Daewoong Pharmaceutical is pursuing development of a “dream obesity drug” that can treat obesity with a once-monthly injection based on its long-acting drug technology. The company has already entered clinical development, targeting first dosing within this year.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical announced on the 8th that it has signed a strategic alliance agreement with the domestic biotech company TionLab Therapeutics for global development and commercialization of a once-monthly long-acting semaglutide injection for obesity treatment. The aim is to secure competitiveness in the global obesity treatment market by combining TionLab Therapeutics’ long-acting drug delivery platform technology (Quject Sphere) with Daewoong’s capabilities in drug development, clinical trials, and commercialization. It is also an open innovation model in which a major pharmaceutical company and a biotech startup complement each other and pursue joint growth.

Specifically, Daewoong Pharmaceutical and TionLab Therapeutics aim to complete a once-monthly long-acting semaglutide injection by combining their respective platform technologies. TionLab Therapeutics is a biotech company specializing in drug delivery systems (DDS) that effectively deliver drugs within the body. It owns the long-acting drug delivery platform “Quject Sphere,” which prolongs pharmacological effects, and the targeted drug delivery platform “Quject lipid nanoparticle (LNP),” which delivers drugs in a concentrated manner to desired sites.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical has the drug delivery platform “CURE,” which creates uniform, fine drug particles (microspheres) to keep drugs in the body for extended periods and enable prolonged sustained release.

Under the agreement, Daewoong’s CURE technology and TionLab Therapeutics’ Quject Sphere technology are to be combined. Quject Sphere is a system that maximizes duration of effect by using polymers, which are high-molecular-weight materials that gradually degrade in the body. In simple terms, the polymer encapsulates the drug and is administered into the body; as the polymer slowly degrades, the drug effect is maintained for a long time.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical explained that the two platforms will each play different roles. CURE increases particle uniformity to achieve a continuous and low-variability drug release rate, while Quject Sphere suppresses initial drug release. The company said the two platform technologies can generate synergy through complementary action in terms of efficacy and stabilization of duration of effect.

Through this, the company expects to reduce the number of annual injections from 52 under the current once-weekly regimen to 12, significantly improving patient convenience and medication adherence. In particular, obesity is a chronic disease that requires long-term management, and in addition to treatment efficacy, dosing convenience and the feasibility of continued administration are key; Daewoong emphasized that this formulation innovation could become a meaningful alternative in the market.
Daewoong Pharmaceutical, which is leading the clinical development of the project, stated that it has already completed preparations to accelerate development of the treatment. It finished submitting a domestic investigational new drug (IND) application last month and is targeting first patient dosing within this year.

A Daewoong Pharmaceutical official said, “Based on our experience in conducting global clinical trials and our development strategy grounded in pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD), we will increase the probability of success from the Phase 1 trial stage,” adding, “We plan to develop this into a competitive long-acting obesity treatment in the global market.”

This agreement is intended not as a simple financial investment but to strengthen the practical execution and continuity of cooperation, with the two companies planning to maintain close collaboration across all stages from development through commercialization.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical intends to significantly strengthen its portfolio in the obesity treatment segment through this agreement. From oral formulations to microneedle patches and now long-acting injections, the company plans to complete a treatment strategy that encompasses various options by diversifying its obesity treatment pipeline.

The global obesity treatment market is recording robust growth of more than 30% per year. Some forecasts suggest it could reach up to USD 200 billion (about KRW 294 trillion) by 2030. In this context, a once-monthly long-acting formulation is regarded as an area of unmet need not yet available on the market, and early entry is expected to make it easier to secure a competitive edge.

Park Sung-soo, CEO of Daewoong Pharmaceutical, said, “Through this agreement, we have completed a portfolio of the highest industry standard in the obesity treatment field,” adding, “Based on our global clinical and manufacturing capabilities, we will provide convenient and effective treatment options to patients around the world.”

Popular News