800 Billion Won Anticancer Adjuvant Market, Major Upheaval Expected

Competition for Neutropenia Treatments
Pharmaceutical and Suppliers Unite to Vie for 1st Place
Hanmi Pharm Launches Affordable New Drug

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] A major shake-up is anticipated in the domestic neutropenia treatment market, valued at approximately 80 billion KRW. This year, mergers and acquisitions between pharmaceutical companies and suppliers have been occurring, and with new drugs set to be launched, competition for market share is expected to intensify.

According to industry sources on the 4th, neutrophils play a role in defending against bacterial and fungal infections within white blood cells. However, cancer patients frequently experience neutropenia, a severe reduction in neutrophils, during chemotherapy, which significantly weakens their immune system. To prevent this, treatment injections must be administered in accordance with the chemotherapy cycle. Unlike first-generation treatments that required 4 to 6 doses per cycle due to the drug’s half-life, second-generation treatments have extended half-lives, allowing for just one dose per cycle, thereby improving convenience.

The top domestic market leader for neutropenia treatments is the second-generation drug “Neulasta.” It has firmly maintained its number one position for several years, generating sales of 24.4 billion KRW last year. Developed by Amgen, Neulasta boasts the highest global market share with sales of 1.7 billion USD (approximately 2 trillion KRW) last year. In Korea, Kyowa Kirin, which holds the Asian distribution rights, has been supplying the drug.

However, recently, GC Green Cross’s Neulasta biosimilar “Neurapec” has been rapidly closing the gap, gradually shaking Neulasta’s stronghold. Despite being priced about 200,000 KRW lower than Neulasta, Neurapec had not made a significant impact since its launch in 2015 until 2018. The turning point came when Boryung Pharmaceutical, a strong sales partner in the oncology field, joined as a co-marketing partner, leading to rapid sales growth. Annual sales, which were around 4 billion KRW in 2018, soared to 22.8 billion KRW last year, increasing more than fivefold in three years.

However, a new scenario is likely to unfold starting this year. Boryung Pharmaceutical, which played a key role in Neurapec’s growth, has now taken on the sales of Neulasta to defend its market share. From this year, Boryung Pharmaceutical will jointly market Neulasta and the first-generation treatment “Grasin” together with Korea Kyowa Kirin. Grasin also recorded sales of 22 billion KRW last year, so combined sales of Neulasta and Grasin amount to 46.4 billion KRW. A Boryung Pharmaceutical representative explained, “Although Grasin has a shorter half-life compared to Neulasta, by expanding our portfolio to include the more affordable Grasin, we can offer a wider range of treatment options.”

GC Green Cross plans to continue expanding Neurapec’s market presence by partnering with Jeil Pharmaceutical, which previously sold Grasin.

Another variable is the launch of new drugs. Hanmi Pharmaceutical plans to launch “Rolontis,” the 33rd domestic new drug, which received domestic approval in March last year, within this year and aims to secure approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as well. Rolontis has demonstrated performance comparable to existing treatments and offers the significant advantage of lower treatment costs. Rolontis was added to the national health insurance reimbursement list in November last year, with an insurance price of 490,000 KRW, making it the lowest-priced second-generation treatment drug launched domestically.

An industry insider said, “The neutropenia treatment market will see fierce competition this year. The key will be how well existing sales capabilities are maintained and expanded, while Rolontis’s low price will be a considerable variable.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.