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- 2025-12-24 02:25:26
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- Sales of the flu tx market increased due to the endemic
- by Chon, Seung-Hyun Aug 07, 2023 05:23am
- In the first half of the year, the outpatient prescription market for flu treatment exceeded 10 billion won in four years. As the number of flu patients surged after the end of the Corona 19 pandemic, the flu treatment market, which had disappeared over the past three years, expanded significantly. According to UBIST, a drug research institute on the 5th, the outpatient prescription amount for influenza (flu) treatment in the first half of last year was recorded at 11.5 billion won. It fell short of 100 million won in the first half of last year but soared more than 200 times in one year. Quarterly outpatient Rx amount of flu treatment (unit: 100 million won, source: UBIST) In the first and second quarters of last year, the flu treatment market size was only 40 million won and 4 million won, respectively. It rose sharply to 5.1 billion won in the first and second quarters of this year. It is the first time in four years since 2019 that the prescription of flu treatment in the first half of the year exceeded 10 billion won. After recording 8.2 billion won in prescriptions in the first quarter of 2020, the flu treatment market virtually disappeared by the third quarter of last year. After the spread of COVID-19 in earnest, the outbreak of infectious diseases has significantly decreased due to strengthened personal hygiene management such as washing hands and wearing masks. According to the KDCA, the number of suspected flu patients per 1,000 outpatients recorded at 6.3 in the 9th week, the first week of March 2020, and has never exceeded 5 until August of last year. This means that there has not been a single outbreak of the flu in 2 years and 6 months. Influenza tx recorded 8.2 billion won in prescriptions in the first quarter of 2020 and virtually disappeared by the third quarter of last year, but started to rebound with 10.4 billion won in the fourth quarter of last year. From the beginning of this year to last June, the number of flu patients exceeded the epidemic standard. The number of suspected influenza patients per 1,000 outpatients dropped from 52.5 in the first week to 11.7 in March. However, since April, the number of suspected flu cases has risen again. For six consecutive weeks from the 17th week of the fourth week of April to the 22nd week of the last week of May, the number of suspected influenza patients per 1,000 outpatients was more than 20. It is a level that significantly exceeds the flu prevalence standard of 4.9 set by the KDCA. In the first half of last year, the prescription market for oseltamivir ingredients was limited to 40 million won, but in the first half of this year, it expanded 191 times to 7.9 billion won. Oseltamivir is the main active ingredient in Tamiflu. The size of the prescription market for Oseltamivir never exceeded 100 million won until the third quarter of last year after recording 6.6 billion won in the first quarter of 2020. However, it succeeded in rebounding to 8.5 billion won in the fourth quarter of last year and continued its growth this year. In the first half of last year, prescriptions for Tamiflu were only 30 million won, but this increased to 5.7 billion won in one year.
- Company
- Prescription of HA eye drops record KRW 166 bil in 1H
- by Kim, Jin-Gu Aug 07, 2023 05:23am
- The prescription market for hyaluronic acid eye drops grew to record the largest scale ever ahead of the reimbursement reevaluations set for the end of this year. In 1H alone, the market grew exceeded KRW 160 billion in prescriptions this year. The number of companies with half-year prescriptions that exceed KRW 10 billion increased from 5 in 1H last year to 7. The pharmaceutical companies that will inevitably suffer huge losses due to the expected reimbursement re-evaluations are preparing to jointly respond to the government's measures. Prescription of HA eye drops exceed KRW 160 bil in 1H, 7 companies exceed KRW 10 bil According to the market research institution UBIST, outpatient prescription of HA eye drops in 1H this year was KRW 16.6 billion. This is a 16% increase from 1H last year. This market shrunk somewhat in 2020 due to the spread of COVID-19 but has been rapidly expanding since then. Quarterly HA eye drop prescriptions(Unit: KRW 100 mil, Data: UBIST) By quarterly prescriptions, HA eye drops exceeded KRW 70 billion in Q2 last year and KRW 80 billion in Q1 this year. At this rate, the total market size may increase to exceed KRW 300 billion this year for the first time this year. The prescription performance of major companies in the market has also increased significantly. The prescription performance of Optus Pharm, which owns the Tearin series, increased by 26% from KRW 14 billion in 1H last year to KRW 17.7 billion in 1H this year. In the case of Taejoon Pharm, which owns New Hyalyuni, Hyalyuni, and New Hyaldrops, its sales increased by 21% from KRW 12.6 billion to KRW 15.3 billion. Sales at Daewoo Pharm, which owns Hyalsan, rose 36% from KRW 10.6 billion to KRW 14.4 billion. As a single product, Hyalsan recorded the highest prescription performance in 1H this year. The number of companies whos half year sales exceeded KRW 10 billion increased from 5 in 1H last year to 7 in 1H this year. As of 