4 Pharmas make bid into low-dose statin combo drug mkt

Yuhan Corp’s ‘Atovamibe Tab 10/5mg’ is the only low-dose statin combo option available in Korea

Products from Daewon Pharmaceutical, Dongkook Pharmaceutical, Daewoong Pharmaceutical, and Boryung Pharmaceutical will be listed for reimbursement next month

The popularity of low-dose statin continues.

 

Due to its lower risk of side effects than high-dose statins and a higher cholesterol-lowering effect when combined with ezetimibe than as monotherapy, domestic pharmaceutical companies have been busy launching low-dose statin combination products one after another.

 

According to industry sources on the 21st, 4 hyperlipidemia combination drugs that contain low-dose atorvastatin (5 mg) and ezetimibe will be listed for reimbursement in June.

 

The atorvastatin 5 mg and ezetimibe combination was first introduced by Yuhan Corp in August last year.

 

The drug, AtovamibeTab 10/5mg, was listed at an insurance ceiling price of KRW 637.

 

Among the 4 items that will soon be reimbursed, Daewon Pharmaceutical's ‘Litozet 10/5mg’ and Dong Kook Pharmaceutical's ‘Atovanduo 10/5mg’ met two of the preferential pricing criteria set for generic drugs and will be listed at the same price as Yuhan, at KRW 637.

 

Daewoong Pharmaceutical's Litorvazet 10/5mg will be listed at KRW 636 because the company lowered the price by KRW 1, while Boryung’s L50 10/5mg will be priced at KRW 541 because it met only one of the criteria.

 

L50 10/5mg is being contract manufactured by Daewon Pharmaceutical.

 

The analysis is that low-dose atorvastatin has a lower risk of side effects such as diabetes and myopathy than the existing high-dose products.

 

When combined with ezetimibe, it reduces LDL cholesterol levels by a greater degree than statin alone.

 

Most pharmaceutical companies develop combination drugs with this concept.

 

Low-dose (2.5 mg) combination products that use rosuvastatin have already shown success in the market.

 

Hanmi Pharmaceutical's Rosuzet 10/2.5 mg is making blockbuster success.

 

Since then, 8 other generics have been approved for reimbursement, growing the market size.

 

This time, the release of 4 more atorvastatin low-dose combination drugs is expected to further expand the market size with the existing Yuhan product.

 

As such, attention is focused on how large the market for low-dose statin combination products will grow.