Celltrion Healthcare to supply 2 anti-cancer drugs to Turkmenistan

[Courtesy of Celltrion Healthcare]

South Korea’s Celltrion Healthcare Co. secured a contract to supply two anti-cancer drugs in a procurement bid led by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

According to Celltrion Healthcare on Wednesday, the company joined the UNDP-led bid in May 2023 and was chosen as the final bidder to supply two anti-cancer drugs to Turkmenistan in Central Asia by the end of the year.

The two drugs are Truxima (rituximab), a blood cancer biosimilar, and Vegzelma (bevacizumab), a treatment for lung cancer and metastatic colorectal cancer.

UNDP is a specialized agency of the United Nations that carries out activities such as procuring special funds, providing technical assistance, and pharmaceutical support to promote the economic and social development of developing countries.

Celltrion Healthcare’s Truxima and Vegzelma have recently been expanding their market share, mainly in Europe and the United States.

According to market research agency IQVIA, Truxima recorded a market share of 22 percent in Europe as of the second quarter of 2023. Symphony Health data also showed that Truxima accounted for 30 percent of the market in the United States in the third quarter of 2023.

Vegzelma’s market share has reached 45 percent in Finland and 21 percent in Germany, according to IQVIA. The drug’s prescription has been expanding since its launch in Europe in October last year.