In the global obesity treatment market centered on injectable drugs Daewoong PharmaceuticalThe development of this ‘innovative obesity medicine’ is accelerating.
Daewoong Pharmaceutical (CEO Park Seong-soo and Lee Chang-jae) announced on the 19th that it has discovered a ‘dual agonist’ new drug substance that acts on the GLP-1 receptor and GIP receptor and completed the domestic patent application.
The candidate substance for obesity treatment discovered this time is expected to maximize the weight loss effect by enabling ‘appetite suppression’ and ‘fat burning’ at the same time.
GLP-1 and GIP are hormones that play an important role in regulating blood sugar and weight. GLP-1 prevents a rise in blood sugar by promoting insulin secretion from the pancreas, and acts on the brain to suppress appetite and create a feeling of fullness. GIP helps with insulin secretion and at the same time promotes fat energy consumption to aid fat metabolism.
GLP-1 receptor agonists (hereinafter referred to as GLP-1 agonists) are effective in suppressing appetite and reducing weight, but they can slow gastrointestinal motility and cause adverse reactions such as nausea or vomiting. On the other hand, GIP receptor agonists (hereinafter referred to as GIP agonists) have little effect on gastrointestinal motility and can alleviate these adverse reactions when combined with GLP-1 agonists. In addition, the weight loss effect can be further enhanced by promoting insulin secretion and promoting metabolism by using fat cells as an energy source.
Daewoong Pharmaceutical plans to overcome the limitations of existing treatments by developing an ‘oral dual agent’ made of small molecules while simultaneously stimulating the GLP-1 receptor and GIP receptor.
First, the advantage of developing small molecule-based drugs is that they are easier to produce and less expensive than polymer-based drugs. In addition, it is well absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and can be developed into an oral medication, making it suitable for the initial treatment and long-term maintenance therapy of obesity. It can be taken regardless of meals, so it is expected to contribute to increasing patient convenience and treatment continuity.
Crucially, Daewoong Pharmaceutical is developing an obesity treatment in the form of an oral medication, i.e. a pill, rather than an injection, and expects to increase not only patient convenience but also compliance and satisfaction.
Currently, in the obesity treatment market, incretin-based drugs such as ‘semaglutide’, a GLP-1 agonist, and ‘terzepatide’, a GLP-1 and GIP agonist, are attracting attention, but it is difficult to expect sufficient effect when taken orally. All are in the form of injections.
As a result, patients not only experience the discomfort and pain of regular injections, but also fatigue and psychological burden from injection treatment, which can reduce treatment compliance. For this reason, the need for ‘oral drugs’ that can greatly increase patient satisfaction and compliance with treatment is being emphasized.
Daewoong Pharmaceutical will be able to protect its new drug candidate through this material patent application, and will also actively pursue international patent applications and commercialization. In addition, we plan to conduct additional research, including primate efficacy testing, while also actively pursuing partnership negotiations, considering various collaboration possibilities such as joint development and out-licensing.
Park Seong-soo, CEO of Daewoong Pharmaceutical, said, “With this new drug substance patent, Daewoong Pharmaceutical has established a solid competitive edge in the global obesity treatment market.” He added, “We will continue to devote ourselves to research and development to provide innovative and sustainable obesity treatment solutions to the public.” “It is,” he said.
An Oral Formulation of the Drug
Questions for the Guests:
1. Can you provide an overview of the current state of the global obesity treatment market and the limitations of existing treatments?
2. How does the newly discovered dual agonist drug substance from Daewoong Pharmaceutical differ from existing treatments, and what are its potential benefits?
3. Can you discuss the challenges Daewoong Pharmaceutical faces in developing an oral form of the drug given the prevalence of injectable treatments in the market?
4. What are some of the potential advantages of an oral medication for obesity treatment, both for patients and the healthcare system as a whole?
5. How does the company plan to protect its intellectual property and commercialize the new drug substance?
6. Can you give us an idea of when we might see this new drug on the market and what it could mean for the future of obesity treatment?
Section 1: Introduction and Overview of Obesity Treatment Market
- Guest 1: Could you give us a brief overview of the current state of the global obesity treatment market? What challenges do pharmaceutical companies face in developing effective treatments for obesity?
– Guest 2: Absolutely. Obesity is a growing public health concern, and the market for obesity treatments is increasing in response. However, existing treatments have limitations, particularly in terms of side effects and patient compliance. Can you talk about some of these limitations?
Section 2: Discovery of Dual Agonist Drug Substance
– Guest 1: Can you discuss the new dual agonist drug substance discovered by Daewoong Pharmaceutical? How does it work, and what makes it unique compared to existing treatments?
– Guest 2: That’s a great question. This substance targets both GLP-1 and GIP receptors, which are hormones that play a crucial role in regulating blood sugar and weight. By targeting both receptors at once, it may be more effective in reducing weight and controlling appetite. Plus, it’s in the form of a small molecule, making it easier to produce and potentially more cost-effective.
Section 3: Developing
