From Weekly Injections to Topical Medications... Domestic Pharmaceutical Companies' 'Obesity Treatment Drug' Boom

GLP-1 Drug Development Continues Successively

Domestic pharmaceutical companies are increasingly entering the development of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) treatments, which have gained fame as 'obesity drugs.'

According to the industry on the 7th, Daewoong Pharmaceutical announced the development of a micro-needle patch-type obesity treatment containing a GLP-1 analog the day before. Specifically, the plan is to start Phase 1 clinical trials of the micro-needle patch obesity treatment early next year and commercialize it by 2028. Most existing GLP-1 class drugs have been developed in injectable forms, causing inconvenience for patients during administration. Daewoong aims to enhance patient convenience by offering a patch formulation that only needs to be applied once a week. Daewon Pharmaceutical, earlier in August, completed the submission of the clinical trial plan (IND) for Phase 1 of the patch-type obesity drug 'DW-1022,' developed in collaboration with Lapas. Both companies' obesity treatments are expected to be developed as patch-type therapies based on Novo Nordisk's 'Wegovy' (active ingredient semaglutide) class.

The GLP-1 class treatments that pharmaceutical companies are rushing to develop were initially created as therapies for type 2 diabetes. Originally developed to promote insulin secretion and lower blood sugar levels in diabetic patients, research revealed that they also suppress appetite and reduce body weight, drawing attention as obesity treatments.

GLP-1 refers to an incretin hormone secreted from the small intestine when food is consumed or blood sugar rises. The treatments currently under development utilize GLP-1 analogs. These analogs extend the half-life of GLP-1, which suppresses appetite while slowing gastrointestinal peristalsis, allowing food to remain longer in the intestines. Because food stays longer, patients experience prolonged satiety. GLP-1 is also known to affect brain regions that regulate appetite and fullness.

In the global market, Novo Nordisk's 'Saxenda' (active ingredient liraglutide), Wegovy, and Eli Lilly's 'Mounjaro' (active ingredient tirzepatide) are representative GLP-1 obesity treatments. In South Korea, only Saxenda is currently sold, while Wegovy and Mounjaro are considering domestic launches.

Among domestic pharmaceutical companies, some are closer to launching obesity drugs. Hanmi Pharmaceutical received approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 23rd of last month for the Phase 3 clinical trial plan of 'Epeglenatide' (development code HM11260C), a once-weekly GLP-1 obesity treatment tailored for Koreans. Epeglenatide also acts as a GLP-1 analog that helps insulin secretion and appetite suppression in the body and requires only a once-weekly injection. Among globally marketed obesity treatments, Saxenda is administered once daily, while Wegovy and Mounjaro are administered once weekly. Hanmi Pharmaceutical plans to rapidly commercialize Epeglenatide as a 'GLP-1 obesity treatment optimized for Koreans,' targeting domestic commercialization within three years.

The current GLP-1 obesity treatment development boom is influenced by the global popularity of treatments from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, which are experiencing worldwide shortages. Obesity drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro are in high demand, leading to insufficient supply in the global market, and even diabetes treatments with the same mechanism are reportedly facing supply difficulties domestically.

If domestic pharmaceutical companies succeed in developing and launching obesity treatments, it is expected to help alleviate this supply imbalance to some extent. Hanmi Pharmaceutical explained, "Epeglenatide will be produced at Hanmi Pharmaceutical's dedicated biopharmaceutical factory, the 'Pyeongtaek Smart Plant.' This will enable stable supply and more economical costs compared to imported products currently experiencing shortages."

Meanwhile, the global obesity treatment market continues to grow, led by Novo Nordisk. According to the Korea Bio Association's Bioeconomy Research Center, the global obesity treatment market is expected to more than double in one year, from 22.8 billion kroner (approximately 4.33 trillion KRW) last year to 53.3 billion kroner (approximately 10.12 trillion KRW) this year. Novo Nordisk, which currently leads the obesity treatment market, recorded cumulative sales of 58.731 billion kroner (approximately 11.1618 trillion KRW) in the first to third quarters of this year, a 29% increase compared to the same period last year.