Inno.N exports K-CAB injection technology to China

Kang Seok-hee, CEO of Innoen, and Vice Presidents Li Meng and Zhu Xiaotong Luo Xin are taking a commemorative photo for the contract signing. (Photo by Innoen)

[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] K-CAB, a treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) by Innoen and South Korea's 30th new drug, has been licensed out to China.

On the 28th, Innoen announced that it had licensed the injection technology of K-CAB to Luoxin, a Chinese company specializing in gastrointestinal disease treatments. Previously, in 2015, Innoen had also licensed the tablet technology of K-CAB to Luoxin.

Through this technology export contract, Innoen will receive technology fees and stepwise royalties after the product launch in China from Luoxin. Luoxin holds exclusive rights for the development, approval, production, and commercialization of the injection in China.

The Chinese gastroesophageal reflux disease market is estimated to be worth 3.3 trillion KRW, the second largest after the United States. Among this, the injection market is worth 2 trillion KRW. Although the usage volume of injections is about 10% compared to tablets, the price of injections is five times higher, making the market size larger than that of oral medications. This is why securing injections as well as tablets is necessary to strengthen market dominance in China's GERD treatment market.

Innoen's K-CAB tablet, approved in 2018 as South Korea's 30th new drug, is a P-CAB class treatment for GERD. It shows rapid effects within one hour and has high durability, achieving over 100 billion KRW in cumulative domestic sales within two years.

Innoen is also accelerating overseas partnerships. It has expanded to a total of 24 countries including China, Latin America, and Southeast Asia through technology and finished product exports. In the world's largest market, the United States, it is currently conducting Phase 1 clinical trials locally.

The K-CAB tablet technology previously exported to Luoxin in China has completed local development and is undergoing approval procedures as an "innovative new drug not registered in China or overseas markets," aiming for a launch in the first quarter of next year.

Kang Seok-hee, CEO of Innoen, said, "By exporting injection technology following tablets to China, we have further enhanced the value of K-CAB in the Chinese GERD treatment market worth over 3 trillion KRW."

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