Since the launch of the new government, the shingles vaccine market, called "a vaccine that is filial to parents," has been fluctuating. This is why global pharmaceutical companies are expected to release blockbuster vaccines in Korea in the second half of the year at a time when shingles are widely expected to be included in the NIP.

According to the pharmaceutical industry and the medical community on the 20th, President Yoon Seok-yeol made a campaign pledge to "free vaccination of shingles vaccine over 65" when he was a candidate, drawing keen attention to whether it will be implemented

Currently, the shingles vaccines distributed in Korea are SK Bioscience's Sky Zoster and MSD's Zostavax. On top of that, GSK's Singrix, which was approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in September last year as a potential competitor, is scheduled to be released in the second half of the year.

The vaccines of SK Bioscience and MSD, which are currently used on the market, are live vaccines that are inoculated once to those aged 50 or older, and the prevention effect is more than 60%. Sky Zoster is prescribed at hospitals and clinics at a price of around 100,000 won and Zostavax at around 100,000 won.

If President Yoon Seok-yeol fulfills his pledge, chances are high that these shingles vaccines will be included in the NIP.

With sales of shingles vaccines plunging due to COVID-19 over the past two years, the inclusion of NIP acts as a good news for these pharmaceutical companies. This is because if these shingles vaccines are included in the NIP, they can recover their fallen sales.

Related companies are paying attention to whether to include the shingles vaccine NIP. According to drug research agency IQVIA, Sales of Sky Zoster and Zostavax last year fell to 18.2 billion won and 27 billion won, respectively, compared to the previous year. Sales in 2020 were 29.1 billion won and 43.2 billion won, respectively, with sales of both items falling 38% in common.

"As President Yoon Seok-yeol announced that he would include shingles vaccine in NIP as a pledge at the time of the election, related companies such as SK Bioscience have no choice but to expect it to be another breakthrough at a time when clinical results are scheduled to be released in the second half."

As GSK's shingles vaccine Shingrix is confirmed to be released in Korea in the second half of the year, the atmosphere in the hospital and hospital markets is expected to heat up even more. In the case of Shingrix, the prevention effect is more than 90%, which is excellent compared to the existing vaccine. It is an inactivated vaccine, so it needs to be injected twice, and it is expected to be more expensive than the existing vaccine. Since it is called a "good-for-nothing vaccine," it is interpreted that the fact that it is rather "high-priced" may serve as a competitiveness in the medical field.

Director A of otolaryngology in Gyeonggi-do, an executive of the otolaryngology association, said, "Current clinical studies show that Shingrix has an outstanding preventive effect compared to existing vaccines," adding, "Personally, I've been waiting for Shingrix and a really good vaccine has been released. Thanks to the marketing of the filial piety vaccine, it can work positively for patients. GSK is in last-minute consultations with domestic pharmaceutical companies over sales and marketing ahead of the launch of Shingrix.

The pharmaceutical industry predicts that domestic sales and marketing partners will be "GC Pharma," but related companies say that it has not been decided. Another domestic company official said, "With Shingrix joining Sky Zoster and Zostavax in the second half of the year, whether to apply NIP will act as another variable in the market," adding, "If the introduction of shingles NIP becomes a reality, it could act as another competitiveness for existing items."