Reimbursement expansion of osteoporosis drug 'Prolia'

₩25 billion sales in 6 months

Revenue of 12 billion units in the second and third quarters after the first reimbursed recognition in April

Synergies from Chong Kun Dang's sales force, Establish a solo system in the market

In the domestic osteoporosis treatment market, the prosperity of 'Prolia' continues.

 

In the six months since the increase in health insurance benefits in April, the company has built a solitary system in the market with sales of about ₩25 billion.

 

Amgen's Prolia, on the 6th, reported sales of ₩13.5 billion in the third quarter, more than three times the previous year's ₩3.7 billion.

 

It is slightly lower than the previous quarter's ₩12.3 billion, but it is showing a rapid growth of Prolia.

 

Amgen

Prolia's recent upsurge is driven by increased reimbursement expansion.

 

Prolia, released in Korea in November 2016, was the first product to receive attention as a biologic for treating osteoporosis.

 

Prolia is the only biopharmaceutical osteoporosis treatment that targets the receptor activator of nuclear factor Kappa-B Ligand (RANKL), which is essential for the formation, activation, and survival of bone-breaking osteoclasts.

 

Prolia has not received much response from the market, with sales of less than ₩1 billion in the early quarter.

 

However, after reaching ₩2.4 billion in the fourth quarter 2017 when health insurance benefits began to be recognized, sales increased to ₩4.9 billion in this first quarter .

 

Prolia was approved as a first-line therapy for the treatment of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and for increasing bone density in men with osteoporosis.

 

Since 2017, reimbursement has been applied to secondary therapy only.

 

Quarterly Sales Revenue Trend (Unit: ₩ million, Source: IQVIA)

Since April, insurance coverage has been approved for primary care.

 

Prolia is entitled to pay ▲ twice a year if the T-score is -2.5 or less in bone mineral density measurements, and ▲ six times for three years if osteoporotic fractures are found on radiographs.▲After the administration period, benefits will be provided if follow-up continues to require medication with a T-score of -2.5 or less.

 

After Prolia's approval of the first treatment benefit, sales reached nearly ₩25 billion in six months, causing a blast in the market.

 

Prolia surpassed Lilly's “Forsteo”, which had previously ranked first in sales of osteoporosis treatments, from the second quarter.

 

In the third quarter, Forsteo's sales were ₩5.5 billion, less than half of Prolia's.

 

Sales force growth is also a factor for growth in Prolia.

 

Amgen has been selling Prolia in partnership with Chong Kun Dang since September 2017.

 

Amgen Korea is in charge of sales and marketing of Prolia at general hospitals and Chong Kun Dang at semi general hospitals and Clinics.

 

Chong Kun Dang has developed synergies with its sales know-how combined with prolia sales in the musculoskeletal drug market with products such as Osteoarthritis treatment, ‘Imotun’ and anti-inflammatory analgesics, ‘Coxbito’.