Ildong Pharmaceutical Accelerates New Drug Development for Diabetes... Visible Progress in Global Clinical Trials and Patent Acquisition

Research scene at Ildong Pharmaceutical.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Ildong Pharmaceutical is accelerating its global new drug development. Last year, it boldly invested 108.2 billion KRW, equivalent to 20% of its annual sales, and currently holds about 10 new drug candidates in various fields such as cancer, diabetes, liver diseases, respiratory diseases, and gastrointestinal diseases. In particular, in the metabolic disease sector, including diabetes and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which have great potential due to market size, growth potential, and unmet needs, the company is achieving tangible results such as advancing global clinical trials and securing domestic and international patents.

'IDG16177,' being developed as a treatment for type 2 diabetes, is a new drug candidate in the GPR40 agonist class that activates GPR40 (G protein-coupled receptor 40) in pancreatic beta cells to induce insulin secretion and regulate blood sugar levels. It is differentiated by its mechanism of selectively inducing insulin secretion during hyperglycemia, minimizing the risk of hypoglycemia caused by medication. Last year, it obtained clinical trial authorization (IND) from the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) and is currently conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial in Germany.

Another type 2 diabetes treatment candidate, 'ID110521156,' is conducting nonclinical studies necessary for clinical trial preparations, including IND application. It is a GLP-1 receptor agonist drug that acts as an analog of the GLP-1 hormone, which induces insulin secretion to regulate blood sugar levels. Unlike existing similar drugs that are mainly injectable formulations, the company explains that it is expected to be developed as an oral treatment, offering advantages in terms of dosing convenience and marketability.

An Ildong Pharmaceutical official stated, "We plan to continuously discover promising new drug candidates through our own projects as well as open innovation, and actively pursue revenue realization through licensing out and technology transfer."

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