Medication imports in July are the largest ever

It's because of COVID vaccines

Monthly income is close to ₩1 trillion

It is up 25% year-on-year

Pharmaceutical exports of ₩700 billion have remained strong since last year.

 

In July, domestic drug imports reached ₩1 trillion, the highest record ever.

 

It is analyzed that it is a phenomenon caused by the full-fledged import of vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.

 

◆Monthly import amount is close to ₩1 trillion, up 25% year-on-year According to the Korea Customs Service on the 16th, Korea's drug imports amounted to $819.58 million in July, the highest ever.

 

Compared to $657.91 million in July last year, it rose by 25%.

 

It is analyzed that the increase in COVID vaccines has affected.

 

In fact, imports of vaccines (export and import codes 3002.20) in Korea averaged only $28.77 million (approximately ₩34 billion) last year, but this year, it started to increase rapidly.

 

When Pfizer vaccine began to be imported in earnest, it increased to $49.82 million (about ₩58 billion) in March and ₩120 billion in June, when moderna vaccine began to be imported in earnest.

 

In July, the figure nearly doubled to $211.62 million.

 

Monthly drug imports, excluding vaccine imports, are maintaining around $600 million, similar to last year's.

 

◆₩710 billion in exports in July Drug exports amounted to $611.09 million, up 20% from July.

 

Domestic pharmaceutical exports have been steadily rising since last year.

 

The monthly average amount of drug exports last year was $574.46 million, which is more than $646.71 million until July this year.

 

Like last year, biosimilar is leading drug exports.

 

Celltrion recorded ₩789.5 billion in exports through Celltrion Healthcare in the first half of this year.

 

Compared to ₩777.2 billion in the first half of last year, it increased by 2%.

 

The sales of Remsima and Remsima SC totaled ₩337.3 billion, Truxima's sales of ₩273.3 billion, and Herzuma's sales of ₩102.2 billion.

 

Although Samsung Biologics' sales performance in the first half of the year is not specific yet, considering that its provisional sales in the first half of the year increased 31% year-on-year, CMO exports centered on biosimilars are also expected to have increased significantly.

 

In addition, domestic diagnostic kits were exported to $77.34 million in July, up 14% from a year earlier.

 

Exports of diagnostic kits have been maintained at $70 million to $80 million this year.

 

Exports of domestic botulinum toxin in July amounted to $16.67 million, which was not much different from the same period last year ($16.96 million).