1H this year, Optus Pharm, Taejoon Pharm, Daewoo Pharm and SamChunDang Pharm, Huons Meditech, Hanmi Pharm, Kukje Pharm recorded prescriptions of more than KRW 10 billion. Changes in HA eye drop prescriptions in H1 (Unit: KRW 100 mil, Data: UBIST) ‘Protect the KRW 300 bil annual market’...Pharma companies jointly prepare to respond to gov't reimbursement reevaluations However, whether the companies may continue their growth next year remains unknown, because the government included HA eye drops as a subject for reimbursement reevaluations. The government has selected 8 ingredients, including HA eye drops, as targets for reimbursement revelations this year. These include rebamipide, limaprost oxiracetam, acetyl Locartinie hydrochloride, loxoprofen sodium, levosulpiride, epinastine hydrochloride, and HA eye drops Among them, oxiracetam and acetyl L-carnitine hydrochloride are expected to fail to pass the reimbursement revelations as they failed to pass the clinical reevaluations conducted by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Among the 8 ingredients, HA eye drops have the largest scale in terms of number of items and market size. 46 pharmaceutical companies have been selling 77 HA eye drop products in 1H this year. The government has already received related data from each pharmaceutical company and started the practical review. The outline of HA eye drops’ adequacy of reimbursement will be revealed next month at the earliest. After holding an objection period for the pharmaceutical industry, the final result of the reimbursement reevaluation will be determined by the end of this year. From the industry’s perspective, the companies will inevitably experience serious aftermath if the government concludes that the drug lacks grounds to be determined adequate for reimbursement. This is why the companies have been jointly preparing a response to the reevaluation results. About 10 companies, centered around Optus Pharm, have been concentrating on developing a countermeasure with large law firms in Korea. As in the case of choline alfoscerate, there is a possibility that the companies will file a class action lawsuit against the government. If they do file a class action lawsuit, the suit will likely be subject to the drug expenditure refund and redemption law that passed the National Assembly this year. The law, which will be enforced on November 20th, allows for the recovery or refund of drug costs that were already paid according to the outcome of the lawsuit if a pharmaceutical company delays government actions such as drug price cuts by applying for a suspension of execution along with an administrative lawsuit. Some companies have also started to develop alternatives in preparation for the market withdrawal of HA acid eye drops. In June of last year, Samil Pharmaceutical and Kukje Pharm received permission for Reba-K eye drops and Reba-i eye drops that contain rebamipide to treat dry eye syndrome. Daewoo Pharm is also known to be developing an eye drop product with the same ingredient.
- Company
- Prescriptions of pseudoephedrine rise 35% in 1H
- by Chon, Seung-Hyun Aug 04, 2023 05:38am
- The prescription market for ‘pseudoephedrine,’ which continues to show an unstable supply and demand in the market, has expanded significantly. Despite the end of the pandemic, demand for the drug has increased significantly due to the increase in flu and cold patients. Accordingly, the need to raise the insurance price ceiling for the low-priced drug is being raised to increase production. According to the market research institution UBIST, outpatient prescriptions of the single-agent pseudoephedrine had been KRW 3.3 billion, up 35.3% YoY. Prescriptions of pseudoephedrine had increased 20.5% YoY to reach KRW 1.6 billion in Q1, and then 53.1% YoY to record KRW 1.7 billion in Q2 this year. Pseudoephedrine is used for common colds, paranasal sinusitis, upper respiratory allergies, etc. It is a prescription drug that is widely prescribed to cold patients. Quarterly outpatient prescriptions of single-agent pseudoephedrine (Unit: KRW 0.1 billion, Data:UBIST) Although the market size for pseudoephedrine had not been large, its demand has surged recently. Quarterly prescriptions of single-agent pseudoephedrine had been below KRW 1 billion from Q2 2020 to Q3 2021. However, after 7 quarters in Q4 2021, prescriptions exceeded KRW 1 billion and then rose to KRW 1.7 billion in Q4 last year. By Q2 this year, pseudoephedrine prescriptions had increased 149.9% from Q2 2020. In 2020 and 2021 the pseudoephedrine market was directly affected by COVID-19 and caused the market contraction. The number of patients with infectious diseases such as flu and colds had decreased sharply after the spread of COVID-19 due to strengthened personal hygiene management such as washing hands and wearing masks, and shrinking related treatment markets. However, the demand for pseudoephedrine increased significantly with as many as hundreds of thousands of confirmed COVID-19 cases pouring out every day from the end of 2021. The recent increase in pseudoephedrine prescriptions seems to be not only due to confirmed COVID-19 patients but also due to the increase in cold and flu patients. This year, the number of flu patients had continued to exceed the epidemic standard until June. