Interleukin inhibitor market doubles in 2 years

Stelara records ₩10 bil Q1 sales

Market size of the 5 types of IL-17/23 inhibitors grow to reach ₩28.7 billion in Q1

Sales of Stelara that was approved for 12 years rise 34% to reach ₩10.1 billion in Q1

Cosentyx, Tremfya, Skyrizi shows even growth…only Taltz's sales remain is at a standstill

Sales of interleukin inhibitors that are used to treat autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis have increased over twofold in 2 years.

 

1st generation drugs including Stelara, Cosentyx, Tremfya, and Skyrizi have all shown even growth.

 

Market analysts have evaluated that the use of IL inhibitors has increased with the steady expansion of their indications.

 

According to the market research institution IQVIA on the 27th, the IL-17/23 inhibitor class market size had increased 41.4% YoY to reach ₩28.7 billion in Q1 this year.

 

IL inhibitors, which are mainly used to treat psoriasis, can be classified into IL-17 and IL-23 class drugs.

 

The first mover in the market, Stelara concurrently targets IL-12 and IL-23.

 

Its developer Janssen then released Tremfya as a follow-up that solely targets IL-23.

 

Abbvie’s Skyrizi is also an IL-23 inhibitor.

 

Novartis’s Cosentyx and Lilly’s Taltz are IL-17 inhibitors.

 

With the introduction of such latecomers, the interleukin inhibitor market continued to repeat its growth every quarter.

 

Starting with ₩13.8 billion in Q1 2020, sales rose to ₩15.3 billion in Q2, ₩18.2 billion in Q3, and ₩18.4 billion in Q4.

 

Quarterly sales exceeded ₩20 billion for the first time last year, and by the previous quarter, the amount more than doubled to reach ₩28.7 billion in just two years.

 

Janssen’s Stelara continues to show high growth 10 years after its approval.

 

Its sales in Q4 last year exceeded ₩10 billion in quarterly sales.

 

Its sales in Q1 this year were ₩10.1 billion, a 33.7% YoY increase.

 

The indication of Stelara was expanded from psoriasis to psoriatic arthritis to Crohn's disease, then ulcerative colitis.

 

As a result, its yearly sales exceeded ₩30 billion for the first time last year.

 

Stelara’s sales which had been ₩26.9 billion in 2020 rose 34.2% last year to record ₩36.1 billion.

 

Other more effective latecomer drugs have been introduced to the market, but Stelara continues to exert its potential as the only drug indicated for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

 

Stelara is followed by the IL-7 inhibitor Cosentyx.

 

Cosentyx made ₩7.5 billion in sales in Q1 last year.

 

This is a 32.7% YoY increase.

 

Novartis had increased patient convenience with a self-administered Cosentyx Sensoready Pen formulation that has a concealed needle.

 

Cosentyx is the first IL-17 inhibitor to expand its indication to ankylosing spondylitis.

 

The drug may also be used in non-radiographic axial spondylarthritis that comes before ankylosing spondylitis.

 

Janssen’s Stelara follow-on IL-23 inhibitor Tremfya raised ₩5.8 billion in sales in Q1.

 

This is a 45.2% YoY growth from Q1 last year.

 

Janssen is working quickly to expand the indication of its follow-up Tremfya to replace Stelara before Stelara’s patent expiry.

 

Tremfya’s indication was expanded from psoriasis to psoriatic arthritis, and the drug also acquired approval as a treatment for palmoplantar pustulosis, an indication unique to Tremfya.

 

Abbvie’s Skyrizi, a drug in the same class as Tremfya, recorded ₩3.5 billion in Q1 this year, growing 166.0% YoY compared to the same period of the previous year.

 

Although the drug’s sales size may seem less than other drugs, its quarterly sales exceeded that of Taltz’s.

 

Skyrizi was the last to enter the market among IL inhibitors.

 

It is yet only approved to treat psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

 

However, the drug has been carrying out aggressive marketing activities with the strength of its convenience in administration as it requires the least number of administrations.

 

Lilly’s Taltz was the only IL inhibitor to show stalled growth.

 

Taltz’s sales, which were ₩1.7 billion in Q1 last year, recorded ₩1.8 billion in Q1 this year, showing little difference.

 

Quarterly sales of the drug had remained at a ₩1.7 billion ₩1.8 billion level.

 

The IL-17 inhibitor Taltz has the same indication as the same-class drug Cosentyx but its sales have been overtaken by Cosentyx in the market.