OTC pain reliever market grows surges, Tylenol up by 30%

Tylenol 2020 H1 sales mark KRW 18.6 billion, experiencing shortage due to COVID-19

Geworin, EZN and Tak-sen follow, top 4 sales reach historic high

The OTC pain reliever market was yet again dominated by Tylenol and Geworin in the first half of this year.

 

Compared to the first half of last year, specifically, Tylenol’s sales have surged 30 percent.

 

Geworin, EZN6 and Tak-sen followed the market leader on the leader board and generated the highest six-month sales on the record.

 

◆Tylenol makes KRW 18.6 billion, Geworin KRW 9.7 billion—the highest half-a-year sales yet

Product image of Tylenol

According to the pharmaceutical market research firm IQVIA on Sept.

 

2, Janssen’s Tylenol line-ups have generated overall 18.6 billion won from last January through June.

 

It was the highest sales marked by an OTC pain reliever brand launched in South Korea.

 

Compared to last year’s first half at 14.3 billion won, the sales soared by 30 percent.

 

It was the biggest sales made in half a year.

 

Among the three Tylenol line-ups (Tylenol tablet, Tyleno 8-hour ER tablet, Women’s Tylenol tablet), Tylenol tablet and Tylenol 8-hour ER tablet led the exceptional sales growth.

 

Compared to same time last year, the two products grew by 29 percent and 38 percent, repsectively.

 

The market experts evaluate the surge in Tylenol sales were indirectly driven by the COVID-19 epidemic.

 

In last March, the World Health Organization (WHO) advised to use acetaminophen (Tylenol), instead of nonsteroidal inflammatory drug (NSAID) ibupropen, in a suspected case of COVID-19.

 

Although WHO’s recommendation was revoked within two days as the initial statement lacked sufficient evidence, the number of consumers buying acetaminophen kept growing.

 

In fact, pharmacies in Korea often experienced Tylenol shortage during the first half of the year.

 

Samjin Pharm’s Geworin came in second with sales of 9.7 billion won accumulated in the six months.

 

Compared to 8.9 billion won made in last year same time, the figure grew by 7 percent.

 

Geworin also marked its highest half-a-year sales.

 

Geworin also shares the same substance acetaminophen with Tylenol.

 

Nevertheless, Samjin Pharm’s newly launched ‘Geworin soft capsule’ did not perform as much as the company hoped for.

 

The new form of Geworin made a little more than 200 million won in the six months.

 

In last February, the Korean company released Geworin soft capsule, which was the first line-up expansion in the Geworin brand after 41 years.

 

As well as changing the form into a soft capsule, the new Geworin product switched the major substance from the original acetaminophen into ibuprofen.

 

2020 H1 sales in top OTC pain relievers (Unit: KRW 100 million) Source: IQVIA

◆Sharp increase in EZN6 and Tak-sen, closely tailgating the market leaders The third place was taken by Daewoong Pharmaceuticals EZN6.

 

The five line-ups under the same brand has generated overall 3.5 billion won, making 20 percent jump from 2.9 billion won made in last year same time.

 

EZN6 has been making a steep growth recently.

 

Five years ago in 2015, the brand has made 1.5 billion won and barely took a place in the top 10 OTC pain reliever market.

 

But in 2017, the brand’s sales soared to 2.5 billion won and proudly took a place on the fifth.

 

And in the first half of this year, EZN6 brand has generated sales up to 3.5 billion won.

 

The brand’s outstanding growth has put itself on the third place, surpassing Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s Maxibupen and Chong Kun Dang’s Penzal on the leader board.

 

GC Pharma’s Tak-sen came in fourth with sales reaching 2.8 billion won in the first half of the year.

 

Compared to last year same time, the sales have grown by 6 percent from 2.6 billion won.

 

Tak-sen has also experienced a rapid surge in the sales growth.

 

Compared to five years ago (1.7 billion won) and three years ago (2.2 billion won), this year’s sales marked 59 percent and 25 percent growth, respectively.

 

On the top 10 OTC pain reliever market, the brand’s ranking has leapt from eighth to fourth.

 

Recent sales growth in top OTC pain relievers (Unit: KRW 100 million) Source: IQVIA

◆The rest of the market followed by Penzal, Maxibupen, Carol, Anyfen, Brufen, Champ and Advil The rest of the OTC pain reliever market’s ranking was followed by Chong Kun Dang’s Penzal (2.3 billion won), Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s Maxibupen (2.1 billion won), Ildong Pharmaceutical’s Carol (1.9 billion won), Ahn-gook Pharmaceutical’s Anyfen (1.8 billion won), Samil Pharm’s Brufen (1.4 billion won), Dong-A Pharmaceutical’s Champ (1.4 billion won), Pfizer’s Advil (900 million won), Kyung Dong Pharm’s GNAL-N (500 million won) and Dong Wha Pharm’s Trisfen (200 million won).

 

In particular, Maxibupen (38 percent), Anyfen (23 percent), Penzal (28 percent) and Brufen (25 percent) experienced a steep fall in the sales from last year same time.

 

The pharmaceutical industry views the COVID-19 has significantly affected the OTC pain reliever market in the first six months of the year.

 

As less number of patients visited hospitals and pharmacies amid COVID-19, more consumers tried to stock up first-aid kits including OTC pain relievers.

 

The general OTC pain reliever market sales have grown about 5 percent compared to last year same time.