Hanmi Pharmaceutical announced on July 3 that Im Ho-taek, Head of its Drug Innovation Center, has been selected as a recipient of the Korea Engineer Award. The award ceremony took place on June 23 at the Orchid Hall of the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul.
The Korea Engineer Award is organized by the Ministry of Science and ICT and administered by the Korea Industrial Technology Association. It is presented to engineers who have contributed to technological innovation in the industrial sector.
Im Ho-taek was recognized for his nearly 20 years of dedication to pharmaceutical research and development, particularly for his work in developing combination and improved drugs that enhance patient convenience and safety.
On the same day, Hanmi Pharmaceutical received an award and trophy for its research achievements in developing key combination and improved drugs, including Amlozartan and Esomezol.
Hanmi Pharmaceutical has focused on strengthening its R&D capabilities centered on its own developed new drugs and improved combination drugs. The Amlozartan product line has maintained the top market share in South Korea's hypertension treatment market from 2020 to 2024, achieving prescription sales of 145.4 billion won in 2025. The obesity treatment drug, Epeglanatide, is set to launch in the second half of this year.
Additionally, the Esomezol product line, including Esomezol Dial and Esomezol Plus, has improved efficacy duration and onset characteristics for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease, achieving the highest prescription performance in the domestic market from 2021 to 2024.
Im Ho-taek stated, "Reducing the burden of medication while enhancing therapeutic efficacy is the essence of formulation research. We will continue to drive patient-centered R&D innovation to contribute to public health improvement and enhance global competitiveness."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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