With sales nearing $22 million, 'Jublia,' a remedy for nail fungus, has emerged as a lucrative venture for Dong-A ST. With successive releases slated until September, the market anticipates the entry of its follow-up products. Following the March debut of Daewoong Pharmaceutical's 'Jufly,' products from Genuone Sciences, Union Korea Pharm, and Korea Pharma are set to vie for market share, totaling approximately ten offerings.

According to industry insiders on April 19th, companies such as Genuone Science, ChongKunDang, JW Pharmaceutical, and The U Pharmaceuticals have commenced sales operations this April with their versions of itraconazole nail lacquer, serving as successors to Dong-A ST's 'Jublia,' manufactured by Genuone Science. Notably, The U Pharmaceuticals is marketing products approved by Genupharma.

Introduced in South Korea by Dong-A ST in 2017 under a licensing agreement, Jublia, developed by Japan's Kaken Pharmaceutical in 2014, revolutionized nail fungus treatment by offering a topical alternative to oral medications, significantly enhancing treatment accessibility. It not only mitigated the risk of liver toxicity and drug interactions associated with oral intake but also boasted competitive pricing relative to other markets like the United States. Its broad applicability across medical specialties, including dermatology and family medicine, contributed to its stellar performance, with sales exceeding $21 million last year, establishing itself as a flagship product for the company.

Initially, Jublia held a patent for a stabilized efinaconazole formulation, slated to expire in 2034. However, starting from February 2023, several companies, including Daewoong Pharmaceutical, initiated passive scope confirmation trials to circumvent the product patent. From November 2023, all companies except Jeil Pharmaceutical and CMG Pharm received a ruling of 'claim establishment,' indicating successful patent evasion through the scope confirmation trials.

In March, Daewoong Pharmaceutical entered the market with its inaugural follow-up product of the year, 'Jufly,' which garnered approval. However, reports suggest that the product is yet to achieve full distribution to distributors and other channels. Amidst this, the Genuone Group made its market debut in April, introducing products approved through Genuone’s contract manufacturing. Additionally, DongKoo Bio & Pharm and AusKorea Pharm are also poised to launch their products sometime this April.

The potential entry of products from companies like Mother’s Pharm, Vivizon Pharm, and PharmGen Science, as well as subcontracted products from Korea Pharma, in September signals the establishment of a fully-fledged multi-party sales structure in the market. As prescriptions for Jublia continue to be filled across various locations, competition may intensify, potentially leading to price reductions due to non-reimbursement, thus enabling targeting of diverse medical specialties such as internal medicine and family medicine.

With each subsequent product approval, anticipation mounts regarding how Jublia's follow-up products will sustain their competitiveness in the market, armed with unique strategies.