Pharmaceutical companies are expanding their business models in the pet care market, moving from nutritional supplements to therapeutic products. By applying their expertise and technology from human drug development to veterinary medicine, the pet care industry is expected to advance significantly.
According to industry sources on June 12, major pharmaceutical companies such as HK Inno.N, Daewoong Pharmaceutical, and Shinpoong Pharmaceutical are leveraging their experience in human drug development to enter the therapeutic market targeting conditions like atopic dermatitis, diabetes, and osteoarthritis.
HK Inno.N has successfully completed Phase 3 clinical trials for its canine atopic dermatitis treatment, IN-115314, a JAK-1 inhibitor, and is currently in the process of obtaining product approval. IN-115314 is the only small molecule drug in South Korea that selectively inhibits Janus kinase-1 (JAK-1), which is involved in inflammatory signaling.
The Phase 3 trial results showed a reduction in pruritus (PVAS) scores from an average of 7.46 before treatment to 2.12 at four weeks, and the skin lesion improvement score (CADESI) decreased from 33.80 to 16.18, demonstrating both efficacy and safety. Previously focused primarily on prescription medications and health and beauty beverages, HK Inno.N is now pursuing entry into the global pet pharmaceutical market, which is valued at 30 trillion won.
Daewoong Pharmaceutical has developed a new diabetes treatment for dogs, EnbloPet, based on its human diabetes drug, Enblo (ingredient: inavogliflozin), and submitted a product approval application at the end of last year. EnbloPet, an SGLT-2 inhibitor, works by expelling glucose from the bloodstream through urine, helping to regulate blood sugar levels. It aims to reduce insulin dependence and mitigate the risk of hypoglycemia while enhancing long-term blood sugar management stability. Daewoong plans to commercialize it in combination with insulin therapy to further improve blood sugar control for dogs.
Additionally, Shinpoong Pharmaceutical has added 'animal medicine' to its business objectives in its first-quarter report this year, unveiling its pipeline for an osteoarthritis treatment device for animals, SP5M004, and a stroke treatment drug for animals, SP1N004. Both products are currently in the preclinical stage (feasibility studies and internal toxicity efficacy tests). SP1N004 shares the same mechanism of action as Shinpoong's candidate synthetic drug, SP-8203, which is under development for human use.
According to a report by Mirae Asset Securities, the pet pharmaceutical market is expected to experience structural growth due to the rise of pet humanization and increased pet lifespans. As pets undergo similar aging processes and chronic diseases as humans, there is a growing unmet demand for treatments for conditions like cancer, diabetes, atopic dermatitis, and osteoarthritis.
The domestic pet industry is projected to grow from 8 trillion won in 2022 to 15 trillion won by 2027. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs forecasts that the domestic pet industry will expand at an average annual growth rate of 14.5%, reaching 15 trillion won by 2027. The global pet pharmaceutical market is also expected to grow from 33 trillion won in 2024 to 112 trillion won by 2037.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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