Kyungdong Pharmaceutical Expands Lineup of Therapeutics for Three Major Chronic Diseases... "Strengthening Foundation for Sustained Growth"

Kyungdong Pharmaceutical is actively expanding its lineup of therapeutics for chronic diseases, a sector experiencing strong growth due to population aging and changing dietary habits.

According to the pharmaceutical industry on October 16, Kyungdong Pharmaceutical is strengthening its market position this year by launching a variety of new therapeutics for the three major chronic diseases: diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. In addition to single-agent drugs, the company is introducing combination therapies tailored to each disease, as well as combination drugs for hypertension and hyperlipidemia, all designed to improve patient convenience and efficacy.

First, leveraging its strong sales network in local clinics and hospitals, Kyungdong Pharmaceutical launched two new type 2 diabetes treatments, Starjinjeong and Starmejinjeong, in the first half of the year. Starjinjeong is a sitagliptin monotherapy, while Starmejinjeong is a combination of sitagliptin and metformin. Following the launch of a linagliptin-based treatment last year, the introduction of sitagliptin-based products further strengthens the company’s position in the DPP-4 (Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4) inhibitor market.

For patients requiring simultaneous treatment for hypertension and hyperlipidemia, Kyungdong Pharmaceutical launched Rotodipinjeong, a dual combination drug that merges the statin class drug rosuvastatin with the calcium channel blocker (CCB) amlodipine. This product, which is particularly convenient for middle-aged and elderly patients who often suffer from both conditions, has been well received since its launch in June, and is considered to have successfully established itself in the market.

By expanding its portfolio centered on chronic disease therapeutics, Kyungdong Pharmaceutical is also reinforcing its foundation for sustained growth and profitability. Despite the overall stagnation in the healthcare market, the company recorded consolidated sales of 95.2 billion KRW and an operating profit of 2 billion KRW in the first half of this year, maintaining its operating surplus since the second quarter of last year.

The company is also accelerating the development of its follow-up pipeline by strengthening research and development in chronic disease therapeutics. In particular, it has developed and applied for approval of Valdipinplusjeong, a triple combination drug that combines three active ingredients effective in treating hypertension. If approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, it is expected to become the first improved new drug in Korea to combine valsartan, amlodipine, and chlorthalidone.

A Kyungdong Pharmaceutical representative stated, "We are strengthening our foundation for continuous growth by expanding our portfolio centered on therapeutics for chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia," adding, "Given the expected strong growth of the chronic disease therapeutics market due to population aging, we will continue to expand our market through active new product launches and enhanced marketing."

Meanwhile, according to global market research firm DataM Intelligence, the global diabetes therapeutics market is expected to grow from approximately 78.1 billion USD (about 111 trillion KRW) last year to 141.7 billion USD (about 201 trillion KRW) by 2032. The hypertension therapeutics market is also projected to increase from approximately 27.8 billion USD (about 39 trillion KRW) in 2025 to 39.9 billion USD (about 57 trillion KRW) by 2035.