Cold Medicine, Antipyretics, and Digestives... Pharmaceutical Companies' 'Flagship Products' Hidden Heroes of Q3

Dong-A Pharmaceutical Panpyrin Sales Up 45.9%
Daewoong Pharmaceutical EasyN6 and Urusa Performance Rise
Yuhan Yanghaeng Anti-Pulamin Sales Steady
Boryung Yanggoksan and Gelfos Growth Trend
'Pharmaceutical Company Representative Face' Also Drives Strong Performance

Donga Pharmaceutical cold medicine Panpyrin. [Photo by Donga Pharmaceutical]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] In the third quarter of this year, major domestic pharmaceutical companies showed strong sales, with over-the-counter (OTC) drugs?those that can be purchased without a prescription at pharmacies?emerging as the unsung heroes behind the solid performance. Although smaller in scale compared to the prescription drug market (specialized medicines), OTC drugs centered around key products demonstrated robust growth, playing a significant role in generating stable revenue.

According to the pharmaceutical and bio industry on the 8th, mid-sized pharmaceutical companies saw noticeable increases in sales of OTC drugs such as cold medicines and digestive aids. Dong-A Pharmaceutical’s flagship comprehensive cold medicine, “Panpyrin,” recorded sales of 13.7 billion KRW in the third quarter alone, a 45.9% increase compared to the same period last year. Another leading product, the digestive aid “Benachio,” also saw sales rise by 28.1% to 3.8 billion KRW. Panpyrin benefited from increased demand for cold medicines due to the resurgence of COVID-19, while Benachio’s sales growth is attributed to rising brand awareness. Additionally, the children’s fever reducer “Champ” posted sales of 3.8 billion KRW, a sharp increase of 231.6% compared to last year, influenced by the COVID-19 impact.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical drove its performance with botulinum toxin product “Nabota” and prescription drugs, generating sales of 40.4 billion KRW and 209.5 billion KRW respectively, while OTC sales also supported the strong results with 34.8 billion KRW, up 15.9% from last year. Notably, during the COVID-19 pandemic, sales of the antipyretic and analgesic “Easyen6” increased by 55%, and the flagship product “Urusa” saw sales rise by about 10%.

Yuhan Corporation Antiphlamine. [Photo by Yuhan Corporation]

In the case of Yuhan Corporation, the domestic leading topical anti-inflammatory analgesic “Antiphlamin” recorded cumulative third-quarter sales of 21.3 billion KRW, a 24.3% increase compared to the same period last year. The use of national soccer player Son Heung-min as a model and the lifting of social distancing measures, which increased outdoor activities, are believed to have contributed to the sales growth. Additionally, the magnesium supplement “Magbi,” classified as an OTC drug, posted sales of 11.6 billion KRW during the same period, up 22.9%, and is expected to surpass last year’s annual sales of 12.3 billion KRW.

Boryung Pharmaceutical, known as a “house of anticancer drugs,” also performed well in the OTC segment. The flagship cough expectorant brand “Yonggaksan” steadily grew amid the COVID-19 situation, recording third-quarter sales of 2.4 billion KRW, a 38% increase. Sales of the antacid “Gelfos” also rose by more than 50%, from 2.5 billion KRW in the third quarter last year to 3.9 billion KRW this year.

Unlike prescription drugs, the OTC market is considered limited in size and highly competitive, making growth challenging. However, since consumers can purchase these drugs directly at pharmacies, they significantly influence brand and corporate image formation. Once established in the market, OTC products generally provide a stable source of income without large fluctuations in sales, potentially laying the foundation for future growth of pharmaceutical companies. An industry insider explained, “OTC drugs that represent a pharmaceutical company also represent the company’s image, making the OTC market important. It also has significance in establishing a virtuous cycle where stable sales are reinvested into research and development (R&D).”

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