Daewoong Pharmaceutical and Tion Lab Therapeutics are officially launching the development of a monthly injectable treatment for obesity, utilizing their proprietary platform technologies. The two companies aim to begin patient dosing in domestic clinical trials within the year.
The global obesity treatment market is projected to grow at an annual rate of over 30%, potentially reaching $200 billion by 2030. This growth is expected to intensify competition around 'shortened dosing intervals and convenience of administration' in the obesity market.
On May 8, Daewoong Pharmaceutical announced that it has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Tion Lab Therapeutics for the global development and commercialization of a monthly obesity injection. The collaboration combines Tion Lab's Qject Sphere platform with Daewoong's Cure platform to develop a long-acting injectable based on semaglutide.
Qject Sphere is noted for its ability to suppress initial drug release through specialized formulation and microparticle coating. Cure enhances particle homogeneity by manufacturing microspheres of uniform size, achieving consistent and low-variance release rates.
Daewoong Pharmaceutical stated, "The Qject Sphere technology controls the initial release rate, while the Cure technology maintains a stable and consistent release rate over the desired duration. This synergy allows for rapid release suppression and long-term release patterns, while minimizing variability in product quality during mass production."
Currently, Daewoong is also developing an obesity treatment option that utilizes a 'microneedle patch' technology to maintain the efficacy of injections while reducing pain and administration burden. This agreement enables Daewoong to complete a comprehensive treatment strategy in the obesity sector, encompassing oral medications, microneedle patches, and long-acting injectables.
Daewoong Pharmaceutical CEO Park Seong-soo remarked, "This partnership has allowed us to establish a portfolio that ranks among the best in the industry for obesity treatment."
Industry experts predict that if an injectable product can maintain effectiveness while reducing dosing frequency, it could significantly change patient adherence and prescribing patterns.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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