JW Jungwoo Pharmaceutical Launches Korea's First Subcutaneous Injection Hemophilia Treatment

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] JW Pharmaceutical announced on the 6th that it will launch 'Hemlibra Subcutaneous Injection' (generic name: Emicizumab), an A-type hemophilia prophylactic treatment with improved dosing convenience. This is the first time a subcutaneous injection method for hemophilia prophylaxis, rather than intravenous injection, has been introduced in South Korea.

Hemlibra is a recombinant drug used as a routine prophylactic treatment for A-type hemophilia caused by a deficiency of coagulation factor VIII. It is an innovative drug applying bispecific antibody technology that mimics the coagulation mechanism of factor VIII by simultaneously binding to activated factors IX and X.

Hemlibra can be administered to severe A-type hemophilia patients who have factor VIII inhibitors. The eligible patients include those who are ▲12 years or older and weigh 40 kg or more ▲have a history of inhibitor titers of 5 BU/mL or higher ▲have had six or more bleeding episodes in the past 24 weeks and have been treated with bypassing agents or have failed immune tolerance therapy.

After receiving marketing approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in January last year as a prophylactic treatment for A-type hemophilia patients with inhibitors, Hemlibra's indications were expanded this year to include severe A-type hemophilia patients without inhibitors.

Until now, all hemophilia prophylactic treatments launched domestically required intravenous injections two to three times a week. Hemlibra allows subcutaneous administration from once a week up to once every four weeks, depending on the medical professional's judgment, significantly improving dosing convenience for patients.

This product has already been marketed in over 90 countries including the United States, Japan, and Germany, and has been recognized as an innovative drug for its efficacy. JW Pharmaceutical plans to continuously expand Hemlibra's indications.

A JW Pharmaceutical official said, "Hemlibra is an innovative drug that has gained global attention due to its efficacy and dosing convenience that overcome the limitations of existing treatments," adding, "We will expand reimbursement criteria so that patients without inhibitors can also receive medical benefits, contributing to improving the quality of life for A-type hemophilia patients who require lifelong treatment."

The insurance price of Hemlibra is 80,000 KRW per 1 mg. It is available in units of 30, 60, 90, 105, and 150 mg.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.