[Edaily Reporter NA EUN-KYUNG ] HanmiPharm(128940)Following the approval of its domestically developed obesity treatment “Epe,” Hanmi Pharmaceutical is launching three varieties of “Epislim,” a weight management health functional food. The company appears to be expanding its obesity and weight management business beyond prescription drugs to include health functional foods targeted at general consumers.

HanmiPharm announced on the 27th that it is launching three varieties of the health functional food “Epislim,” designed to address various concerns that may arise during the weight management process, such as muscle strength, vitality, and skin health.

The new product line consists of “Epislim Muscle,” “Epislim Boost,” and “Epislim Skin.” All three products contain ingredients recognized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) for their body fat-reducing properties, with each product featuring additional functional ingredients tailored to its specific purpose.

Epislim Muscle contains a lime-Kakao extract complex, which may help reduce body fat, and turmeric extract, a functional ingredient that improves muscle strength. Epislim Boost adds octacosanol and B vitamins to the lime-Kakao extract complex to help enhance endurance. EpiSlim Skin contains green tea extract—an ingredient recognized for its body fat-reducing properties—as well as low-molecular-weight collagen peptides and biotin, which may help moisturize the skin. All three products also include peony extract powder, fermented soybean extract powder, and Chinese jujube fruit powder as secondary ingredients.

This launch comes as HanmiPharm expands its obesity treatment business. On the 7th, HanmiPharm received marketing approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for “Epe” (active ingredient: efeglenatide), a glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 receptor agonist. Epe is a once-weekly injectable obesity treatment and the first new GLP-1 class obesity drug developed in South Korea. In Phase 3 clinical trials, it demonstrated an average weight loss of 9.75% after 40 weeks of treatment.

However, Epislim is a health functional food, and its nature and approval criteria differ from those of Epe, which is a prescription drug. Epislim’s body fat reduction functionality does not imply the same level of weight loss as Epe, nor has any additional benefit been proven when used in combination with Epe.

The three Epislim products are supplied to select pharmacies through Onlinepharm, a Hanmi Science subsidiary responsible for distributing HanmiPharm’s medications. Consumers can purchase the products after consulting with a pharmacist.

A HanmiPharm official stated, “Epislim was designed with a holistic approach that takes into account muscle strength, vitality, and skin health—factors that consumers care about during the weight management process,” adding, “Based on our expertise in the field of obesity and metabolic diseases, we will continue to expand our lineup of weight management healthcare products.”