13 March 2025 | Thursday | News
Celltrion announced the U.S. launch of STEQEYMA® (ustekinumab-stba), a biosimilar to STELARA® (ustekinumab), following approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2024. STEQEYMA is approved for the same indications as STELARA, providing consistency in treatment for patients and healthcare providers.
STEQEYMA is indicated for the treatment of plaque psoriasis (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in adult and pediatric patients, as well as Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) in adult patients. It is available in both subcutaneous injection and intravenous infusion.
"Chronic inflammatory diseases such as plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis place significant burden on patients," said Mark G. Lebwohl*, MD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York. "Biosimilars increase access to essential therapies, while maintaining the same high standards as the reference product. The availability of STEQEYMA provides patients and healthcare providers a cost-effective alternative to manage chronic inflammatory diseases."
STEQEYMA will be priced with a WAC list price at an 85% discount to the current WAC list price of STELARA to help improve patient access to high-quality biologic treatments.
The FDA approval of STEQEYMA was based on the totality of evidence, including the results from a Phase III study in adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, in which the primary endpoint was the rate of change in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) for skin symptoms. The clinical results demonstrated that STEQEYMA and its reference product, ustekinumab, are highly similar, and have no clinically meaningful differences in terms of safety and efficacy.
"The introduction of STEQEYMA in the U.S., as one of the first-wave biosimilars to STELARA, marks an important step in our ongoing efforts to expand patient access to high-quality biologic treatments," said Thomas Nusbickel, Chief Commercial Officer at Celltrion USA. "With this launch, we are expanding our immunology portfolio beyond TNF-alpha to include IL-12/23 inhibitors, offering more options for multiple immune-mediated diseases. To further enhance accessibility, Celltrion is actively collaborating with key pharmacy benefit managers to secure broader formulary coverage for STEQEYMA."
STEQEYMA is supported by Celltrion's comprehensive patient and practice support programs, designed to assist patients throughout their treatment journey. Celltrion offers a suite of resources, including Celltrion CONNECT® Patient Support Program and Celltrion CARES™ Co-pay Assistance Program, benefits verification, prior authorization assistance, and co-pay assistance. Eligible patients with private or commercial insurance may pay as little as $0 out of pocket per dose. Patients who are uninsured may be eligible to receive STEQEYMA through the Celltrion CONNECT® Patient Assistance Program (PAP). Additionally, nurses will be available to answer patient questions and provide injection support. Visit www.CelltrionConnect.com to learn more.
Celltrion has nine biosimilars approved by the FDA, demonstrating its established leadership in the biosimilar development space and its commitment to advancing high-quality treatments. STEQEYMA has also received approval in key global markets, including the European Union, Canada and Australia.
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