HK Inno.N is continuing to achieve record performance with its gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment K-Cap (ingredient name: Tegoprazan) while accelerating the development of obesity treatments as a new growth driver. The company aims to expand K-Cap's presence in international markets and advance its obesity treatment pipeline, positioning itself for the next generation of blockbuster drugs.
According to a report from the Financial Supervisory Service on July 3, HK Inno.N recorded sales of 1.0632 trillion won and an operating profit of 110.9 billion won last year. These figures represent increases of 18.5% and 25.7%, respectively, marking the highest performance since the company's founding. The sales from its prescription drug (ETC) business accounted for over 90% of total revenue, reaching 985.4 billion won.
At the heart of this success is K-Cap, a domestically developed drug that belongs to the potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB) class. K-Cap has gained market share by offering faster onset of action compared to traditional proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and can be taken regardless of meal times.
Since its domestic launch in 2019, K-Cap's prescriptions have rapidly increased, establishing it as the company's flagship product. Last year's sales reached 195.7 billion won, up approximately 16% from 168.9 billion won the previous year. K-Cap has secured five indications, including erosive esophagitis, non-erosive esophagitis, gastric ulcers, Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy, and maintenance therapy (limited to 25 mg). The company has also completed Phase 3 clinical trials for an additional indication to prevent NSAID-induced ulcers.
HK Inno.N is also accelerating its efforts to penetrate international markets. In the United States, its partner, Sebela Pharmaceuticals, has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is currently under review. The outcome of the FDA's decision later this year is expected to be a pivotal moment for K-Cap's global expansion.
Following K-Cap, HK Inno.N has identified obesity treatments as its next growth focus. The most rapidly developing pipeline is Ecknoglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analog acquired from China's Saiwind Biosciences. This weekly injectable treatment is currently undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials in South Korea for patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
According to HK Inno.N, the clinical trials will assess weight loss effects, blood sugar-related indicators, waist circumference, and other metabolic markers, while also evaluating safety and tolerability. Ecknoglutide has previously demonstrated safety and tolerability across various dosages in clinical trials conducted in Australia and China involving diverse ethnic groups and patient populations.
The company plans to develop Ecknoglutide into its next blockbuster product, following the success of K-Cap. HK Inno.N CEO Kwak Dal-won stated at the time of acquisition, "Based on our experience in successfully launching K-Cap as a blockbuster, we aim to develop Ecknoglutide into a product that generates over 100 billion won in annual sales in the domestic obesity treatment market."
An HK Inno.N representative said, "We plan to provide new treatment options for domestic patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes through the approval process following domestic clinical trials."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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