Dongkook receives reimb for s-amlodipine triple-drug combo

First antihypertension drug that contains s-amlodipine, olmesartan, and hydrochlorothiazide

Price is the same as Sevikar HCT... May be useful as a second-line treatment

Olmevikar, a combination of s-amlodipine and olmesartan currently sold by Dongguk.

 

The company will sell Olmevikar HCT from November, which contains Olmevikar and hydrochlorothiazide

Dongkook Pharmaceutical has succeeded in becoming the first Korean company to receive reimbursement for a three-drug combination drug for hypertension that combines the CCB ‘s-amlodipine,’ ARB ‘olmesartan’ and diuretic ‘hydrochlorothiazide’.

 

The combination therapy is expected to be useful for patients whose blood pressure is not adequately controlled with the company's combination product, s-amlodipine+olmesartan.

 

Only Dongkook Pharmaceutical and Ahngook Pharm owns an s-amlodipine+olmesartan combination drug.

 

According to industry sources on the 21st, Dongkook Pharmaceutical will start selling three types of Olmevikar HCT Tab beginning November, 1 with reimbursement.

 

Olmevikar HCT Tab is a three-drug combination of S-Amlodipine Besylate 2.5 Hydrate, Olmesartan Medoxomil, and Hydrochlorothiazide.

 

Compared to Daiichi Sankyo's existing Sevikar HCT, the only difference is the amlodipine and s-amlodipine ingredients.

 

S-amlodipine is a component derived from only the S-enantiomer of amlodipine, which is the active isomer of amlodipine.

 

Therefore, it is equally effective with half the dose of amlodipine with no difference in terms of stability.

 

In Korea, there are 28 amlodipine 3-drug combination drugs like Sevikar HCT.

 

However, Dongkook Pharmaceutical is the first to develop a 3-drug combination containing s-amlodipine.

 

Olmevikar HCT is a combination of s-amlodipine besylate 2.5 hydrate and olmesartan medoxomil that was approved in late May for the treatment of essential hypertension, a condition in which blood pressure is not adequately controlled.

 

It is indicated as a second-line treatment following amlodipine+olmesartan combination therapy as well as s-amlodipine+olmesartan.

 

There are only two as s-amlodipine+Olmesartan combination drugs on the market, Dongkook Pharmaceutical ‘Olmevikar Tab’ and Ahngook Pharm’s ‘Levomos Tab.’ Last year, Olmevikar generated KRW 3.8 billion in outpatient prescriptions and Levomos KRW 1.2 billion, according to UBIST.

 

“Looking at the indications, Olmevikar HCT tablets are expected to be useful for patients who are not sufficiently treated with Olmevikar Tab,” said a pharmaceutical industry insider.

 

“Dongkook’s product competitivity by strengthening its hypertension combination product lineup.” The price has been set in line with the original Sevikar HCT.

 

The company has applied for the 5 (s-amlodipine)/40 (olmesartan)/12.5 mg (hydrochlorothiazide) dose at KRW 821 per tablet, the 2.5/40/12.5 mg dose at KRW 765, and 2.5/20/12.5 mg dose at KRW 703 for, which is lower than the calculated price.

 

This is the same as the price of the same dose Sevikar HCT.