Boehringer discontinues original meloxicam 'Mobic Capsules' in KOR

Boehringer Ingelheim's headquarters has decided to stop imports…product stocks expected to be depleted by April next year

Product photo of 'Mobic Capsules'

'Mobic Capsules,' the original drug of the Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) meloxicam, is set to discontinue its supply in South Korea.

Boehringer Ingelheim's headquarters has decided to stop imports, with product stocks expected to be depleted by April next year. The decision to withdraw from the Korean market is interpreted as a result of low sales performance and a market saturated with numerous alternatives of the same ingredient and class.

According to industry sources on the 16th, Boehringer Ingelheim Korea has notified distributors regarding the discontinuation of Mobic Capsules.

Boehringer Ingelheim stated, "The company has decided to discontinue the supply after recognizing that a wide variety of alternative treatments are already available in the Korean market." 

The company added, "Currently imported stocks will be supplied until they are exhausted, noting that the expected depletion date may vary depending on usage volume. The projected depletion for Mobic Capsules 7.5mg is around April next year, while Mobic Capsules 15mg is expected to run out by March next year."

Mobic is an NSAID containing meloxicam as its active ingredient. It is effective in alleviating inflammation and pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis by selectively inhibiting COX-2. While it tends to have fewer gastrointestinal side effects compared to traditional anti-inflammatory drugs, it carries risks of blood clots and cardiovascular issues; therefore, it should be taken at the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration possible.

Currently, there are 82 meloxicam products in South Korea at the 7.5mg dose and 15 at the 15mg dose. Even with the withdrawal of the original brand, the impact of the supply disruption is expected to be minimal due to the abundance of substitute medications.

Mobic's sales have also been decreasing. According to UBIST, its outpatient prescription sales last year were KRW 1.5 billion, a 2% decrease from the previous year. 

This is a significant gap compared to Celebrex, another drug in the same NSAID class, which recorded KRW 41.7 billion in outpatient prescriptions last year.

Consequently, Boehringer Ingelheim may have decided to halt supply to focus on other pharmaceutical products, given Mobic's low profitability in the Korean market.