MSD’s performance is slowing down in the local market of ezetimibe-active combination drugs for hyperlipidemia treatment, industry data showed Tuesday.

According to data from U-BIST, MSD’s Atozet (ingredients: ezetimibe, atorvastatin) topped the outpatient prescription sales among ezetimibe combo drugs last year. The prescription sales of Atozet surged 80.9 percent to 41 billion won ($38.1 million) in 2017 from 22.6 billion won in the previous year.

However, the U.S.-based company’s sales of another ezetimibe combo Vytorin (ingredients: ezetimibe, simvastatin) plunged 34.6 percent to 32 billion won in 2017, compared with 48.9 billion won in 2016.

Accordingly, MSD’s total sales of ezetimibe combo drugs inched up by only 1.5 billion won to 73 billion won in 2017 from 71.5 billion won in 2016.

MSD is switching its flagship ezetimibe-active drug from simvastatin-class Vytorin to atorvastatin-active Atozet for better efficacy.

While MSD slowed down, local drugmakers made significant leaps.

Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s Rosuzet (ingredients: ezetimibe, rosuvastatin) outpaced MSD’s Atozet in the fourth quarter by posting 10.4 billion won quarterly prescription sales. The annual sales of Rosuzet soared 64.5 percent to 38.6 billion won last year from 23.5 billion won in 2016.

Yuhan Corp.’s Rosuvamibe (ingredients: ezetimibe, rosuvastatin) also achieved a fast growth from 7.1 billion won in 2016 to 21.2 billion won last year. Yooyoung Pharmaceutical’s Pravafenix (ingredients: fenofibrate, pravastatin) sold 12.6 billion won last year, and CJ HealthCare’s Rovazet (ingredients: ezetimibe, rosuvastatin), 11.5 billion won, becoming one of the blockbuster drugs in Korea.

Other ezetimibe combos are nearing the 10 billion won sales mark. Kyungdong Pharmaceutical’s Duoroban (ingredients: ezetimibe, rosuvastatin) and Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s Crezet (ingredients: ezetimibe, rosuvastatin) accomplished a three-digit growth in annual sales, reaching 8.9 billion won and 7.1 billion won outpatient prescriptions, respectively, in 2017.

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