New drug Zavicefta Inj, and more completed drug pricing nego

Dulackhan Easy Syrup price has increased

Kerendia and Luxturna have completed drug pricing negotiations and will be listed for reimbursement by next month

Pfizer Korea’s new drug

The two drugs Pfizer Korea’s ‘Zavicefta Inj’ and ‘Dulackhan Easy Syrup,’ which were in negotiations for a drug pricing increase due to short supply, have reached agreements in negotiations with the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), and they are expected to receive reimbursements starting next year.

 

The chronic kidney disease treatment ‘Kerendia Tab’ and genetic retinal disease treatment ‘Luxturna’ have completed drug pricing negotiations and are awaiting reimbursement next month.

 

According to industry sources on the 19th, NHIS recently updated the listing of pharmaceuticals that have completed the drug pricing negotiations.

 

The updated listing of new drugs that have completed negotiations included Kerendia Tab 10 mg/20 mg (finerenone, Bayer Korea), Luxturna (voretigene neparvovec, Novartis ), Zavicefta Inj 2g/0.5g (ceftazidime/avibactam).

 

Among the drugs, Zavicefta Inj has omitted the upper limit amount negotiations and proceeded to the negotiations of the estimated amount of claim.

 

Kerendia was approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) in May 2022 as a treatment for chronic kidney disease in adult patients with type 2 diabetes.

 

According to the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) Standards of Care in Diabetes, Kerendia is suggested for use in combination with SGLT-2 inhibitor in patients who have an increased risk of cardiovascular events or sustained chronic kidney disease progression or those who are unable to use the SGLT-2 inhibitor.

 

Accordingly, it is expected that Kerendia will be used more frequently in combination with SGLT-2 inhibitors, including Forxiga and Jardiance, which are used in treating chronic kidney disease.

 

Starting next month, Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical will be responsible for sales and marketing of Kerendia.

 

Luxturna is indicated for use in pediatric and adult patients who have sufficient surviving retinal cells but lost vision due to inherited retinal dystrophy caused by biallelic RPE65 mutations.

 

Luxturna, a gene therapy, is a ‘one-shot treatment’ that can be administered as a single dose.

 

The drug has garnered attention to whether it would pass the hurdle of insurance benefit due to its high price, with a non-reimbursement price of up to 1 billion won.

 

Finally, the company secured the reimbursement listing through a risk-sharing agreement (RSA) with the NHIS, reducing the burden of insurance benefit expenses.

 

Pfizer's Zavicefta Inj is a combination drug that combines "ceftazidime," a third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic, with "avibactam," an enzyme inhibitor that inhibits the function of beta-lactamase enzymes responsible for breaking down beta-lactam antibiotics, to maintain its antimicrobial potency.

 

Zavicefta Inj has emerged as an alternative treatment option for treating multi-drug-resistant gram-negative bacteria or carbapenem-resistant intestinal bacteria, which previously had limited available treatment options.

 

Two products that contain Lactulose Solution as their active ingredient have successfully reached an agreement in drug price negotiations, namely "Lactuse Syr" by Access Pharma and "Dulackhan Easy Syrup" by Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical.

 

These Lactulose-based formulations, used for pediatric constipation, have been known as chronic shortage drugs due to limited supply compared to demand.

 

Lactuse Syr, an imported item facing shortages, is anticipated to see increased availability in the market due to a rise in its drug price.

 

Dulackhan Easy Syrup production is expected to increase following another drug pricing increase after 2022.

 

Gilead Science Korea's Biktarvy Tab has completed the price-volume agreement type 'Na', which is expected to result in a reduction in drug pricing.