'Foundayo', an edible obesity drug, approved in China... Expected to be released in Korea next year
Eli Lilly obtains approval for oral obesity medication ‘Muyuda’ in China
Quick Look
- The competition for GLP-1 type obesity drugs is expanding from injectable to oral.
- Eli Lilly has received approval for the oral obesity medicine 'Muyuda' in China, and Novo Nordisk is also seeking approval for 'Wegobi Pill' in China.
- In Korea, two companies have applied for product approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and an edible obesity pill is expected to be released in Korea as early as next year.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Demand for GLP-1 type obesity drugs is rapidly increasing worldwide, and competition is expanding from existing injectable treatments to oral treatments. Maunjaro, Wigobee, and Epee released in Korea are all injection types.
The competition for obesity in the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) series, whose demand has surged worldwide, is spreading from injectable treatments to oral treatments in the form of ingestion.
Among the GLP-1 type obesity drugs called 'miracle diet pills', Eli Lilly's 'Maunjaro' released in Korea, 'Wegobi' developed by Novo Nordisk, and 'Epee', a product of Hanmi Pharmaceutical [128940], are all injectable once a week.
Accordingly, global pharmaceutical companies are developing oral obesity drugs with high ease of administration and gradually expanding the scope of product approval.
According to the Korea Biotechnology Industry Association on the 13th, Eli Lilly announced the day before that China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) had approved 'Muyuda', an oral obesity treatment containing orfoglyphrone.
Orfoglyphrone is a substance introduced by Eli Lilly from Chugai Pharmaceutical in Japan, and is sold under the name ‘Foundayo’ in the United States.
Lilly has completed a global phase 3 clinical trial of orfoglyphrone in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes, and it is reported that Chinese patients participated in 6 out of 8 studies.
The Bio Association said, “Orfogliprone is the first oral GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for weight management in adults in China,” and added, “The NMPA is reviewing the indication for adult type 2 diabetes.”
He went on to say, “With the Chinese approval of the oral anti-obesity drug, Lilly has further expanded the market scope of this drug,” and explained that orfoglyphrone has also been approved in the United States, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United Kingdom.
Novo Nordisk is also seeking approval in China for its oral obesity medication, ‘Wegobi Pill’. In the U.S., the WeGoBee Peel was released before the Foundayo.
The competition for oral obesity drugs is taking place in Korea as well.
It is reported that Novo Nordisk and Lilly have applied to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for product approval for WeGobee Pill and Foundayo, respectively.
Lilly Korea is also pursuing a phase 3 domestic clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Foundayo in overweight people.
The pharmaceutical industry predicts that an edible obesity pill will be released in Korea as early as next year.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Oral obesity medication to be released in Korea as early as next year
Likely · Within months
Novo Nordisk's Hugobee Pill to be approved in China
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- Exact release schedule for oral obesity medication in Korea
- Domestic prices and insurance coverage of oral obesity medications
- Novo Nordisk's expected schedule for approval of Hugobi Phil in China
