Jeil’s Beova enters pricing negotiations for reimbursement

Reimbursement eligibility recognized by DREC in April

Set to compete with mirabegron products, including Betmiga

Jeil Pharmaceutical's overactive bladder (OAB) treatment Beova Tab (vibegron) has entered drug price negotiations with the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), bringing the product one step closer to reimbursement listing in Korea.

The product is expected to begin competing in earnest with mirabegron-based therapies, including Betmiga, in the second half of this year.

According to industry sources on June 30, Jeil Pharmaceutical recently entered reimbursement price negotiations with the NHIS for Beova Tab, which passed reimbursement evaluation by the Drug Reimbursement Evaluation Committee (DREC) in April.

At the time, DREC concluded that Beova was eligible for reimbursement for the treatment of ‘urinary urgency, increased urinary frequency, and urge urinary incontinence associated with overactive bladder,’ subject to the manufacturer accepting a price at or below the committee's assessed reimbursement price.

As Jeil Pharmaceutical accepted the pricing condition, negotiations with the NHIS will focus on specifics, including the projected claims amount.

Beova Tab, developed by Japan's Kyorin Pharmaceutical, was launched in Korea by Jeil Pharmaceutical in January 2023 and has remained a non-reimbursed product for the past 3 years. The company applied for reimbursement in December last year and has since been undergoing the reimbursement listing process.

In August last year, Jeil also expanded its market strategy by launching a sister product, ‘Jeil Vibegron Tab,’ through its affiliate Jeil Health Science, positioning the company to increase its market share once reimbursement is granted.

The company is expected to begin targeting the mirabegron market from Q3 this year. Its main competitors will include Astellas Pharma Korea’s Betmiga and Betmiga generics.

According to pharmaceutical market research institution UBIST, Betmiga generated KRW 35 billion in sales last year, up 5% from the previous year. Among generic products, Mirabek from Hanmi Pharmaceutical recorded KRW 17.4 billion in sales, up 7%, while Betagron from Genuone Sciences rose 45% to KRW 6.7 billion, and Selebeta posted approximately 1% growth to KRW 7.6 billion.

Supported by continued growth of both the original product and generic competitors, the Korean mirabegron market has remained robust.

By comparison, Beova Tab recorded production output worth only KRW 860 million in 2024. However, as reimbursement is expected to take effect in the second half of this year, the product is expected to see a substantial increase in sales.

Vibegron has been promoted as offering a mechanism of action similar to mirabegron while being associated with fewer adverse effects. Jeil Pharmaceutical is therefore expected to emphasize this advantage while expanding its presence in the overactive bladder market.