Fluarix Tetra, full-scale competition for flu vaccines

Prospects as a variable for non-participation in the NIP project GC Pharma for sale

Fluarix Tetra by GSK

The quadrivalent flu vaccine 'Fluarix Tetra', which was first introduced in Korea in 2015, was approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and began to compete in the market in earnest.

 

GSK's Fluarix Tetra is a representative imported vaccine that has been ranked at the top since its launch in 2015.

 

However, it is expected to act as a variable in the competitive market as it does not participate in the quadrivalent flu vaccine NIP (National Immunization Program) project starting this year.

 

On the 8th and 10th, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved Fluarix Tetra PFS, an imported quadrivalent flu vaccine from GSK.

 

As a result, the approval of most products expected to be sold this year was achieved.

 

As the NIP began this week, the flu vaccine market entered a rebound competition.

 

Among them, Fluarix Tetra is attracting attention as it is a quaternary vaccine aid and top-notch product.

 

Fluarix Tetra was the first tetravalent vaccine to be launched in the domestic market in 2015.

 

In Korea, it has been sold through Yuhan Corporation, and GC Pharma has been selling it since last year.

 

Last year, sales amounted to ₩7.9 billion, followed by 'SKY Cellflu Quadrivalent (₩13.1 billion) by SK Bioscience and GC Pharma's 'GCFLU Quadrivalent (₩12.4 billion)'.

 

The fourth place was Sanofi Aventis Vaxigriptetra with ₩4.6 billion based on IQVIA.

 

Last year, it was pushed down to the third place after being pushed by domestic products, but from 2015 to 2018, it continued to be the number one.

 

However, there are many variables this year.

 

Above all, the tetravalent vaccine NIP starting this year is expected to have an impact.

 

While most of the products participate in the NIP, Fluarix Tetra is only launching products in the market without NIP.

 

Accordingly, it is unclear whether Fluarix Tetra will maintain its existing market share.

 

It is also of interest how the sales company GC Pharma will conduct marketing through differentiation from its own 'GCFLU Quadrivalent'.

 

For the first time, it is expected to take a dual strategy of actively promoting GCFLU Quadrivalent in the NIP, and putting the first tetravalent vaccine and imported product, Fluarix Tetra, in the market.

 

However, as the price of products in the market is expected to decrease due to the participation of many products in the NIP, the price of which Fluarix Tetra chooses will also act as a variable.

 

This year, the demand for flu vaccines is expected to be higher than ever due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

 

The government also recommends influenza vaccination because COVID-19 and flu have similar symptoms, and confusion in quarantine is expected if they occur simultaneously.

 

There are a total of 12 flu vaccines scheduled to be distributed in Korea this year.

 

GSK and Sanofi are the only foreign pharmaceutical companies to import and sell flu vaccines.