Celltrion (068270.KS) will showcase the competitiveness of Omlyclo, its treatment for allergic diseases, at a world allergy congress in Japan. The aim is to broaden contact with local medical professionals ahead of the drug's launch in the Japanese market.
Celltrion said on the 13th that it will take part in the World Allergy Congress (WAC 2026), to be held at the Kyoto International Conference Center in Japan from the 15th to the 18th of this month. WAC is a global academic conference on allergy and immunology hosted by the World Allergy Organization (WAO). About 7,000 medical specialists in allergy, respiratory medicine and immunology from around the world are expected to attend this year's event.
Celltrion plans to set up a corporate booth at the venue to present clinical data and the product strengths of Omlyclo, which is awaiting launch in Japan. Omlyclo won marketing approval in Japan in March of this year for bronchial asthma, chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) and seasonal allergic rhinitis. The company is now preparing to launch it as a first-mover biosimilar in the Japanese market after listing under the drug pricing system.
On the 16th, the second day of the congress, the company will hold an academic seminar under the theme "Expanding Treatment Options Through Biosimilars: The Future of Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis Treatment." Before an audience of about 400 medical professionals, it plans to share clinical experience with omalizumab in Japanese allergy practice and the clinical value of biosimilars. In the panel discussion that follows, Kimihiro Okubo, professor emeritus at Nippon Medical School and a leading authority in the allergy field in Japan, will serve as chair in a session designed to deepen understanding of biosimilars and address outstanding questions.
Celltrion intends to speed up Omlyclo's establishment in the market by drawing on the local sales and marketing capabilities it has built in Japan with its existing biosimilar products. According to pharmaceutical market research firm IQVIA, Remsima, a treatment for autoimmune diseases, held a 48% market share in July this year, overtaking the originator drug to take the top spot in the market, while Yuflyma led all biosimilar products with a 21% share as of July. Market shares for the anticancer drugs Herzuma and Vegzelma reached 78% and 64% over the same period.
Omlyclo is the world's first biosimilar to Xolair (omalizumab), a treatment for allergic diseases, and held a 21% share as of the first quarter of this year after its launch in Europe in September last year. Global sales came to 188.4 billion won ($132 million) in the first half of this year. Celltrion plans to expand sales to major markets including Japan, and the drug was launched in the United States on the 5th of this month.
A Celltrion official said the congress "will be an important turning point in making leading scholars and medical professionals in the allergy field worldwide aware of Omlyclo's excellent therapeutic efficacy and its competitiveness as a first mover." The official added, "Building on the trust and direct sales infrastructure established by Remsima, Herzuma and others, we will do our utmost to help Omlyclo secure its position in the Japanese market as well."