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the number of suspected influenza patients per 1,000 outpatients dropped from 52.5 in the first week of 2023 to 11.7 in March. However, the number of suspected flu cases rose again from April. For 6 consecutive weeks from the 17th week (fourth week of April) to the 22nd week last week of May), the number of suspected influenza patients per 1,000 outpatients continued to be over 20. This greatly exceeds the flu epidemic standard of 4.9 set by the KDCA. The supply shortage of pseudoephedrine is being prolonged. Its demand has soared in a short period, but due to limited production, supply is not keeping up with the demand. The Korean Pharmaceutical Association is working with the Korea Pharmaceutical Distribution Association and related pharmaceutical companies to ensure an even supply of single-agent pseudoephedrine. The KPA has been receiving online orders from pharmacies for Samil Pharma’s ‘Sudafed Tab’ or Kolon Pharmaceutical’s ‘Cosue.’ Pharmacies can order one of the two, and the KPA has been supplying one or two packer vials (500 tablets/vial) of the drug to each pharmacy. The low price of pseudoephedrine is another reason why companies cannot easily increase production of pseudoephedrine. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, seven single-agent pseudoephedrine 60mg are listed for reimbursement in Korea, and their insurance price ceiling is a mere KRW 23. Of the 7, 6 products were listed at KRW 23 and 1 at KRW 20. If the supply shortage continues, the industry suggested that there may be a need to raise its drug price like acetaminophen. The Ministry of Health and Welfare raised the insurance price ceiling of 18 acetaminophen 650mg items by up to 76.5% in December last year. The insurance price limit for 650mg acetaminophen, which was only KRW 43 to 51 before then, was raised to KRW 90. The government made an unprecedented decision to raise the price of all acetaminophen products unilateraly when pharmaceutical companies expressed reluctance to increase production due to the drug’s poor cost structure. However, it is a temporary increase that will be adjusted to KRW 70 from December this year. Pharmaceutical companies had promised to increase production of acetaminophen in line with the price hike.
- Company
- Antibiotic resistance is serious
- by Jung, Sae-Im Aug 04, 2023 05:37am
- Antibiotic resistance has been a global issue for several years. In 2016, the British government predicted that 700,000 people worldwide would die from antibiotic-resistant bacteria every year and that the death toll would reach 10 million by 2050 if no special measures were taken. In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) presented a 'global action plan' to prevent the occurrence and spread of resistant bacteria transcending borders and urged countries to prepare countermeasures and international cooperation. Carbapenem-type antibiotics, which have the most extensive antibacterial activity, are called the 'last choice', and the number of infections with strains resistant to these antibiotics is rapidly increasing. According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of cases of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), which was classified as a second-grade infectious disease last year, increased by 31% from the previous year to 30,548. Compared to 2017, when there were 5717, this is a more than five-fold increase in five years. Activities of the Korean Society for Antimicrobial Therapy also focus on antibiotic management to reduce resistance. It is the institutionalization of so-called 'antibiotic stewardship' that uses antibiotics appropriately. As of 2020, antibiotic use in Korea was the 4th highest among 29 OECD countries. As a result of investigating the adequacy of antibiotic prescriptions in 75 domestic hospitals, more than 25% were evaluated as inappropriate. Kim Shin-woo, chairman of the Korean Society for Antimicrobial Therapy Kim Shin-woo, chairman of the Korean Society for Antimicrobial Therapy (Department of Infectious Diseases, Kyungpook National University Hospital), said in a recent interview with Dailypharm, “Antibiotic resistance has become a situation that cannot be resolved through infection control anymore.” There is a need for systematic institutionalization of education,” he stressed. He then asked for appropriate support to quickly introduce new drugs that have emerged as carbapenem alternatives such as Zerbaxa at an appropriate price and to develop domestically produced new drugs that can be supplied in Korea. - Cases of infection with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae are rapidly increasing. How much do you feel on-site? = The level of feeling on the spot is serious. The problems typically pointed out in Gram-negative bacteria resistance are resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter resistance, and Carbapenem resistance. Among them, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter mainly cause problems in hospital environments, but carbapenem resistance has a greater ripple effect on the community than these and is more serious because resistance is developed in intestinal bacteria. CRE is a case where doctors do not respond even if they use carbapenem antibiotics, which are called 'last bastions', and colonization can lead to a real infection. If the CRE ratio in a person's bacteria increases, it causes various infections such as sepsis, which cannot be treated even with carbapenem. However, there is no monitoring, tracking, or