Celltrion Pharm’s prescription liver disease treatment Godex Cap. might lose reimbursement because the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) recently decided to withdraw its insurance benefits. The company appealed the decision immediately.

HIRA disclosed the results of the drug reimbursement review committee’s meeting on Thursday.

After re-evaluating the reimbursable medicines for 2022, the committee concluded that Godex Cap. (combination of six agents plus adenine hydrochloride) was not eligible for reimbursement.

Earlier in March, HIRA placed six drugs, including Celltrion Pharm’s Godex Cap., on the list of reimbursed drugs for 2022.

Godex treats liver disease with elevated serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT). The drug’s outpatient prescriptions reached 74.7 billion won ($57.3 million) in 2021.

If Godex loses reimbursement, Celltrion Pharm will have to suffer a reduction in Godex prescriptions.

Celltrion Pharm has 30 days to appeal the HIRA’s decision. If the company appeals, the drug reimbursement review committee determines whether to remove reimbursement once again.

After HIRA’s announcement, Celltrion Pharm released a statement and notified its stance.

“HIRA announced the first result of the re-evaluation saying the drug was not eligible for insurance benefits. But this is not the final result. We will supplement the data and submit an appeal as soon as possible,” Celltrion Pharm said.

Godex has proved its effectiveness on liver diseases through various investigator-initiated trials since winning marketing approval in 2002, the company said.

Last year, the drug was prescribed to about 480,000 patients in Korea as one of Korea’s representative liver disease treatments.

Based on the efficacy data, Celltrion Pharm will sufficiently discuss with HIRA and the Ministry of Health and Welfare during the objection period and actively explain the company’s position, the company said.

“We will make every effort to maintain the drug’s reimbursement in the outcome and contribute to promoting public health,” it said.

On the same day, HIRA also concluded that drugs using streptokinase and streptodornase as ingredients were not eligible for reimbursement. Such medicines include Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s Mucolase Tab., Kyongbo Pharm’s Skidase Tab., and SK Chemicals’ Varidase Tab.