A novel breakthrough influenza treatment Xofluza (baloxavir) by Roche is in a deadlock. Due to COVID-19 pandemic and conditional non-reimbursement status, the flu drug is struggling with the sales dip and marketing. Even before the launch, the drug was expected to easily take over Tamiflu’s market with significantly improved administration convenience, but it only generated maximum 100 million won last year. IQVIA projects the drug’s quarterly sales marked 360,000 won, 1.4 million won, 29 million won and 50 million won in last first quarter through the fourth.

The market experts point out the sales were disappointing last year, presumably because the influenza patient size plummeted last year due to