reporting on this, so there is nothing that can be done even if the number of deaths increases. - Antibiotic resistance is a problem that has been pointed out for a long time. Why was the response delayed? = I think the biggest cause is not knowing the seriousness of antibiotic resistance. About 35,000 patients have died from COVID-19 in Korea, but it is not well-known that many people die every day from antibiotic resistance. There is also a famous prediction that by 2050, we will be in a post-antibiotic era, an era in which antibiotics are ineffective, with more deaths from antibiotic resistance than from cancer. Awareness of the term antibiotic stewardship is also very low. Medical institutions should be moved through continuous publicity and awareness improvement. -The Korean Society of Antimicrobial Therapy is citing institutionalization of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) as its top priority goal in the mid-to-long term. Why is Antibiotic Stewardship Institutionalization Necessary? =Antibiotic stewardship is to reduce the misuse and abuse of antibiotics and lower the rate of resistant bacteria. When antibiotic resistance develops, infection control and antibiotic stewardship to prevent the spread of resistant bacteria and the spread of legally infectious diseases must go hand in hand. As in Korea, there is no need to reduce the use of antibiotics in a situation where fee-for-service, high access to medical care, and an increase in the number of elderly people exist. It is easy to use antibiotics even for colds and to use for 3 days for 1 or 2 weeks. Therefore, an organization that monitors antibiotic use and gives feedback is essential. - Specifically, how to operate ASP =The Korean government is making phase 1 and phase 2 measures (national antibiotic resistance management measures) for antibiotic resistance. Institutionalization of antibiotic stewardship is needed in earnest. If there is no system, execution will not follow. A system must be in place so that medical staff can accept feedback on why antibiotics must be managed and used sparingly, and why antibiotics are used a lot. In general, an ASP team consists of a multidisciplinary team led by an infectious disease physician, a pediatric infection specialist, and a pharmacist specializing in infection, together with other departments (information computing team, clinical microbiology, medical quality control, infection control room, etc.). In developed countries where the system is being operated first, nurses are often included in the number of dedicated personnel. In overseas cases, large hospitals use a system that monitors antibiotics prescribed by doctors and supports prescriptions, checks the contents of prescriptions electronically, controls them when necessary, and gives feedback. -Zerbaxa is a new drug that can reduce the use of carbapenem antibiotics. It seems important to use new antibiotics well. = Recently developed antibiotics are trying to prove their therapeutic effect on pneumonia such as complicated urinary tract infection, complicated intra-abdominal infection, ventilator pneumonia, and hospital-acquired pneumonia. Zerbaxa has won these indications. If Zerbaxa can be used regardless of whether or not ESBL is produced, the use of carbapenems can be reduced. However, if the cost of using a new drug is high, carbapenem, which costs relatively less, will be used. Of course, if the use of Dr. Jeo increases, there are concerns about tolerance. Because Dr. Jeo has not yet been widely used, information on tolerance is lacking.
- Company
- Variable for contract renewal for joint sales
- by Kim, Jin-Gu Aug 03, 2023 05:35am
- HK inno.N r, up 17% in about a year after the launch. HK inno.N sold alone, no commission share, profitability improved as more sold Expiration of the joint sales contract with Chong Kun Dang at the end of the year, will it affect renewal negotiations? HK inno.N K-Cab OD tablets accounted for 17.0% of the total prescription performance of this product. HK inno.N's K-Cab joint sales contract with Chong Kun Dang is about to expire at the end of this year. The increase in the proportion of prescriptions for OD tab, sold exclusively by HK inno.N, is expected to act as a variable in determining conditions such as the sales commission rate in the process of contract renewal negotiations between the two companies. According to HK inno.N on the 2nd, the outpatient prescription amount of K-Cab in the second quarter was 38.4 billion won, up 20.0% from 32 billion in the same period last year. Kcab is currently sold in the form of film-coated tablets and OD tabs. Oral disintegrating tablets accounted for 16.3% of total prescription sales in the second quarter. This means that Kc-ab OD tab's prescription sales in 2Q reached 6.3 billion. HK inno. N released the OD tab in May last year. In 2Q09, the prescription portion of OD tabs was 4.2%. Since then, it has rapidly expanded its share to 7.8% in the third quarter, 10.2% in the fourth quarter, 12.9% in the first quarter of this year, and 16.3% in the second quarter. The proportion of prescriptions increased to 17.0% in June. The prescription portion of OD tabs, which stood at 11.8% in January, increased by more than 5.0%p in half a year. If this trend continues, it is expected to expand to more than 20% within the year. OD tab is also contributing greatly to expanding the prescription record of all K-Cabs. Since