Biosimilar Biologics

Celltrion pioneered the biosimilar industry by developing Remsima, the world's first biosimilar monoclonal antibody, approved in Europe in 2013 and now sold in over 100 countries. The company's portfolio includes biosimilars of the world's best-selling biologic drugs: infliximab (Remicade), rituximab (MabThera), bevacizumab (Avastin), and trastuzumab (Herceptin). These biosimilars typically cost 30-50% less than the originator drugs.

Biosimilars are to biologic drugs what generics are to chemical drugs — near-identical copies that become available after patent expiry. However, manufacturing a biosimilar is far more complex than making a generic pill, because biologic drugs are produced by living cells and their molecular structure is exquisitely sensitive to production conditions. Celltrion's ability to reverse-engineer and manufacture these complex molecules at scale required decades of investment in cell line development and bioprocess engineering.

Korea's biosimilar industry (Celltrion, Samsung Bioepis) has become a structural force in global pharmaceutical pricing, saving healthcare systems billions annually. The Korean government actively supports this sector through the K-Bio CDMO Support Act, recognizing that biosimilar manufacturing creates high-value jobs and reduces Korea's own healthcare costs.