Celltrion secures exclusive supply deals with major US healthcare firm for Omliclor, Aptozma

Celltrion is moving to expand US prescriptions for two new products — allergy treatment Omliclor (omalizumab) and autoimmune disease treatment Aptozma (tocilizumab) — after signing a series of exclusive supply agreements in the American market.

Celltrion said Monday its US subsidiary signed exclusive supply contracts with a major American healthcare company earlier this month, covering Omliclor in prefilled syringe form and Aptozma in all formulations, both intravenous and subcutaneous.

The healthcare company operates a network of large hospitals, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers, making it a key distribution channel that directly links insurance reimbursement with hospital prescriptions. Both products displaced the originator drugs to become the sole preferred products, with supply and insurance reimbursement coverage beginning this month.

Under the agreements, Omliclor and Aptozma are listed as preferred drugs on the partner insurer's formulary and will be supplied to affiliated medical institutions. Insured patients can receive either treatment with insurance benefits applied following a physician's prescription.

Celltrion said the trust built through earlier supply of bone disease treatments Stovoklor and Osenvelt (denosumab) to hospitals within the same network helped pave the way for the new contracts.

Omliclor also secured a supply deal with a major US retailer, leveraging its status as the first approved biosimilar in its class in the United States. In-store pharmacy sales have begun, broadening access for general patients.

Omliclor has been registered as an exclusive preferred drug on the retailer's health insurance channel for its 350,000 employees and their dependents, displacing the originator drug except in cases where the vial formulation is specifically required.

In addition, the product has been listed in a pharmaceutical discount program with about 74 million members, securing an uninsured sales channel through which patients without coverage and their dependents can purchase the drug at a reduced price.

Celltrion is currently in formulary listing negotiations with multiple major PBMs for its new high-margin product lineup. With those talks entering their final stages, additional contracts are expected within the fourth quarter. Once concluded, they would add a broad insurance reimbursement network on top of the existing hospital and retail distribution channels.

The deals mark a significant achievement in the competitive US biosimilar market, with Celltrion displacing originator drugs to secure exclusive supply rights across both a major healthcare network and a large retail chain simultaneously — a sign that its US direct-sales model is gaining traction with its newer, higher-margin products.

"Omliclor and Aptozma have proven their product competitiveness and our direct-sales capabilities by entering major healthcare and retail networks from the very start of their US launches," said Kim Bon-joong, CEO of Celltrion's US subsidiary. "We will also move quickly to complete the ongoing PBM formulary listings and broaden the growth foundation for our new products in the United States."