the second quarter of last year, prescriptions for film-coated tablets have been somewhat stagnant at 0.7 billion, 30.6 billion won, 32.2 billion won, 31.1 billion won, and 32.1 billion won. Compared to the second quarter of last year, it increased only by 1.5 billion won (4.8%) in one year. OD tab's sales increased significantly with 1.3 billion won, 2.6 billion won,3.7 billion won, 4.6 billion, and KRW6.3 billion. Compared to the second quarter of last year, it increased by 4.9 billion won (366%) in one year. It is an analysis that the OD tab is driving the overall growth of K-Cab prescriptions. An increase in the prescription portion of the OD tab is directly linked to improving the OD tab's profitability. In the case of existing film-coated tablets, they were jointly sold with Chong Kun Dang upon release. In the pharmaceutical industry, it is known that HK in no.N pays Chong Kun Dang a sales commission in the upper 20% range. On the other hand, OD tab is sold by OD tab alone. As sales commissions are not paid separately, the profitability of HK inno.N improves as the number of prescriptions increases. HK inno.N signed a joint sales contract with Chong Kun Dang in 2019. The contract expires at the end of this year. It is known that the two companies are currently discussing whether to renew the contract. In the pharmaceutical and investment industries, it is highly likely that the two companies will sign an extension contract at the level of readjusting sales commission rates and incentives. In this situation, the expansion of the prescription portion of the OD tab, sold exclusively by HK inno.N, is expected to have a significant impact on determining specific negotiation conditions. As OD tab prescription performance expands, HK inno.N's bargaining power is expected to increase. Unlike at the time of release, HK inno.N's sales network has been significantly expanded, and K-Cab awareness in front-line hospitals and clinics has also greatly improved. In addition, it is an analysis that HK Innoen is proving its own sales power by producing good results in the single sale of OD tab.
- Company
- Rise of 4-drug combos in hypertension/hyperlipidemia Tx mkt
- by Kim, Jin-Gu Aug 03, 2023 05:35am
- The growth of 3-drug combinations has slowed down in the hypertension/hyperlipidemia combination drug market. After recording double-digit YoY growth every quarter until the first half of last year, the spurt has slowed sharply since the end of last year. On the other hand, the 4-drug combinations that newly entered the market are rapidly expanding their influence. Prescription sales of Hanmi Pharm’s Amosartan XQ, which is leading the growth of 4-drug combinations, are expected to exceed KRW 10 billion in annual prescriptions. Brakes pulled on the growth of 3-drug combos…rate of growth reduced According to the market research institution UBIST, the outpatient prescription market size for 3-drug combo treatments that contain ARB+CCB+statin had reached KRW 15.3 billion in Q2. This is a 5% increase from the KRW 14.5 billion in Q2 last year. Although the market size expanded compared to the same period last year, the growth rate has slowed significantly recently. Sales of the 3-drug combination that contains ARB+CCB+statin for hypertension and hyperlipidemia have been marking double-digit growth until the first half of last year. Especially in 2020, the market has expanded rapidly. Prescriptions more than doubled every quarter, compared to the same period last year. In 2021, the market continued to grow, expanding by more than 30% every quarter. However, the growth slowed significantly since the second half of last year. In Q3 last year, the market size increased by only 8% YoY. From the Q4 of last year to Q2 of this year, the quarterly growth rate of prescriptions fell to 5%. Prescription performance of combo therapies for hypertension and hyperlipidemia It took just one year from Q4 2019 to Q4 2020 for the prescription scale of the 3-drug combination of ARB+CCB+statin for hypertension and hyperlipidemia to expand from KRW 5 billion to over KRW 10 billion. On the other hand, it took two and a half years to increase the size from KRW 10 billion to KRW 15 billion. The prescription size of the market, which had been around KRW 10.8 billion in Q4 2020 expanded to more than KRW 15 billion only in Q2 this year. Sales of most of the major products also showed a slowdown. Boryung Dukaro (fimasartan + amlodipine + rosuvastatin) posted KRW 4 billion in prescriptions in Q2. This is virtually no change from what it had made in Q2 last year. Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s Amosartan Q (losartan + amlodipine + rosuvastatin) and Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s Olomax (olmesartan + amlodipine + rosuvastatin) even showed a decline in prescription performance. For example, prescriptions of Amosartan Q which had been KRW 2.9 billion in Q2 last year, slightly fell to KRW 2.8 billion in one year. Sales of Olomax had also fallen from KRW 2.3 billion to KRW 2.2 billion. Prescription performance of major three-drug combo treatments for hypertension and hyperlipidemia Will sales of the 4-drug combos surge like the 3-drug combos...Sales of Amosartan XQ rise 75% in one-year Unlike the 3-drug combos, the 4-drug combos that were newly introduced to hypertension/hyperlipidemia combination drug market are rapidly expanding prescriptions. In Q2 last year, the 