- SK chemicals to sell four types of
- Expected to have analgesic and anti-inflammatory synergy effect with Joins, SK chemicals' first natural product-based drug
SK chemicals is strengthening its product line of painkillers.
SK chemicals (CEO: Kwang-hyun Jeon) and Janssen Korea (CEO: Jenny Zheng) announced on the 15th that they signed a domestic sales contract for the “Ultracet” family of drugs (Acetaminophen and Tramadol Hydrochloride) to strengthen their portfolio in pain medication.
According to this contract, SK chemicals will be managing the distribution, domestic marketing, and sales of Ultracet. Janssen Korea will be in charge of production. The four products under the contract are Ultracet Tab, Ultracet Semi Tab, Ultracet ER Tab, and Ultracet ER Semi Tab.
This is the second sales contract between SK chemicals and Janssen Korea since 2019, when a contract for Reminyl, a dementia treatment drug, was signed.
Ultracet, introduced by SK chemicals, was first developed in 2002 and is one of the most widely used painkillers around the world. Ultracet’s scale of efficacy for pain is broad, ranging from moderate to severe pain. In particular, there is no need to worry about side effects such as addiction or drug abuse since Ultracet doesn’t include any narcotic substances often formulated in powerful painkillers.
249 generic products have been released since Ultracet’s patent expired in 2008, intensifying competition. Accordingly, Janssen Korea expects that this contract will expand Ultracet’s market share once again.
SK chemicals has established a portfolio for pain medication through its co-promotion of Joins, SK chemicals’ first natural product-based drug which recorded sales of 40 billion units, and Cymbalta, Lilly Korea’s No. 1 duloxetine hydrochloride. In particular, a large synergy effect is expected as Ultracet is the second most frequently used ingredient in combination with Joins, and is the most frequently used ingredient in combination with Cymbalta.
According to IQVIA, a pharmaceutical market research company, the domestic market for Ultracet has recently been growing at an annual rate of 4%, reaching a market size of about 60.2 billion won by the third quarter of last year. By the same quarter last year, Ultracet had recorded 18.3 billion won in domestic sales.
Jeong-hoon Kim, Head of Pharma R&D at SK chemicals, said, “This contract strengthens our portfolio of pain medication,” and “We will contribute to improving the quality of life for domestic consumers through synergies with existing painkillers.”
#[Photo] Products under the contract: Ultracet Tab, Ultracet Semi Tab, Ultracet ER Tab, Ultracet ER Semi Tab.