A groundbreaking natural medicine developed with homegrown technology has surpassed 700 billion KRW (about 487 million USD) in cumulative sales.
SK Chemicals announced on Thursday that its osteoarthritis treatment, Joins Tablet, has reached this impressive milestone since its launch.
This achievement marks a first for a domestically developed natural osteoarthritis treatment in South Korea. It’s worth noting that no other medication, even those approved after rigorous clinical trials and development processes, has hit the 700 billion KRW (about 487 million USD) mark in sales.
Joins, Korea’s first approved natural medicine, has been a go-to prescription for osteoarthritis symptom relief since its domestic debut in 2002, spanning over two decades.
The drug’s popularity is evident in its staggering sales figures, with approximately 1.9 billion tablets sold to date. This translates to an average of 80 million tablets prescribed annually. To put this into perspective, considering South Korea’s osteoarthritis patient population of about 4.33 million in 2023, the company estimates this amount could provide over 400 tablets per patient.
The 700 billion KRW (about 487 million USD) milestone comes just two years after Joinus hit 600 billion KRW (about 418 million USD) in cumulative sales in 2024. Annual sales have shown consistent growth. Market research firm UBIST reports that Joinus sales climbed steadily: 45.4 billion KRW (31.6 million USD) in 2021, 47.2 billion KRW (about 33 million USD) in 2022, 48.3 billion KRW (about 34 million USD) in 2023, 53.2 billion KRW (about 37 million USD) in 2024, and 59.5 billion KRW (about 41 million USD) in 2025. Over the past five years, average annual sales reached approximately 50.7 billion KRW (about 35 million USD), reflecting a robust 7% year-over-year growth rate.
SK Chemicals attributes this success to the extensive clinical evidence and real-world prescribing experience that have built trust within the medical community. The company also points to the growing elderly population, which has led to an increase in osteoarthritis patients. This demographic shift aligns well with the long-term use nature of SYSADOA class treatments, contributing to market expansion.
Park Hyun-sun, head of SK Chemicals’ pharmaceutical business, stated that Joins reaching 700 billion KRW (about 487 million USD) in cumulative sales is a testament to 23 years of proven clinical efficacy and physician trust. As its population ages and osteoarthritis becomes more prevalent, they’re committed to enhancing our product strategy for improved patient compliance and strengthening the evidence-based approach to treatment.