SK Biopharm’s Q3 sales rise 270% with rise in Xcopri sales

Xcopri enjoys strong sales in the US

Company's Q3 sales record KRW 88.8 billion...Xcopri raises KRW 47.7 billion

Sees accelerated sales growth in the US... adopts aggressive marketing activities to increase prescriptions

Operating loss narrows to KRW 9.2 billion... cumulative losses amount to KRW 86.5 billion

SK Biopharmaceutical’s sales rose greatly in Q3 with the rising sales of its new anti-epileptic drug ‘Xcopri (cenobamate)’ in the US.

 

On the 10th, SK Biopharmaceutical announced sales of KRW 88.8 billion in Q3 this year, a 270.9% on-year increase.

 

The company also reported an operating loss of KRW 9.2 billion in the same period.

 

Almost half of its sales were driven by Xcopri.

 

Xcopri generated sales of KRW 47.4 billion in the US in Q3 this year.

 

This is over a twofold increase on-year from the KRW 19.9 billion it had generated in Q3 last year.

 

Xcopri’s sales have been driving the performance of the company after getting on track this year.

 

After recording KRW 10 billion in sales in Q1 2021, Xcopri’s sales exceeded KRW 20 billion by Q4 last year.

 

Only a half year later, its sales exceeded KRW 40 billion.

 

Xcopri’s cumulative sales this year reached KRW 119.4 billion.

 

Xcopri’s amount of prescriptions in the US has also been rising continuously.

 

Its prescriptions in Q3 this year rose 12% compared to those in Q2.

 

Xcopri’s monthly prescriptions exceeded 15,000 in August.

 

The company explained that this is a 1.8-time increase compared to the average prescription amount of its competitors at 29 months.

 

SK Biopharmaceutical attributed the rise in US sales to the active online and digital marketing it had relayed in the US.

 

To strengthen its sales capabilities for Xcopri in the US, the company carried out active marketing activities to HCPs and patients.

 

Also, in line with the improvement seen in the face-to-face sales environment, the company reorganized its US local sales and marketing organization and maximized sales efficiency.

 

The company’s analysis is that the activities led to the improvement of relevant indicators, including the total number of calls, rate of face-to-face sales activities, new prescription amount, etc.

 

The company also actively embraced the use of social media and delivered various experiences of patients using Xcopri on the company’s official YouTube channel and sent Direct Messages to patients and their caregivers.

 

Also, the company reserved a large booth at the American Epilepsy Society Annual Meeting that will be held in Q4 to further raise Xcopri’s brand awareness.

 

The company plans to attend various academic conferences and focus on promoting and marketing its drug to epilepsy specialists.

 

Also, a TV commercial for epilepsy patients is planned for the next year.

 

SK Biopharmaceuticals predicted that this year's global sales of Xcopri will exceed its target of KRW 185 billion, with the product’s accelerated entry into new markets in Europe and Latin America.

 

Xcopriis scheduled to be released in Finland, Switzerland, Spain, and France through its European partner Angelini Pharma within the year.

 

The company’s operating loss was reduced by KRW 40.7 billion on-year to record KRW 9.2 billion.

 

However, the cumulative operating loss amounted to KRW 86.5 billion due to its investments in clinical trials for follow-up drugs and promotional activity in the US in the first half of the year.