[Kyoto (Japan) = E-Daily Reporter KIM SAE-MI ] “If you can treat hives for a price similar to a can of Red Bull, that wouldn’t be a bad choice.”
Koremasa Hayama, an associate professor at Nihon University’s School of Medicine, cited the energy drink “Red Bull” while explaining the price competitiveness of “Omriclo,” a biosimilar of omalizumab.
According to Professor Hayama, patients with chronic hives suffer from itching that keeps them awake at night and experience drowsiness and difficulty concentrating during the day. In Japan, a can of Red Bull costs about 220 yen (approximately 1,870 won). Professor Hayama estimates that the daily cost of treatment with the biosimilar is about 300 yen (approximately 2,550 won). In other words, for just a little more than the cost of an energy drink consumed to ward off drowsiness, patients can treat the urticaria itself—the very cause of their drowsiness.
Professor Hayama, whom we met on the 16th at the World Allergy Congress (WAC 2026) held in Kyoto, Japan, expressed his expectation that Celltrion’s “Omriclo” will improve access to the Japanese urticaria treatment market. With the launch of Japan’s first omalizumab biosimilar imminent, it is seen as providing a new option for patients who had hesitated to seek treatment due to cost concerns.
“Urticaria Treatment for the Price of a Can of Red Bull”… Japanese Patients Welcome the NewsProfessor Hayama said,
“In
Japan, many people consider anything over 10,000 yen (approximately 85,000 won) to be expensive,” adding, “If the monthly out-of-pocket cost for patients is reduced to around 9,000 yen (approximately 76,500 won) by using a biosimilar,
theywill be able to receive treatment with much less financial burden.” However, the 9,000 yen per month figure is Professor Hayama’s estimate; the actual out-of-pocket cost for patients may vary depending on the drug price and insurance coverage conditions.
In particular, he expressed hope that biosimilars would become a new option for young patients who had previously found it difficult to start or continue treatment due to the high cost of existing therapies.
Professor Hayama said, “Not a single patient objected when I explained that treatment costs would become more affordable,” adding, “Young patients, in particular, frequently responded that they would switch to the more affordable biosimilars if the therapeutic effects were the same.”
He also highlighted the potential for biosimilars to improve patients’ daily lives. Citing research showing that labor productivity among Japanese urticaria patients decreases by about 30%, Professor Hayama emphasized that urticaria goes beyond being a simple skin condition to affect sleep and work life.
He explained, “If you can’t sleep properly at night due to itching, you’ll feel drowsy during the day, and in severe cases, you may even be unable to go to work.” He added, “Since urticaria often worsens at night and subsides during the day, it can be difficult to explain the suffering to one’s supervisor.”
He went on to predict, “If the financial burden of treatment is reduced, allowing more patients to receive appropriate care, it will also help alleviate the difficulties they face in daily life, such as sleep disorders and reduced work productivity.”
“Switch to Biosimilars Is Inevitable”… Changes in the Japanese Market ForecastedProfessor Hayama also emphasized the likelihood that prescribing biosimilars will rapidly expand in the Japanese healthcare sector following the launch of Omriclo. In other words, he believes it is highly probable that the Japanese omalizumab market will shift toward biosimilars following the launch of Omriclo.
He noted, “In Japan, hospitals can receive a fee surcharge for prescribing biosimilars,” adding, “Although the surcharge amounts to only a few hundred yen, revenue is crucial for university hospitals struggling with deficits, so they actively encourage the use of biosimilars.” He predicted that his own hospital would also prioritize biosimilars upon their launch and prescribe the originator drug only if a patient strongly refuses it.
When asked by Edaily whether he believed this trend would spread to other university hospitals, he replied, “It will definitely happen,” adding, “It will be difficult to reverse the shift toward biosimilars.”
He also offered a positive assessment of Omriclo’s product competitiveness. Celltrion is focusing on enhancing patient convenience during administration by using thin needles and removing citric acid and latex.
Professor Hayama noted, “To date, there have been no cases of patients who were receiving Xolair discontinuing treatment due to injection pain,” but added, “From the patient’s perspective, they naturally prefer injections that are less painful, so if pain can be reduced, that would be a positive factor.”
Regarding the clinical trials for Omriclo, he assessed, “I believe the clinical trials, including crossover studies, were conducted appropriately, and there do not appear to be any particular issues.” However, he noted that additional data from Japanese patients would be necessary to expand prescribing in Japan.
Professor Hayama explained, “Japanese patients tend to feel more reassured when clinical data is available for patients in their own country,” adding, “Elderly patients, in particular, may feel anxious if there is no data on Japanese patients, so it is important to accumulate relevant data through post-marketing surveillance.”
Nevertheless, Professor Hayama maintains that, given Omriclo’s clinical evidence and price competitiveness, there is no reason to hesitate in prescribing it. He emphasized, “Not only can we expect nearly the same efficacy as the originator product, but we can also reduce the financial burden of treatment,” adding, “There is no reason not to recommend biosimilars to patients.”
“Omalizumab’s Efficacy Is Proven, but the Problem Is the Cost”… Treatment Opportunities Expanded by OmricloProfessor Hayama assessed that the introduction of omalizumab has dramatically transformed the treatment landscape for chronic urticaria.
“Omalizumab is effective in about 70–80% of patients,” he said. “In the past, there were no suitable treatment options for patients whose symptoms could not be controlled with antihistamines, but the landscape changed dramatically with the arrival of omalizumab. I was truly amazed when it was first launched,” he recalled.
In actual clinical practice, he has even seen patients whose hives disappeared just one week after receiving omalizumab. Professor Hayama explained, “While some patients experience rapid symptom improvement after treatment, others see effects emerge gradually and require several months of continued treatment,” adding, “It is most regrettable when these patients discontinue treatment before seeing sufficient results.”
He noted, “Among younger patients, there are those who find it difficult to use expensive treatments for financial reasons,” and expressed hope that “if the financial burden of treatment is reduced with the launch of biosimilars, more patients will be able to receive the treatment they need.”
Meanwhile, Omriclo is the first omalizumab biosimilar approved in Japan, and Celltrion(068270)aims to launch it within the year. The three indications approved in Japan are bronchial asthma, seasonal allergic rhinitis, and chronic idiopathic urticaria. Celltrion plans to secure a leading position in the market by leveraging a lower price than the original drug, Xolair, and its direct sales network in Japan.
