The business club reported on June 27th that “from June to August in previous years, it was originally an off-season. Now that the rating catalog has not yet been set, companies are very confused. The results of the non-availability of the catalogue are completely different, so the downstream preparation companies are waiting to see the mood very seriously. "A person from North China Pharmaceutical told the reporter of the "First Financial Daily".

The "Administrative Measures for the Clinical Application of Antibacterial Drugs (Draft for Solicitation of Comments)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Measures") will be formally implemented on July 1. Since the release of the measures in mid-May, domestic Antibiotic raw material medicine companies have been “into the ice caves”, and most of the varieties have fallen in volume and price, among which cephalosporin-based bulk drug manufacturers suffer the most.

"Pharmaceutical intermediate 7ACA has dropped from 830 yuan/kg at the end of last year to the current 560 yuan/kg." A listed company in Guangdong that produces antibiotics has told China Business News. 7ACA is one of the most important intermediates of cephalosporins and is widely used in the synthesis of ceftriaxone and other antibiotics.

At the recently concluded Chinese API Conference, many manufacturers of antibiotics such as Livzon Group and Federal Pharmaceuticals reported that the effect of strict restrictions on the use of antibiotics has become apparent. At present, the downstream pharmaceutical companies have a wait-and-see mood, resulting in lower prices for raw material drugs. .

Sword refers to antibiotic abuse

The regulations stipulate that the tertiary hospitals must not purchase more than 50 kinds of antimicrobial drugs and the secondary applications must not exceed 35 types.

"The cephalosporins are used too much in the hospital. It is also an anti-infective drug. Analgin and penicillin are much cheaper than cephalosporins, but doctors are reluctant to open it." Mr. Jin, a company manager of cephalosporin antibiotics in Zhejiang, said that due to cephalosporins Drugs are more expensive than other anti-infective drugs, and doctors get more kickbacks, thus occupying a larger share of the market.

According to statistics, anti-infective drugs account for a quarter of China's pharmaceutical market and are the largest category of drugs used and sold, while cephalosporins have the largest proportion of anti-infective drugs and account for about 60% of the market.

"Technically speaking, cephalosporin synthesis is more difficult than penicillin, and its price is higher. It is a commonly used antibiotic. However, special diseases need to rely on antibiotics such as penamins and macrolides, and intermediate positioning of cephalosporins. It seems very embarrassing. In the past two years, cephalosporins have been developed too much too crazy, and the cephalosporins have been used in the first and second or third generations, so the management tends to be strict.” said the relevant person in charge of the China Chemical Network Pharmaceutical and Chemical Research Center.

The Measures also stipulates that medical institutions shall implement anti-microbial drug classification management system, and antibacterial drugs shall be classified into three levels of non-restricted use, restricted use and special use. However, due to the significant impact of the introduction of classified catalogs on sales of antibiotic products, it has not yet been formally issued. Zhou Yan, secretary general of the China Chemical Pharmaceutical Industry Association, also confirmed to reporters yesterday. “We have not yet seen the official version issued.”

However, there are also business people who believe that hierarchical management will cause medical resources to be concentrated in tertiary hospitals, and it is very difficult for patients to obtain certain special antibiotics.

Upstream purchases tend to stagnate

As the classification catalog has not yet been released, the pharmaceutical companies have performed cautiously and the upstream procurement has stalled. This led to the rapid decline in the price of cephalosporins that had already been overcapacity. Cefodizime of Lukichi Pharmaceutical Chemicals Co., Ltd. fell from 4,500 yuan/kg to 4,000 yuan/kg; penicillin drug substances were not spared. The raw material drug of mostilin decreased from 240 yuan/kg at the beginning of the year to 195 yuan/kg, and the 6APA of penicillin intermediate also dropped from 220 yuan/kg to 195 yuan/kg.

"Not only is the price cut, but mainly the sales are hindered, because the preparation plant has been waiting for the policy to be clear and dare not buy raw materials." An employee of a raw material medicine company in Guangdong said that the company is expanding its sales to foreign markets, but because the domestic market is generally not In the boom, companies are seeking overseas access, resulting in low prices in foreign markets.

“The introduction of the management measures, together with the bidding for antibiotics at the beginning of the year and the “low-cost theory,” caused the entire industry to be in a state of stagnation.” A person from a pharmaceutical company in Guangdong said, “Because many companies failed to take the bid, they won the bid. The prices of the enterprises are so low that many small private enterprises have already closed down. As a result, many of our downstream pharmaceutical companies are not able to supply them downstream."

At the same time, domestic antibiotic raw material companies are also competing with old rival India. The above-mentioned Zhejiang company’s Mr. Jin told reporters that there is a species imported from India that costs only 2/3 of the domestic average price. India’s manpower and resource costs are lower than China’s, but the raw materials imported from India are mainly supplied to domestic small ones. Enterprises, the quality is relatively poor.