A Leading Asian Pharmaceutical Company Launches GLP-1 Microneedle

A Leading Asian Pharmaceutical Company Launches GLP-1 Microneedle

While traditional injectable drugs reliably deliver medications into the body, they often come with pain and require hospital visits. In contrast, microneedles, made up of tiny needle heads, eliminate the fear of injections, reduce the need for hospital visits, and significantly improve patient adherence. Despite many companies working on microneedle drug delivery systems, there has yet to be a successful commercialized example. So far, available microneedle products are limited to cosmetic patches.

Daewoong Therapeutics, a subsidiary of South Korea's Daewoong Pharmaceutical, has developed an innovative microneedle platform called CLOPAM®. This platform enhances drug uniformity and stability using aerodynamic processes and sealed packaging. It addresses issues like contamination and inconsistency found in previous microneedle technologies.

The CLOPAM® microneedle patch is 1 cm² in size and contains around 100 microneedles that dissolve upon penetrating the skin to release the drug. CLOPAM® has secured six international patent applications and 23 domestic patents (five of which have been registered) and is considered a key technology for Daewoong's future.

Daewoong Therapeutics is actively developing microneedle treatments for diabetes and obesity using GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide and somaglutide, and also for neurological conditions using botulinum toxin.

Obesity/Metabolic Portfolio Road Map

Recently, the company received approval from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to conduct a Phase I clinical trial for a human growth hormone microneedle patch, marking Korea's first dissolvable microneedle product.

(It's worth mentioning that China’s Xinjie Pharmaceutical is also developing microneedle drugs and has received approval to conduct formal clinical trials, marking the nation's first approval for a drug microneedle patch).

Beyond microneedle technology, Daewoong is also showcasing a long-acting semaglutide injection for obesity treatment. This monthly injection slowly releases semaglutide, maintaining therapeutic levels for 30 days.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical has already launched innovative new drugs like Fexuprazan (a potassium-competitive acid blocker) in collaboration with Yangtze River Pharmaceutical for NDA submission in China, and Enavogliflozin (including a combination formulation with metformin). Other drugs in development include the anti-fibrotic drug Bersiporocin (in partnership with CS Pharmaceuticals for the Greater China region), the colonoscopy prep drug DWRX1010, and DWRX2008, a first-in-class eye drop targeting the posterior segment of the eye with SGLT-2 inhibition.

https://www.daewoong.co.kr/en/rnd/project

History of Daewoong Pharma

As one of Korea’s top four pharmaceutical companies, Daewoong Group was founded in 1945 and listed on the Korean stock exchange in 1973. From its inception, Daewoong has aimed to be a global healthcare group focused on improving consumers' quality of life, offering comprehensive healthcare solutions worldwide.

The Daewoong Group comprises 35 subsidiaries in the healthcare industry, five R&D centers, and eight offices across Asia and the U.S., with production facilities in eight global locations. Its business spans pharmaceuticals, active ingredients, healthcare products, innovative drug R&D, pet medications, medical platforms, medical devices, and drug information services. Its four core areas include pharmaceuticals, medical information and services, medical devices, and aesthetic medicine.

In addition, HanAll Biopharma Co., Ltd., previously partnered with Harbour BioMed, is another Daewoong subsidiary. They have submitted a new drug application in China for batoclimab injection (HBM9161), a human FcRn antibody being co-developed with CSPC Pharmaceutical Group.