4-drug combination of ARB + CCB + statin + ezetimibe posted a sales performance of KRW 3.2 billion in the outpatient prescription market. Compared to the KRW 1.5 billion it had posted in Q2 last year, this is a more than twofold increase. This is similar to when the 3-drug combination was first introduced to the market. Hanmi Pharmaceutical was the first to release Amosartan XQ (losartan + amlodipine + rosuvastatin + ezetimibe) and form the market. Then, at the end of last year, GC Biopharma and Jeil Pharmaceuticals released Rozetelpine and Telmican-Q, respectively, both of which are combinations of telmisartan, amlodipine, rosuvastatin, and ezetimibe. In January this year, Chong Kun Dang released Nuvorozet. Nuvorozet contains the same combination as Rozetelpine and Telmican-Q with only amlodipine replaced with amlodipine. The market is currently being led by Amosartan XQ. The drug had recorded prescriptions of KRW 2.7 billion in Q2 this year. This is a 75% increase from the KRW 1.5 billion in Q2 last year. Amosartan XQ recorded a combined prescription performance of KRW 5 billion in the first half of the year, and at this rate, the drug is expected to record more than KRW 10 billion in annual sales this year. Meanwhile, the two-drug combinations of ARB + statin are showing a gradual decline in prescriptions. In Q2 last year, the two-drug combination drugs recorded a combined prescription performance of KRW 20.9 billion. This is a 6% YoY decline. The combination sold the most in Q3 2021, accounting for KRW 23.3 billion, but has been downhill ever since with the introduction of the 3-drug combinations.
- Company
- Rx of Generics for Xarelto doubled in 1 yr
- by Kim, Jin-Gu Aug 02, 2023 05:25am
- Generics for Xarelto (Rivaroxaban) are rapidly increasing their prescription performance. In the first half of last year, prescription sales of 8 billion won were recorded, more than doubling in one year. On the other hand, the original product's prescription performance decreased by half during the same period. Generics for Xarelto, 3.9 billion → 8 billion won growth in one year, original cut in half According to UBIST, a pharmaceutical market research institute on the 1st, the number of outpatient prescriptions for rivaroxaban in Korea in the first half of last year was 23.8 billion won, down 29% from 33.5 billion won in the same period last year. During this period, Xarelto, the original product, decreased by 46% from 29.6 billion won to 15.9 billion won. Xarelto's quarterly prescriptions peaked at 16.3 billion won in the third quarter of 2021, then steadily declined. In particular, the drop has increased since the third quarter of 2022. Prescription sales, which were 14.8 billion won in the second quarter of last year, plummeted to 11.8 billion won in the third quarter. Analysts say that the drug price cut, which was delayed due to Bayer's administrative lawsuit and application for suspension of execution, took place at this time, leading to a sharp drop in prescriptions. Since then, Xarelto's prescriptions have steadily declined. In the fourth quarter of last year, prescription sales of 8 billion won fell below 10 billion won, and in the first and second quarters of this year, prescription sales were only 8 billion won and 7.8 billion won, respectively. Xarelto generics are expanding. In the first half of last year, Xarelto generics recorded a combined prescription of 8 billion won. Compared to 3.9 billion won in the same period last year, it more than doubled in one year. Generics for Xarelto first appeared in the second quarter of 2021. Then, they exceeded 1 billion won in the first quarter of 2022 and 2 billion won in the second quarter, respectively. In the fourth quarter of that year, it further increased to more than 3 billion won, and in the second quarter of this year, it recorded more than 4 billion won. In the process, the share of generics also steadily increased. In the second quarter of this year, generics accounted for 36% of the rivaroxaban ingredient market. Compared to 13% in the second quarter of last year, it has nearly tripled in one year. Analysts say that generics are succeeding in targeting the original. Among generic products, Chong Kun Dang's Riroxia, Hanmi Pharm's Riroxban, and Samjin Pharm's Riroxaban posted sales of over W1bn in 1H. Prescriptions for each product in 1H were 2.2 billion won for Riroxia, 1.5 billion won for Riroxban, and 1.3 billion won for Riroxaban. Lixiana announces 100 billion won per year, Pradaxa's sluggishness continues Among the NOAC products other than Xarelto, Daiichi Sankyo's Lixiana produced the highest prescription performance. Lixiana's prescription amount in the first half was 51.4 billion won, up 10% from 46.5 billion won in the first half of last year. If this trend continues, Lixiana is expected to generate more than 100 billion won in prescriptions by the end of this year. BMS Eliquis recorded prescription sales of KRW 38.3 billion in the first half. Compared to 35.8 billion won in the first half of last year, it increased by 7% in one year. Boehringer Ingelheim Pradaxa's slump is prolonged. Pradaxa's prescriptions in the first half of this year were 5.9 billion won. It decreased by 11% from 6.6 billion won in the first half of last year. Pradaxa's quarterly prescriptions fell below 4 billion won in the third quarter of 2020 and further decreased to less than 3 billion won in the second quarter of this year.
