Sasha Semientchuk, Novo Nordisk Pharma CEO
"Asia's Highest Obesity Rate Country... Large Unmet Demand"
Global Supply Shortage... "Cannot Easily Expand to More Countries"
Controversy Over 'Injection Needles' "Many Inaccurate Facts"
The Korean branch of Novo Nordisk, whose obesity treatment drug Wegovy is gaining global popularity, stated that "Korea has the highest obesity rate in Asia" and that "it holds a high priority in the launch order," expressing their intention to expedite the launch.
John MacDonald, Vice President of Global Business Development and M&A at Novo Nordisk, Sasha Semientchuk, CEO of Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals, and Amit Kakar, CEO of Novo Holdings Asia (from left), are speaking at a press conference held on the afternoon of the 4th in Seocho-gu, Seoul. [Photo by Lee Chun-hee]
Sasha Semientchuk, CEO of Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals, said at a press conference held on the afternoon of the 4th in Seocho-gu, Seoul, in response to a question about whether "Korea is falling behind in the launch order of Wegovy," "On the contrary," adding, "We expect a rapid launch of the new drug in Korea."
CEO Semientchuk explained the launch strategy, saying, "Currently, Wegovy has been launched in only a few countries worldwide," and "We want to approach the global launch cautiously to ensure patient safety and continuity of treatment." Given the current global supply shortage of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) class obesity treatments such as Wegovy, it is not easy to increase the number of launch countries.
Nevertheless, he emphasized that Korea holds a high priority globally among countries where the drug has not yet been launched. He explained the background by saying, "Unfortunately, Korea's obesity rate is the highest in Asia at 38%," and "I believe there is a significant unmet need among Korean patients." However, he did not mention specific launch plans.
Novo Nordisk's GLP-1 class treatment 'Wegovy (active ingredient Semaglutide)' [Photo by Novo Nordisk]
CEO Semientchuk also paid attention to the current status of obesity treatment drug development in Korea, where companies such as Hanmi Pharmaceutical and Yuhan Corporation are active, and hinted at expectations for competition or collaboration. He said, "In a situation where obese patients need more solutions, the innovation happening in Korea is fascinating," adding, "What matters in the pharmaceutical industry is helping patients through innovation, so research and development on not only GLP-1 but also other obesity treatments is a good thing for both Novo Nordisk and Korea."
He continued, "That is why we held a partnering day like today," and said they are ready to engage in various collaborations, including with Korean companies in the digital healthcare field. Currently, Novo Nordisk is collaborating by supplying smart insulin pens related to Pasta, a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)-based blood sugar management solution developed by Kakao Healthcare. CEO Semientchuk emphasized, "Chronic diseases cannot be solved by medication alone," adding, "They also arise from lifestyle habits and require a lot of support in treatment, so through synergy with innovative new drugs, 1 plus 1 can result in 3 instead of 2." Accordingly, he said, "Korea's AI and digital healthcare environment is growing the fastest and is very exciting globally," and "We look forward to collaborations that enhance everyday life."
Meanwhile, regarding suspicions about the background of the supply suspension of the injection needle 'Novofine Plus' raised by the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) that day, he drew a clear line. The KFTC's position is that Novo Nordisk abused its dominant position by suspending the supply of injection needles to Korea as the sales volume of the diabetes treatment drug Ozempic surged. In contrast, CEO Semientchuk said, "The KFTC's final judgment has not yet been made, and there are inaccuracies in the information known," adding, "We are continuing discussions with the KFTC."
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