Celltrion's chronic idiopathic urticaria treatment 'Omriclo (ingredient name: omalizumab)' has been officially launched in the European market.

Celltrion announced on the 19th that it has launched Omriclo in Norway, a major Northern European country, and has commenced full-scale sales.

Omriclo is the first omalizumab biosimilar product introduced in Europe, granting Celltrion the status of a 'First Mover.' The company plans to rapidly capture market share based on its local direct sales capabilities. The original drug, Xolair, achieved global sales of approximately KRW 6,499.2 billion last year.

In Norway, omalizumab treatments are typically supplied through retail channels. Considering these market characteristics, Celltrion's local subsidiary is accelerating Omriclo sales by communicating with key channels such as pharmacies following the product launch. Following Norway, the company plans to officially launch in the fourth quarter in the major five European countries (EU5) and surrounding nations to intensify market penetration. It is reported that preparations are underway for the proactive launch of Omriclo in major markets such as Germany, France, and Spain. Particularly, with the anticipated delay in the launch of competing biosimilar products, the First Mover advantage is expected to be further maximized.

Europe is characterized by many countries adopting a bidding system for exclusive product supply. Therefore, the competitive edge of a First Mover product is more pronounced compared to other regions. Launching a product before competitors allows for exclusive bidding, enabling market capture for a certain period. This facilitates early acquisition of prescription data (Real-world data) and positively influences the preferences of healthcare professionals and patients, leading to favorable evaluation metrics in future bids. Additionally, the Celltrion brand is reportedly favored by healthcare professionals and patients across various European countries.

Ha Tae-hoon, head of Celltrion's European headquarters, stated, “We are actively utilizing the First Mover advantage of Omriclo by smoothly communicating with national bidding agencies,” adding, “Starting with Norway, we plan to quickly continue the launch in major European countries to capture the market early.” He further commented, “Having established a unique brand recognition in the fields of autoimmune diseases and oncology in Europe, we aim to solidify trust in the dermatology sector through Omriclo.”

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