Sales of immuno-cancer drugs exceeded 200 billion won

in the first half of the year,

Keytruda holds the No. 1 with 94.4 billion won, Opdivo jumped to 51.3 billion won, accounting for 24% of the market share

Impinzi's first successful liver cancer pay rise slightly

In the first half of this year, the domestic immune anticancer drug market surpassed 200 billion won.

 

In particular, Opdivo's performance, which showed his endurance, was remarkable.

 

Opdivo sales increased 41% from the previous year, surpassing 50 billion won in half-year sales.

 

According to IQVIA, a pharmaceutical market research firm, the size of the domestic immuno-cancer drug market in the first half of this year was 215.8 billion won, up 17.2% from 184.1 billion won a year earlier.

 

The drug leading this market is MSD's Keytruda, which has the most indications.

 

Keytruda posted 94.4 billion won in sales in the first half of this year, up 1.2% from the previous year.

 

Sales seemed to be decreasing from the same period last year due to drug price cuts in the first quarter, but it turned upward again as benefits expanded in the second quarter, including primary treatment for non-small cell lung cancer.

 

Currently, there are 15 cancers that can use Keytruda, including lung cancer, head and neck cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, urinary epithelial cancer (Bladder cancer), esophageal cancer, melanoma, renal cell cancer, endometrial cancer, gastric cancer, small intestine cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, biliary cancer, colorectal cancer, and triple negative breast cancer.

 

◆Opdivo, which shows its endurance, surpasses 50 billion won in semi-annual prescriptions What stands out is Opdivo's rise.

 

Opdivo sales in the first half of the year were 51.3 billion won, up 40.5% from 36.5 billion won a year earlier.

 

The gap with Keytruda, which nearly tripled, has less than doubled.

 

The market share of immuno-cancer drugs has also changed due to higher growth than Keytruda.

 

Unlike last year, when Keytruda monopolized half of the total market, its share of Opdivo rose to 24% this year, reducing its share of Keytruda to 44%.

 

Opdivo, developed by Ono and BMS, is an immuno-cancer drug licensed in Korea at the same time as Keytruda in 2015.

 

It recorded sales similar to Keytruda until 2017, but the gap widened since 2018.

 

This is because it has been relatively slow to expand indications and benefits compared to Keytruda, which aggressively increased indications.

 

For this reason, Opdivo sales seemed to slow down between 2019 and 2020, but began to rise again from the end of last year.

 

Opdivo, which stayed at 10 billion won for seven consecutive quarters from the fourth quarter of 2019, surpassed 20 billion won for the first time in the third quarter of last year.

 

In the first and second quarters of this year, it settled in the mid-20 billion range with 25.1 billion won and 26.2 billion won, respectively.

 

Opivo is expected to continue its upward trend as stomach cancer benefits are expected for the first time in an immuno-cancer drug.

 

In June, the HIRA set Opdivo's standard for first-line gastric cancer treatment.

 

Opdivo succeeded in re-challenging in about four months after suffering once in February.

 

When the expansion process is completed, patients with HER2-negative stomach cancer will be able to use new drugs at low prices.

 

HER2 negative gastric cancer patients account for nearly 90% of all patients, and there are no drugs other than Opdivo in the first treatment, so if it is expanded, it is expected to have a significant impact on sales.

 

Yervoy, considered Opdivo's partner, also saw sales increase.

 

Yervoy, which was only 1.3 billion won in the first half of last year, jumped to 6.1 billion won this year.

 

Yervoy, the first immuno-cancer drug in Korea in the CTLA-4 family, is not well selected alone due to its limited effect and relatively high side effects.

 

Instead, there is a combination therapy with Opdivo.

 

Earlier this year, a combination therapy with Opdivo added a metastatic direct bowel cancer indication.

 

◆↑ 23% of Tecentriq & growth of Impinzi Roche Tecentriq and AstraZeneca Impinzi, generics of immuno-cancer drugs, are also steadily increasing their sales.

 

It is Tecentriq which is showing greater performance.

 

Tecentriq increased 22.6% year-on-year to 37.6 billion won in the first half of the year.

 

During the same period, Impinzi increased 19.1% from 22.2 billion won to 26.4 billion won.

 

Tecentriq succeeded in paying liver cancer for the first time among immuno-cancer drugs in April.

 

The combination of Tecentriq and the targeted anticancer drug Avastin has become a standard treatment for liver cancer with excellent data beyond existing drugs.

 

Analysts say that Tecentriq will gain momentum in expanding sales as it is prescribed for liver cancer in earnest.

 

Impinzi is growing at a relatively slow pace this year with no special news.

 

After surpassing 10 billion won for the first time in the first quarter of last year, quarterly sales remained in the early 10 billion range.

 

Impinzi continues clinical trials in biliary tract cancer and liver cancer to expand further indications.

 

Merck's Bavencio posted only 100 million won in sales in the first half of the year.