The event will take place at 2:00 p.m. on the 9th of next month at KG Tower in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, under the theme “K-Bio: Solutions for Global Success Through Innovation.” It has been organized to examine the success strategies of companies leading the global market and to share insights on the growth direction of the domestic bioindustry and investment opportunities. The event is hosted by Edaily and sponsored by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association, the Korea Bio Association, and KIWOOM Securities.
At the event, Kim Na-young, Vice President of HanmiPharm, is scheduled to speak on the topic “Growth Roadmap Based on Case Studies of Innovative Technologies.”
In her presentation, Vice President Kim plans to introduce HanmiPharm’s business strategy for obesity and metabolic diseases. A particular focus will be on efpeglenatide, which is slated for domestic launch in the second half of the year. Efpeglenatide is a once-weekly GLP-1-based obesity treatment that utilizes HanmiPharm’s proprietary long-acting platform, “LAPSCOVERY.” It is also the first pipeline set to enter the market under HanmiPharm’s “H.O.P. (Hanmi Obesity Pipeline) Project,” which the company is developing to cover the entire obesity lifecycle—from treatment to post-weight-loss management.
In a Phase 3 clinical trial involving Korean obesity patients, efpeglenatide achieved an average weight loss of 9.75% after 40 weeks of treatment. The placebo group saw a weight loss of only 0.95%, and 79.4% of patients in the efpeglenatide group achieved a weight loss of 5% or more. Following the release of Phase 3 topline results last October, HanmiPharm has completed its application for domestic marketing authorization. The drug has also been designated for the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s Global Innovative Product Fast Track (GIFT) program, and the company aims to launch it in the second half of this year.
Epfeglenatide is particularly significant because it is not an imported obesity treatment developed overseas, but rather a drug that HanmiPharm has developed based on its own platform and is pursuing commercialization. As GLP-1 therapies from global pharmaceutical companies rapidly expand the domestic obesity treatment market, HanmiPharm is highlighting its differentiation through efficacy and safety tailored to the characteristics of Asian patients, including Koreans, as well as competitive supply capabilities enabled by in-house production.
Meanwhile, the commercialization of efeglenatide also marks the starting point for HanmiPharm’s obesity business. Following efeglenatide, the company is sequentially developing the GLP-1/GIP/glucagon triple-action agent “HM15275,” which targets severe obesity; the innovative obesity treatment “HM17321,” which reduces fat while increasing muscle mass; “HM17321,” an innovative obesity treatment that reduces fat while increasing muscle mass, and “HM500197,” a peptide-based myostatin inhibitor designed to reduce muscle loss that may occur during GLP-1 therapy. In addition, the company plans to expand its portfolio to include oral medications, patches, and digital healthcare solutions to address the entire treatment cycle for obesity patients.
