DPP-4 inhibitors, whose growth slowed in the aftermath of COVID-19, rallied in June.
According to the recent trend of the outpatient report, the total amount of prescription of DPP-4 inhibitors (including complex drugs) in the first half was $295.9 billion and grew only 6.8% YoY.
Among the single drugs, nearly half of them, including Galvus (Novartis), Nesina (Takeda), Onglyza (Astra Zeneca), and Trajenta (Boehringer Ingelheim) underperformed than the same period of last year.
The only single drugs that recorded double-digit growth during this period were domestic products that had relatively entered the market late, such as Guardlet (JW Pharm.), Suganon (Dong-A ST), and Tenelia (Handok).
In the same manner, the amount of prescription of complex drugs like Guardmet (JW Pharm.), Galvusment (Novartis), and Nesina Met (Takeda) had reduced YoY.
However, in June, most of the DPP-4 inhibitors rebounded and recovered to the double-digit growth rate.
In particular, the amount of prescription of Suganon and Sugament (Dona-A ST) increased by more than 50% YoY, and Guardlet also recorded a growth rate of 70% as the prescription transferred due to the suspension of sales of Guardmet.
Zemimet’s (LG Chem) growth rate was above 30%, Tenelia and Tenelia M (Handok) also recorded growth rates of 20%~30%, and Tragenta-duo (Boehringer Ingelheim) also grew more than 20%.
Moreover, the growth rate of Onglyza and Kombiglyze (Astra Zeneca), Janumet and Janumet XR (MSD), and Zemiglo (LG Chem) exceeded around 10%.
this period, there were only three drugs in DPP-4 inhibitors that had lower the amount of prescription, Galvus, Nesina Met, and Guardmet, which experienced the suspension of sales.
As a result, the growth rate of the total amount of prescription for DPP-4 inhibitors in the first half remained only 4.8%, but it recovered to 17% in June with $50 billion.
Unlike DPP-4 inhibitors, SGLT-2 inhibitors, which have been growing steadily, also grew even more in June.
While all six drugs maintained a double-digit growth rate, the growth rate in June was 40%, exceeding the 31% growth rate in the first half.
Forxiga (Astra Zeneca) narrowed the gap with Jardiance (Boehringer Ingelheim) by $50 million in May, but in June, the gap has widened to about $100 million with sales over $3 billion.
Although Jardiance had more growth rate than Forxiga (24.8% vs. 23.0%), it failed to narrow the gap.
In complex drugs, Jardiance Duo (Boehringer Ingelheim) overwhelmed Xigduo (Astra Zeneca) in growth rate, but the gap in the amount of prescription with them maintained $1 billion (Jardiance Duo $1.4 billion vs. Xigduo $2.4 billion).
In the first half of the year, the gap between Forxiga and Jardiance narrowed to less than 1 billion (Forxiga $17.6 billion and Jardiance $16.8 billion), but the difference between Xigduo and Jardiance Duo ($13.4 billion and $6.8 billion) remained unchanged at $6.6 billion.
Besides, Steglatro (MSD) and Suglat (Astellas) had a monthly prescription amount of $200 to $300 million, which shows less presence than the starters,
