Celltrion Healthcare, Celltrion's distribution unit, said Monday it has signed a deal with US specialty pharmacy chain CarePartners Pharmacy to sell its Humira biosimilar Yuflyma in the US market.

CarePartners Pharmacy is a national pharmacy that distributes medications across all 50 states and Washington DC, focusing on several niche programs, including autoimmune therapies.

Under the contract, Yuflyma will be distributed to drug stores operated by CarePartners Pharmacy nationwide, starting from the end of this month.

Celltrion said the partnership is expected to raise the presence of the Yuflyma autoimmune disease biosimilar among over 10 million patients in the US.

Yuflyma will be the only adalimumab sold at CarePartners Pharmacy drugstores as the US partner has decided not to sell AbbVie's blockbuster drug Humira and other competing biosimilars in the market.

Celltrion said it could ink the exclusive contract due to the drug's convenience both for patients and health care providers.

“Yuflyma uses a high concentration, citrate-free formulation, causing less pain when injected. The medication also comes with a latex-free injectable device, which can reduce allergy risk,” an official from Celltrion said.

Meanwhile, Celltrion Healthcare said the company will tap pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), including Optum, to enlist Yuflyma in their formulary lists.

PBMs are companies that manage prescription drug benefits on behalf of health insurers. They negotiate fees and rebates with drug providers and create formulary lists of medications covered by insurance and reimburse pharmacies for patients' prescriptions.

Celltrion Healthcare said the company will increase its marketing efforts, with a goal of capturing around 40 percent share in the PBM market for adalimumab by the end of this year.

• ·Cheong Wa Dae to open for winter night stroll event
• ·[Exclusive] 'Game of Thrones' publisher inks deal for Korean books for first time
• ·“가자주민 삶 최악…한국지원 절실”
• ·Conflict between Fifty Fifty and agency Attrakt continues to escalate
• ·Seoul shares start lower ahead of key rate decision
• ·尹 보선 첫 반응 "선거 결과서 교훈 찾아, 지혜롭게 변화를"
• ·[Herald Interview] Samuel Youn celebrates career in ‘From Darkness to Light’
• ·Conflict between Fifty Fifty and agency Attrakt continues to escalate
• ·Jeju's autonomy is model for Western Sahara: Morocco
• ·LS Cable inks partnership for Vietnam submarine cable market
• ·S Korea, UAE to hold aviation talks over potential increase in bilateral flights
• ·한 경기도 안 뛰고 병역 면제?…국감 오른 아시안게임 '병특'
• ·HiteJinro soju seeks bigger footing in UK
• ·“北, 무단철거 금강산 골프장서 옥수수 건조”
• ·Samsung owns largest No. of Israeli subsidiaries among S. Korean conglomerates: report
• ·혼전임신 직원에 "애비없는 애"…갑질 서기관 감싼 복지부 논란