Data show the world’s first EMA-approved biosimilar monoclonal antibody Remsima™ could reduce cost of treating Crohn’s disease by up to €336 million over five years

Celltrion Healthcare has today announced data demonstrating the healthcare savings achievable by using Remsima™ (CT-P13), a biosimilar monoclonal antibody infliximab, to treat patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) in France, Italy and the UK.¹ The budget impact analysis, presented at the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation’s (ECCO) 10^th annual congress in Barcelona, Spain, shows that total five-year savings across the three countries ranged from €76 million to €336 million¹ in price discount scenarios tested.

Biosimilars have the potential to offer considerable cost savings to health services,² particularly as they are often used to treat long-term conditions. Along with ulcerative colitis, CD accounts for substantial costs to the health care system and society.³  Previous research has shown that, between 2007 and 2020, the use of biosimilar monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is expected to result in savings ranging from €1.8 to €20.4 billion.⁴ The abstract concludes that the introduction of the biosimilar infliximab as a treatment option for patients with CD could achieve substantial cost savings.

“The data presented today show the clear cost savings that could be achieved by introducing Remsima™ for the treatment of Crohn’s disease. Remsima™ may offer physicians an alternative to other anti-tumor necrosis factor treatments. The savings with Remsima™ will help more patients have access to this treatment, and may mean they can receive it earlier in their disease.” said Dr. Alex Kudrin, Vice President at Celltrion, Inc.

Remsima™ is a biosimilar of the biologic medicine Remicade (infliximab), its reference medicinal product (RMP). It is an anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) mAb that reduces inflammation and improves other symptoms of the diseases for which it is indicated.⁵ Clinical trials have demonstrated comparability of Remsima™ to its RMP in quality, safety and efficacy.⁵

Dr Stanley Hong, President of Celltrion Healthcare, said: “We are committed to helping improve patient access to medicines around the world. By developing Remsima™ we are giving physicians an additional drug choice for treating people with autoimmune diseases.”

1. Kim J. et al. 5 year budget impact analysis of CT-P13 (Infliximab) for the treatment of Crohn’s disease in UK, Italy and France. ECCO 2015. Abstract no. A-1330.
2. European Commission. What you need to know about biosimilar medicinal products. Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/healthcare/files/docs/biosimilars_report_en.pdf [Last accessed February 2015].
3. Burisch J, et al. The burden of inflammatory bowel disease in Europe. Journal of Crohn’s and Colitis (2013)7,322-337.
4. Saving money in the European healthcare systems with biosimilars. GaBI Journal. 2012;1(3-4).120-6. Available at: http://gabi-journal.net/saving-money-in-the-european-healthcare-systems-with-biosimilars.html#R13 [Last accessed February 2015].
5. European Medicines Agency. Remsima. Available at http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/EPAR_-_Summary_for_the_public/human/002576/WC500150872.pdf. [Last accessed February 2015].