sales increased to a greater degree from KRW 8.5 billion to KRW 10.9 billion, KRW 13.2 billion, then to KRW 42.5 billion.

 

Due to this rise in Samsung Bioepis’s sales, the gap between the two companies in biosimilar sales was reduced from KRW 45.9 billion in 2019 to KRW 44 billion in 2020, then to KRW 47.5 billion in 2021, and to KRW 26.5 billion last year.

 

Samsung Bioepis’s biosimilar sales had been less than KRW 10 billion until 2019, but then succeeded in raising sales by releasing a series of new products.

 

The industry's view is that Samsung Bioepis' domestic biosimilar business is now well on track.

 

◆ Onbevzi ‘s sales exceed KRW 20 billion in the second year of release...

 

Adalloce’s sales reach KRW 7.6 billion last year In Samsung Bioepis’s case, the analysis is that the two biosimilars it had released in 2021 have been driving the rapid rise in sales.

 

Samsung Bioepis has currently released 6 types of biosimilars in Korea - Avastin biosimilar ‘Onbevzi,’ Humira biosimilar ‘Adalloce,’ Herceptin biosimilar ‘Sampenet,’ Remicade biosimilar ‘Remaloce,’ and Enbrel biosimilar ‘Etoloce,’ and Lucentis biosimilar ‘Amelivu.’ Among the drugs, Adalloce was released in Q3 2021, and Onbevzi in Q4 2021.

 

Onbevzi recorded sales of KRW 0.5 billion in 2021, in the first year of its release.

 

Last year, its sales surged to KRW 20.5 billion.

 

The analysis is that Boryung’s domestic sales activities contributed to the increase in sales.

 

With the surge in sales, Onbevzi’s market share quickly expanded to occupy 21% of the market.

 

In the case of Adalloce, its sales, which had only been KRW 1.2 billion in the first year of release, rose 6.5 times to KRW 7.6 billion last year.

 

Samsung Bioepis had signed an agreement with Yuhan Corp to jointly promote sales of Adalloce in Korea.

 

In the case of Sampenet, sales have risen 158% in 3 years, from KRW 2.2 billion in 2019 to KRW 5.6 billion last year.

 

Remaloce’s sales rose 74% from KRW 2.8 billion to KRW 4.9 billion, and Etoloce's 15% from KRW 3.5 billion to KRW 4 billion.

 

Samsung Bioepis is copromoting Sampenet with Daewoong Pharamceutical, and Remaloce and Etoloce with Yuhan Corp.

 

Amelivu’s sales are also expected to be reflected in sales in earnest this year.

 

Samsung Bioepis joined hands with Samil Pharmaceutical to sell Amelivu.

 

Samil started domestic sales of Amelibu in January this year.

 

Amelivu is currently the only Lucentis biosimilar available on market.

 

◆Remsima’s sales reach KRW 29.3 billion last year...

 

Herzuma KRW 29.3 billion, Truxima KRW 10.2 billion In the case of Celltrion, its three major biosimilars are making smooth sales in the domestic market.

 

In the case of Celltrion, it has been selling the Remicade biosimilar ‘Remsima,' Mabthera biosimilar ‘Truxima,’ Herceptin biosimilar ‘Herzuma,’ Humira biosimilar ‘Yuflyma,’ and Avastin biosimilar ‘Vegzelma’ in Korea.

 

Among the drugs, Remsima accounts for the largest portion of Celltrion’s domestic biosimilar sales.

 

Last year, Remsima’s sales had been KRW 29.3 billion, a 20% increase from the previous year.

 

Herzuma and Truxima are also increasing their presence in the market.

 

Herzuma recorded sales of KRW 29 billion last year, which was a 6% increase from the previous year.

 

Truxima’s sales exceeded KRW 10 billion for the first time last year.

 

Compared to the KRW 8.8 billion it had made the previous year, in 2021, Truxima’s sales rose 15% to reach KRW 10.2 billion last year.

 

In addition, Yuflyma and Vegzelma, which were released in March and December of last year, are also expected to contribute to the company’s biosimilar sales this year.

 

Last year, Yuflyma sold KRW 0.5 billion, and Vegzelma's sales were not aggregated.

 

Celltrion Pharma is in charge of selling Celltrion's biosimilars in Korea.