- Company
- Why HK Inno.N’s sales and operating profit fell
- by Kim, Jin-Gu Aug 02, 2023 05:25am
- HK Inno.N's sales and operating profit declined significantly in Q2 this year. This can be attributed to the sharp decline in MSD vaccine sales amid brisk earnings of its flagship product, K-Cab (tegoprazan),. HK InnoN explained that shipments of Gardasil, its cervical cancer vaccine, were concentrated in the second quarter of last year before the company’s price hike, and the resulting base effect occurred in Q2 this year. According to the Financial Supervisory Service on the 1st, HK Inno.N's sales in Q2 were KRW 204.4 billion, down 18.9% YoY from the KRW 251.9 billion it posted in the second quarter of last year. During the same period, the company’s operating profit decreased by 13.2% from KRW 17.7 billion to KRW 15.3 billion. The company’s ETC sales fell 21.1% from the previous year to record KRW 179.9 billion, down 21.1% from the previous year. The largest decline occured in the sales of its MSD vaccines. HK Inno.N's MSD vaccine sales in Q2 were KRW 36.3 billion, down to less than half (55.3%) of the KRW 82.2 billion it had raised in Q2 last year. HK Inno.N explained, "This is a base effect arising due to the concentration of shipments of Gardasil, a cervical cancer vaccine, in Q2 last year before the company’s drug price hike was expected. However, sales of its flagship product, K-cab continued to grow in Q2. K-Cab’s prescription sales had risen 19.9% YoY to reach KCRW 38.4 billion in Q2. K-Cab began to generate sales in earnest overseas as well. K-Cab's exports in Q2 were KRW 2.4 billion, a significant increase from the KRW 200 million it had made in the previous quarter. HK Inno.N is currently exporting K-Cab to Mongolia, the Philippines, Mexico and Indonesia. The product was released in May in Mexico and in July in Indonesia. In addition, it has currently obtained product approval in Singapore and Peru and is expected to be released in the approved locations in the second half of this year. The product was released in May last year under the name Taixinjian through Luoxin, a pharmaceutical company specializing in digestive medicine. As the drug was listed on China's National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) in March this year, sales are expected to increase furtherin the future. Royalty following the NRDL listing is expected to be recognized in the accounts in earnest from Q3 this year. Its solution business, one of the company's new growth engines, is also rolling smoothly. Its sales in the business in Q2 was KRW 27.4 billion, up 7.5% YoY. HK Inno.N explained that their sales are steadily growing due to increased sales activities initiated following the operation of its new plant.
- Company
- GC Biopharma ends its 2-quarter deficit run
- by Kim, Jin-Gu Aug 02, 2023 05:25am
- GC Biopharma, which had recorded an operating loss for 2 consecutive quarters, succeeded in turning a profit this quarter. GC Biopharma explained that the company has succeeded in doing so by increasing sales of highly profitable products and efficient execution of costs. GC Biopharma also announced plans to accelerate its overseas business with a focus on blood derivatives. GC Biopharma explained that the company plans to release its immunoglobulin 10% for intravenous administration product within the second half of next year and speed up exports of its blood product plant in Indonesia. Ends the 2nd quarter streak of operating losses...’Expansion of high-margin product sales + reduced expenditures’ GC Biopharma publicly announced on the 1st that its operating profit in Q2, based on consolidated financial statements, was KRW 23.7 billion, up 80.9% from the KRW 13.1 billion in the same period last year. Also, sales increased by 2.3% YoY to KRW 432.9 billion. The company had consecutively recorded an operating loss in Q4 last year and Q1 this year. The operating loss was KRW 18 billion in Q4 last year and KRW 13.6 billion in Q1 this year. GC Biopharma However, the company had successfully marked a turnaround and turned to a profit in Q2. GC Biopharma explained, "We secured profitability by increasing sales of profitable products and efficient cost execution." The company saw the largest increase in its sales of vaccines. GC biopharma’s vaccine sales had added up to KRW 27.1 billion in Q1 this year, but this had increased 3.6 times to reach KRW 97.4 billion in Q2. This is a 15.4% increase from the KRW 84.4 billion in Q2 last year. The analysis is that the separate reflection of sales of flu vaccines exported to the southern hemisphere largely affected the results. SG&A expenses decreased from KRW 128.8 billion in Q2 of last year to KRW 117.1 billion in Q2 this year. Among SG&A expenses, ordinary development expenses decreased by 8.4% from KRW 50 billion to KRW 45.8 billion. Change in sales of GC Biopharma Spurs sales of its blood derivative products...Plans to release ‘IVIG 10%’ in the U.S. within the second half of next year The company also plans to accelerate its overseas business for blood derivative products in the future. The company’s US project has been attracting the most attention. GC Biopharma plans to release an immunoglobulin 10% (IVIG-SN 10%) product for intravenous administration in the US in the second