The market is recovering for the first time in two years

Prescription amount of major domestic products ↑

The market, which had been reduced due to COVID-19+ side effects issues, recovered to 92% annually this year

The size of outpatient prescriptions of Montelukast for asthma and allergic rhinitis has increased by 21% in a year.

 

The market, which had been stagnant for the past two years due to the COVID-19 incident and side effect issues, seems to be recovering from its previous year's prescription performance this year.

 

It was found that the impurity negative factor that occurred at the beginning of the year also did not have a significant impact on the market recovery.

 

According to UBIST, a pharmaceutical market research institute on the 9th, the outpatient RX in the Montelukast asthma treatment market in the third quarter of this year was 80.5 billion won.

 

It increased by 18% compared to 68 billion won in the same period last year.

 

Compared to the cumulative prescription amount (75.3 billion won) in the third quarter of 2020, two years ago, it increased by 7%.

 

Montelukast is a common drug for allergic rhinitis and asthma.

 

The original is Singulair by Oganon, Korea.

 

MSD Korea received domestic approval in 2000.

 

More than 100 domestic pharmaceutical companies are selling generics with the same ingredients.

 

The market for this ingredient treatment has grown steadily until 2019.

 

However, due to the COVID-19 crisis in 2020, visits to hospitals for children and adolescents who are mainly prescribed this drug have decreased significantly.

 

At the same time, the U.S.

 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) attached a black box warning, adding to the issue of side effects.

 

The market suffered a slump for more than two years until the end of last year.

 

The market size, which expanded to 123.9 billion won in 2019, shrunk to 101.8 billion won in 2020 and 96.3 billion won in 2021.

 

It seems to be rebounding this year.

 

It recovered to 92% of the cumulative prescription amount (88 billion won) in the third quarter of 2019 before the COVID-19 incident and side effect issues occurred.

 

If the current trend continues, it is expected to expand to more than 110 billion won by the end of the year.

 

◆ Most of the major products have increased prescription amount Analysts say that the risk of impurities that occurred earlier this year did not lead to a decrease in prescription performance.

 

In January of this year, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety decided to introduce pharmaceutical companies Impurities tests have been ordered for montelukast ingredients and finished drugs.

 

It was a precautionary measure according to safety information that NDPA was detected in Montelukast-based raw material drugs.

 

Pharmaceutical companies submitted the results of the impurity test to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in April.

 

However, it is reported that NDPA impurities were not detected in domestic products, including the original Singulair.

 

In the case of Montelukas preparation, unlike Valsartan and Ranitidine, large-scale sales prohibition or recovery did not proceed.

 

In fact, most of the major products' prescription performance increased compared to the same period last year-on-year.

 

Hanmi Pharmaceutical's Monterizine recorded a cumulative prescription performance of 8.3 billion won in the third quarter of this year.

 

It increased by 25% compared to 6.7 billion won in the same period last year.

 

Compared to the cumulative 5.7 billion won in the third quarter of 2019, before the outbreak of COVID-19, it increased by 1.5 times.

 

This year, for the first time, the annual prescription amount is expected to surpass 10 billion won.

 

Montezal, another montelukas formulation of Hanmi Pharmaceutical, also saw its cumulative prescription increase by 20% from 3.3 billion won to 3.9 billion won in the third quarter.

 

Monterizine is a combination that combines Montelukas with Levocetirizine, a third-generation antihistamine.

 

During the same period, HK inno.

 

N Lukio increased by 5% from 6.4 billion won to 6.7 billion won.

 

Boryung Asluka rose 199% from 1.3 billion won to 4 billion won, Hutex Pharmaceutical's Singuldown rose 15% from 2.7 billion won to 3.2 billion won, Singulmon rose 7% from 2.6 billion won to 2.8 billion won, and Daewoong Bio's Dawoong Montelukast rose 85% from 1 billion won to 1.9 billion won.

 

The original product, Singulair, saw its cumulative prescription amount fall 4% from 24.5 billion won last year to 23.4 billion won this year.

 

Singulair is being sold by Oganon Korea.

 

Oganon Korea was spun off from MSD Korea early last year.

 

During the spin-off process, Singulair's copyright was transferred to Organon Korea.