New P-CAB Drug Released... Jeil Pharm's 'Jakyubo' Launches on the 1st of Next Month

Jeil Pharmaceutical announced on the 30th that it will launch the new drug for gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment, Jacubojeong, on the 1st of next month. This is the first time since its founding in 1959 that Jeil Pharmaceutical is releasing a newly developed drug on its own.

Jeil Pharmaceutical's gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment 'Jacubo'
[Photo by Jeil Pharmaceutical]

Jacubo is a gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment drug in the potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB) class, approved as Korea's 37th new drug in April by Onconic Therapeutics, a subsidiary of Jeil Pharmaceutical. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's announcement on the 25th, health insurance coverage for erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment will begin on the 1st of next month. The insurance price has been set at 911 KRW per tablet.

Jacubo is recognized as an innovative product that overcomes the limitations of existing proton pump inhibitor (PPI) class gastroesophageal reflux disease treatments, based on its rapid onset of action and long duration. In a Phase 3 clinical trial targeting patients with erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease, it was the first domestic P-CAB drug to be published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology (AJG), the world's most prestigious journal in gastroenterology, confirming the product's excellence.

PPIs have been used steadily for over 30 years to treat acid-related diseases but have faced ongoing issues such as slow onset and breakthrough acid secretion at night. In particular, they require activation by stomach acid, necessitating administration on an empty stomach in the morning or before meals, which is inconvenient. In contrast, P-CAB drugs like Jacubo competitively block acid secretion by interfering with the binding of potassium ions to the proton pump that secretes stomach acid. This allows for immediate efficacy. Specifically, while PPIs take 4 to 5 days to reach maximum effect, Jacubo shows effects immediately upon administration and provides continuous acid suppression due to its long half-life, making it more effective for nighttime heartburn symptoms. Additionally, since it does not require activation by acid, it can be taken regardless of meals, greatly enhancing patient convenience.

Domestic sales will be jointly handled by Jeil Pharmaceutical and Dong-A ST. The company stated, "We are the two major players in the domestic gastroenterology market" and added, "We will jointly conduct sales and marketing activities targeting all hospitals and clinics nationwide." Jeil Pharmaceutical already held a Plan of Action (POA) meeting last month attended by about 400 domestic sales and marketing employees, and since the 24th, it has been conducting launch symposiums in major cities nationwide including Seoul, Daegu, Daejeon, Busan, and Gwangju, actively promoting marketing activities following the product launch.

A representative from Jeil Pharmaceutical said, "Jacubo is a valuable result achieved through long-term investment of significant human and material resources by Jeil Pharmaceutical’s new drug development subsidiary, Onconic Therapeutics," and added, "As the market share of P-CAB formulations in the peptic ulcer drug market is rapidly increasing, we expect Jacubo to quickly establish itself in the market and enhance its influence as a new treatment option.”