half of next year. GC Biopharma submitted a BLA to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the 14th of last month. FDA’s review results will be confirmed on January 13 next year (local time). Spurs sales of its blood derivative products...Plans to release ‘IVIG 10%’ in the U.S. within the second half of next year The company also plans to accelerate its overseas business for blood derivative products in the future. Among those, the company’s plans in the US have been attracting the most attention. GC Biopharma plans to release an immunoglobulin 10% (IVIG-SN 10%) product for intravenous administration in the US in the second half of next year. GC Biopharma submitted a BLA to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the 14th of last month. FDA’s review results will be confirmed on January 13 next year (local time). In the mid-to-long term, the company set the goal of occupying 3% of the IVIG market share in the US. According to GC Biopharma, the US IVIG market will rise to amount to USD 13.1 billion by 2023 (approximately KRW 16.87 trillion). As only 7 companies are selling 10% IVIG products in the US, the company’s understanding is that there remains a continuous imbalance between supply and demand in the field. GC Biopharma The company also plans to speed up its blood product plant business in Indonesia. GC Biopharma was selected as a preferred contractor for blood product plant construction by the Indonesian government in January this year. The company has also signed business agreements with the Indonesian Red Cross and local pharmaceutical companies. GC Biopharma expects to be able to execute the main contract within this year. In Brazil, the company signed a long-term supply agreement for its IVIG 5% product. Under the agreement it had signed with the Brazilian pharmaceutical company, Blau, GC Biopharma will supply products worth USD 90 million by 2025. It will additionally supply products until 2028, and the specific supply scale for this will be determined after 2025. GC Biopharma predicted that profitability would further improve as the price of IVIG products in Brazil is around twice as high as that in Korea. The company also decided to continue operating its mRNA project. GC Biopharma plans to complete the mRNA pilot production facility at its Hwasun plant within the year. For this, the company invested KRW 15 billion in its Hwasun plant in March this year. GC Biopharma plans to complete the construction of an mRNA pilot production facility this year and begin test operations. GC Biopharma Also, the company decided to develop a mRNA-based treatmnet to treat succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency (SSADHD), a rare intractable disease. The company, which first has been devloping the treatment as a protein drug, has changed tracks and decided to develop an mRNA drug. GC Biopharma plans to make the final decision on a candidate substance in the first half of next year. Since there is currently no product on the market released to treat this disease, GC Biopharma predicts that it will become a first-in-class product if clinical trials are successful.
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- Inrebic, tx for myelofibrosis, has become available in Big5
- by Eo, Yun-Ho Aug 02, 2023 05:25am
- Inrebic, a new drug for myelofibrosis, has settled down in Big 5. According to related industries, Korea BMS Pharmaceutical's myelofibrosis treatment Inrebic passed the Drug Committee (DC) of the big five medical institutions, including SMC, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Asan Medical Center, and Severance Hospital. Since being registered as an insurance benefit in June, it has been steadily expanding its prescription area. Inrebic was approved in Korea in April of last year for the treatment of splenomegaly or symptoms related to primary myelofibrosis, myelofibrosis after polycythemia vera, and myelofibrosis after essential thrombocythemia in adult patients previously treated with Jakavi. Inrebic is a JAK-2 inhibitor, which is different from Jakavi, a JAK1/2 inhibitor. Inrebic is the first to obtain approval for an oral once-a-day drug that greatly reduces the burden of spleen volume and symptoms in patients with myelofibrosis who have not had a history of treatment. Myelofibrosis is a rare blood cancer that affects the bone marrow and interferes with the body's normal production of blood cells. Patients suffer from symptoms such as an enlarged spleen, fatigue, itching, weight loss, night sweats, fever, and bone pain, which affect their quality of life. experience symptoms. Until now, Jakavi was the only JAK inhibitor approved for the treatment of myelofibrosis, and there was no alternative for patients who failed treatment. Inrebic is a treatment that appeared in the myelofibrosis market 10 years after Jakavi, where there was no second-line treatment option. Meanwhile, Inrebic's reimbursement standard can be covered by insurance if it treats splenomegaly or symptoms related to primary myelofibrosis, polycythemia vera, or essential thrombocythemia in adult patients who have been previously treated with ruxolitinib. Administration can be continued if Clinical Improvement is shown according to the IWG-ELN guidelines for response evaluation criteria.
