COVID-19 hinders Italian API distribution causing stock-out

Importing pharmaceutical ingredients from China, India and even from Italy has been shut down

“Currently, stock-out more apparent in Korean-made drugs than in imported finished products”

Due to temporary suspension of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) distribution amid COVID-19 pandemic, many drugs have been reportedly sold out.

 

The industry experts see that the restricted international logistics of human and material resources during the pandemic has affected a number of drugs to be stocked out for a long and short term.

 

The latest stock-out news was from Conjuran injection 2 ml/ 1s.

 

Indicated for treating arthritis pain, the injection is manufactured by Pharma Research Product.

 

But the company says the restock would only be feasible after May at earliest as importing API has gotten extremely difficult with COVID-19.

 

The active pharmaceutical ingredient of Conjuran is imported from Italy.

 

Pharma Research has said the production line has been halted for the entire month of April, because of the ingredient export from the country has been shut down.

 

Kuhnil Pharm’s diuretic Amilo tablet has recently been sold out.

 

Amilo imports its API from India and manufactures intermediate product in China before it is imported to Korea.

 

And drug struggled with the outbreak spreading in China and the lock down in India.

 

Artemisia Princeps leaf extract, widely used as gastrointestinal agent, has also recently came out of the woods.

 

The distribution of the leaf extract was temporarily stopped from the production facility in China, due to COVID-19.

 

However, the ingredient stock-out was shortly resolved and distribution to Korea resumed soon after.

 

Other items, such as Ilsung Pharm’s Ilsung Isoptin (40 mg and 80 mg/ 250 and 30 tablet packages), LG Chem’s Ralobon Plus (60 mg/ 30 tablet package), Samjin Pharm’s Gelma Suspension, Yuhan’s MG TNA 1053 ml injection, have recently notified their temporary stock-out.

 

The affected companies have commonly explained they are facing difficulties in importing active ingredients, which ultimately caused the stock-out.

 

Although they cannot pinpoint at COVID-19 as a direct cause, the pharmaceutical companies view the outbreak has either directly or indirectly influenced the logistics between countries for past three months.

 

A pharmaceutical industry insider commented, “Usually a drug stock-out is caused by a delay in finished product import, but lately it has been mostly caused by trouble in ingredient distribution.” “Nowadays, importing pharmaceutical ingredients from China, India and even from Europe has become unstable with the lock down orders,” the insider added.