INCHEON, South Korea--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Celltrion Healthcare today announced that the European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorisation for Remsima® (infliximab, CT-P13) subcutaneous (SC) formulation for the treatment of adult patients with ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis.1

The approval follows a positive opinion issued by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in June and is based on data from a pivotal study comparing the pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety of the SC and intravenous (IV) formulations of Remsima® in people with active Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, throughout a 1-year treatment period.2,3 Based on the results of the pivotal study, a 120 mg fixed dose of Remsima® SC has been approved for use in the European Union (EU), in adults regardless of body weight, in both existing and newly added indications.

Professor Stefan Schreiber, Director of the Clinic for Internal Medicine at Kiel Campus of the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein in Germany said: “The subcutaneous formulation of Remsima® (Remsima® SC) has been shown to have very high efficacy, and favourable data, which are fully comparable to the efficacy and safety profile of the IV formulation. Today’s approval marks an important progress for the gastroenterology community as it means that treatment can now be administered in significantly less time, thereby providing patients more flexibility and control over how they receive their treatment.”

“We are pleased to announce this important regulatory milestone earlier than we expected, with the European Commission prioritising review of this important new administration option. We will accelerate the launch process on a country-by-country basis in order to expand treatment options for patients with chronic inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and ankylosing spondylitis,” said Hyoung-Ki Kim, Vice Chairman at Celltrion Healthcare. “We will do our best to make Remsima® SC available as early as possible and hope this medication will contribute to minimising the risks involved with administering medical treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Celltrion anticipates receiving approval of Remsima® SC in 97 countries, including 31 countries in Europe.

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Notes to Editors:

About Remsima® (CT-P13) intravenous (IV) formulation1
Remsima® IV is usually given as 3 mg per kg/body weight in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and as 5 mg per kg/body weight for the other indications. Infliximab IV is given as an infusion over two hours. All patients are monitored for any reactions during the infusion and for at least one to two hours afterwards.

About Remsima® CT-P13 subcutaneous (SC) formulation4,5
A 120 mg fixed dose of Remsima® SC has been granted marketing authorisation in the EU, in adults regardless of body weight, in all previously approved indications for the IV formulation. Remsima® SC has three administration options; via a pre-filled pen (auto injector), pre-filled syringe or pre-filled syringe with needle safeguard. The SC formulation has the potential to enhance treatment options for the use of infliximab biosimilar by providing high consistency in drug exposure and a convenient method of administration.

About CT-P13 (biosimilar infliximab)
CT-P13 is developed and manufactured by Celltrion, Inc. and was the world’s first monoclonal antibody biosimilar approved by the European Commission (EC). It is indicated for the treatment of eight autoimmune diseases including RA and IBD. It was approved by the EC under the trade name Remsima® in September 2013 and launched in major EU countries in early 2015. The US FDA approved CT-P13 in April 2016 under the trade name Inflectra®. CT-P13 is approved in more than 94 countries (as of July 2020) including the US, Canada, Japan and throughout Europe.

About Celltrion Healthcare
Celltrion Healthcare is committed to delivering innovative and affordable medications to promote patients’ access to advanced therapies. Its products are manufactured at state-of-the-art mammalian cell culture facilities, designed and built to comply with the US FDA cGMP and the EU GMP guidelines. Celltrion Healthcare endeavours to offer high-quality cost-effective solutions through an extensive global network that spans more than 110 different countries. For more information please visit: https://www.celltrionhealthcare.com/en-us

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References

1 European Medicines Agency Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC). Remsima.

2 Reinisch W, et al. A novel formulation of CT-P13 (infliximab biosimilar) for subcutaneous administration: 1-year result from a Phase 1 open-label randomised controlled trial in patients with active Crohn’s disease. European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation 2019. Abstract no: A-1103.

3 Ben-Horin S, et al. A novel subcutaneous infliximab (CT-P13): 1-year results including switching results from intravenous infliximab (CT-P13) in patients with active Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Oral presentation (OP24). Presented at ECCO 2020.

4 Yoo DH, Jaworski J, Matyska-Piekarska E et al. A Novel Formulation of CT-P13 (infliximab biosimilar) for subcutaneous administration: One-year results from part one of a Phase I/III randomised controlled trial in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Poster (FRI0128). Presented at EULAR 2019.

5 Westhovens R, Wiland P, Zawadzki M et al. A novel formulation of CT-P13 (infliximab biosimilar) for subcutaneous administration: 30-week results from part two of a Phase I/III randomised controlled trial in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Poster (SAT0170). Presented at EULAR 2019.