▲ Korea's First Domestic GLP-1 Obesity Drug 'Epe'
'Epe', the first domestically developed GLP-1 receptor agonist obesity treatment by Hanmi Pharmaceutical, becomes available for prescription at select medical institutions starting today (October 29).
Attention is focused on whether Epe, with its initial 4-week supply price set at around 130,000 won—roughly half the price of Mounjaro—can successfully establish itself in the domestic obesity drug market by leveraging its price competitiveness and clinical trial results conducted exclusively on Koreans.
An official from Hanmi Pharmaceutical stated, "Shipments of Epe began on October 22, and prescriptions will take place at select medical institutions starting on October 29," adding, "As the initial volume is not large, it will take some time until supply expands."
Epe is drawing attention as a new challenger entering the domestic obesity drug market, which has effectively solidified a two-player dominant system led by Novo Nordisk's 'Wegovy' and Eli Lilly's 'Mounjaro', which was launched in August of last year following Wegovy.
Hanmi Pharmaceutical aims to increase Epe's market share in the domestic GLP-1 obesity drug market, which has grown to an annual scale of 2 trillion won, and form a three-way competitive structure.
Epe acts on GLP-1 receptors distributed in the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract to suppress appetite and delay gastric emptying, thereby sustaining a feeling of fullness.
It is available in doses of 2mg, 4mg, 6mg, 8mg, and 10mg. Patients start with the 2mg product, gradually increase the dosage, and eventually take the 10mg product in the final stages.
Hanmi Pharmaceutical emphasizes that Epe is a "K-obesity drug."
The company highlights that a domestic firm carried out the entire process from candidate substance discovery to commercialization and secured clinical trial results conducted exclusively on Korean subjects.
According to Hanmi Pharmaceutical, in a phase 3 clinical trial involving 448 Korean obesity patients, the average weight loss rate for the group administered the drug for 40 weeks was 9.75%, with some patients experiencing weight loss of up to 30%.
While Epe is known to have a slightly lower weight loss effect compared to Mounjaro and Wegovy, it is priced more affordably.
According to the pharmaceutical industry, Hanmi Pharmaceutical has set the supply prices for Epe at 24,200 won for 2mg, 40,700 won for 4mg, 57,200 won for 6mg, 69,300 won for 8mg, and 74,800 won for 10mg.
The initial 4-week supply price for Epe is 129,800 won, and the actual cost paid by patients is expected to be slightly higher than this.
Subsequent supply prices are 228,800 won for weeks 5 to 8, 277,200 won for weeks 9 to 12, and 299,200 won for a 4-week administration period after week 13.
The 4-week supply price for Mounjaro based on the lowest dose is about 270,000 won, while Wegovy is around 210,000 won.
Market observers predict that securing price competitiveness and proving weight loss efficacy will determine the success of Epe.
(Photo courtesy of Hanmi Pharmaceutical, Yonhap News)
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