Samchundang Pharmaceutical Signs Exclusive U.S. Term Sheet for Oral GLP-1 Obesity and Diabetes Treatment

Samchundang Pharmaceutical announced on the 26th that it signed a Term Sheet agreement for the exclusive sales rights in the United States of an oral GLP-1 (semaglutide) obesity and diabetes treatment at DCAT (Global Pharmaceutical Industry Conference) held in New York from the 18th to the 21st.

Samchundang Pharmaceutical had been in discussions with partners in various countries since last year, and finalized the Term Sheet related to exclusive sales in the United States with a global pharmaceutical company based in the U.S. on the 25th of this month after completing key negotiations at this conference. According to the company, their orally developed GLP-1 attracted significant interest from several global pharmaceutical companies at this DCAT event.

A representative from Samchundang Pharmaceutical stated, “This Term Sheet signing reflects the high interest in our patent-avoidance formulation (SNAC Free) of a product that maintains a leading position in the diabetes and obesity treatment market,” adding, “Following the U.S. market, active contract negotiations are underway in Europe, Japan, and emerging markets where obesity and diabetes patients are rapidly increasing.”

Semaglutide is currently the most notable GLP-1 drug in the obesity and diabetes treatment market and is known to the general public as “Wegovy and Ozempic (injectables)” and “Rybelsus tablets (oral).” This ingredient generates over 50 trillion KRW in annual global sales.

The original manufacturer developed oral semaglutide using an absorption enhancer called “SNAC.” By providing an oral product instead of injections to obesity and diabetes patients, it greatly improves patient convenience and has recently become known as a blockbuster product in the global diabetes and obesity treatment market.

A company representative explained, “The original company has completed global registrations, including in the U.S., for numerous formulation patents related to SNAC, establishing market entry barriers until 2039,” adding, “Without developing a patent-avoidance product, market entry aligned with the expiration of substance patents by country is impossible.”

They continued, “Since Samchundang Pharmaceutical succeeded in developing oral semaglutide using its proprietary permeation enhancer based on S-PASS technology, early sales will be possible from 2026 when the substance patent expires, regardless of SNAC-related formulation patents,” and added, “This could be the only opportunity for Samchundang Pharmaceutical to sell generic products in the global market worth 50 trillion KRW for many years.”