Remsima Overtakes Original Drug in Japan... Celltrion Races Ahead in Asia and Latin America

48% Market Share in Japan
93% in Singapore, Nearly 100% in Costa Rica

Celltrion's autoimmune disease treatment Remsima (active ingredient: infliximab) has overtaken the original drug to become the most-prescribed infliximab product in Japan. Analysts say Asia and Latin America are emerging as new growth engines following the United States and Europe.

Celltrion's premises in Yeonsu-gu, Incheon. The Asia Business Daily archive.

On Oct. 20, Celltrion said Remsima captured a 48% share of the Japanese market in July 2026, overtaking the original drug to rank first in infliximab prescriptions. Japan is considered a difficult market to enter because of its structure, which is centered on traditional pharmaceutical companies. Celltrion's cancer treatments Herzuma (active ingredient: trastuzumab) and Vegzelma (active ingredient: bevacizumab) also maintained market shares of 78% and 64%, respectively, in Japan.

Celltrion is also maintaining its leading position in other Asian countries. In the first quarter of 2026, Remsima ranked first by market share in Singapore (93%), Hong Kong (84%), Thailand (78%) and Malaysia (72%). Truxima (active ingredient: rituximab) also took the lead, with market shares of 93% in Singapore and 78% in Thailand.

Celltrion is expanding its market presence in Latin America as well. In Brazil, the region's largest pharmaceutical market, Remsima leads prescriptions with about 60% of the private market. In Costa Rica, Remsima and Truxima each have a market share close to 100%.

Buoyed by this growth, Celltrion posted preliminary consolidated results for the third quarter of 2026 of KRW 1.5 trillion in revenue and KRW 510 billion in operating profit, setting a new record for quarterly performance. Analysts attribute the results to expanded sales in the United States and Europe, as well as growth in its high-margin follow-on product portfolio.

Celltrion plans to continue launching high-margin follow-on products by leveraging its local sales networks. Of Celltrion's 43 overseas entities, 13 are in growth markets such as Asia and Latin America, and its local workforce in Japan has grown to about 80. Celltrion recently launched the intravenous (IV) formulation of Steqeyma (active ingredient: ustekinumab) in Japan and plans to launch the subcutaneous (SC) formulation of Remsima in 2027.

Celltrion is pursuing the launch of Omlyclo (active ingredient: omalizumab) and Stoboclo-Osenvelt (active ingredient: denosumab) in Thailand, and is preparing to launch Steqeyma in Malaysia and Singapore. In Latin America, the company plans to expand the launch of follow-on products such as Omlyclo and increase its participation in public-sector tenders.

"We will diversify our global growth drivers by accelerating the launch of new products in Asia and Latin America, following the United States and Europe," a Celltrion representative said.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.