Sales of statin-ezetimibe combo rise threefold in 3 yrs

Atozet market grows to be worth KRW 200 billion

Outpatient prescriptions of the two drug combination record KRW 750.4 billion...23%↑ YoY

Rosuvastatin-ezetimibe combo accounts for 65% of the market

Atorvastatin-ezetimibe combo market size grows from KRW 44.2 billion to KRW 197.5 billion in 5 years

Statin-ezetimibe combination drugs greatly expanded their influence in Korea’s dyslipidemia treatment market.

 

Their total prescription amount increased by over threefold in the past 5 years, and its annual market size exceeds KRW 750 billion.

 

In the market, rosuvastatin-ezetimibe combinations drove market growth, and the bulk of generic atorvastatin-ezetimibe combination drugs that were recently released also supported the strong growth.

 

◆Sales of statin-ezetimibe combos rise from KRW 228.4 billion to KRW 750.4 billion in 5 yrs According to the market research institution UBIST on the 31st, outpatient prescriptions of statin-ezetimibe combination drugs reached KRW 750.4 billion last year, recording a 23.0% YoY increase.

 

Its market size had increased 51.5% in two years from KRW 495.3 billion in 2020.

 

The prescription market for statin-ezetimibe combination drugs had recorded KRW 228.4 billion in 2017 and then expanded over threefold in just 5 years.

 

This analysis is that the increased preference for statin-ezetimibe combinations due to its excellent effect in lowering LDL-C and cost, which is not greater than taking the two drugs separately, has attributed to market growth.

 

Currently, four types of statin-ezetimibe combinations that combine four types of statin - simvastatin, rosuvastatin, atorvastatin, and pitavastatin - with ezetimibe have been introduced to the market.

 

◆Rosuvastatin·ezetimibe combo occupies 65% of market...atorvastatin·ezetimibe combo expands market In the statin-ezetimibe combination market, rosuvastatin·ezetimibe combinations occupy the greatest share of the market.

 

Last year, rosuvastatin·ezetimibe combination drugs raised KRW 488.5 billion last year, recording a 12.0% YoY increase.

 

This is a 33.1% increase in 2 years from KRW 367.1 billion in 2020.

 

Compared to the KRW 136.6 billion the combination had made in 2017, its market size has increased 257.8% in 5 years.

 

Last year, the rosuvastatin·ezetimibe combination occupied 65.1% of the statin-ezetimibe combination market.

 

Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s Rosuzet was the first product to enter the rosuvastatin·ezetimibe combination market.

 

Hanmi Pharmaceutical entered the market earlier than its competitors by securing the right to use ezetimibe from its patent holder, MSD.

 

Prescription sales of Rosuzet last year recorded KRW 123.2 billion, a 17.4 increase YoY.

 

Among all combinations, the product made the second-most sales for two consecutive years, led only by Lipitor.

 

Rosuzet’s prescriptions rose over threefold in 5 years from KRW 41.5 billion in 2017.

 

Since 2020, sales exceeded KRW 100 billion for 3 consecutive years and showed off its status as the flagship statin-ezetimibe combination drug product.

 

Yuhan Corp’s Rosuvamibe had shown prominence in the rosuvastatin-ezetimibe combination market.

 

Rosuvamibe’s sales recorded KRW 66.8 billion last year, showing a 7.7% YoY increase.

 

Rosuvamibe’s sales rose over twofold in 5 years from the KRW 23.7 billion it had made in 2017.

 

Recently, atorvastatin·ezetimibe combination drugs have shown explosive growth in the market.

 

Prescription of atorvastatin·ezetimibe combination drugs had recorded KRW 197.5 billion last year, which is a 53.4% YoY increase.

 

Also, its market size expanded over fourfold in only 5 years from the KRW 44.2 billion it had made in 2017.

 

The bulk of Atozet generics that entered the market rapidly expanded the market in a short period of time.

 

Until 2020, the only atorvastatin-ezetimibe combination drug available was Organon Korea's Atozet.

 

Then, the market size started to increase with around 100 companies in Korea simultaneously entering the atorvastatin-ezetimibe combination market with their generic versions in 2021.

 

In October 2020, Chong Kun Dang received approval for ‘Lipilouzet’, a combination drug that contains the same ingredients as Atozet.

 

During the same period, 22 companies received approval for their authorized generics of Lipilouzet and were listed for reimbursement from April 2021.

 

Then, 88 more pharmaceutical companies received approvals for their Atozet generics from February 2021 and were reimbursed in May, one month after the reimbursement listing of authorized generics of Lipilouzet.

 

In June 2021, 2 more companies have additionally received approval for their Atozet generics, raising the count of Korean companies that entered the Atozet market to 113.

 

The atorvastatin-ezetimibe combination market had recorded KRW 82.8 billion in 2020 with only Atozet in the market, then grew 138.6% in 2 years after a load of generic drugs entered the market.

 

Atorvastatin-ezetimibe combinations, which had only occupied 19.3% of the total statin-ezetimibe combination market in 2017, rose to 26.3% last year.

 

On the other hand, sales of simvastatin-ezetimibe combinations have somewhat slowed down.

 

Prescription sales of simvastatin-ezetimibe combinations had recorded KRW 35.9 billion last year, which is a 16.6% YoY decrease.

 

Its sales fell for two consecutive years after recording KRW 45.4 billion in 2020.

 

Prescription of simvastatin-ezetimibe combinations last year had decreased 21.0% compared with 2 years ago.

 

Organon Korea’s Vytorin was the original drug to entered the simvastatin-ezetimibe combination market.

 

However, the prescription market gradually shrunk compared to other combinations.

 

In the statin-ezetimibe combination market, the share of the simvastatin-ezetimibe combination had shrunk to 4.8% last year from the 20.9% in 2017.

 

In 2021, JW Pharmaceutical's first pitavastatin and ezetimibe combination, Livalozet, has recently shown good momentum.

 

Pitavastatin is the main active pharmaceutical ingredient used in JW Pharmaceutical's flagship hyperlipidemia treatment, Livalo.

 

Livaloaet was released in October 2021, and the drug made a successful debut raising prescriptions to KRW 28.5 billion last year in the first year of its release.