HK Innoen "New Drug for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease 'K-CAB' Approved in Mexico"

Received First Product Approval in Latin America

[Asia Economy Reporter Myunghwan Lee] HK inno.N's new drug for gastroesophageal reflux disease, 'K-CAB,' has received its first product approval in the Latin American pharmaceutical market.

HK inno.N announced on the 14th that K-CAB tablets (active ingredient: Tegoprazan) have been approved by the Mexican Ministry of Health (COFEPRIS). Previously, in 2018, HK inno.N signed an export contract for K-CAB tablets with 'Laboratorios Carnot,' the leading pharmaceutical company in the Mexican peptic ulcer drug market, targeting 17 Latin American countries.

HK Innoen's new drug for gastroesophageal reflux disease, K-CAB.
/Photo by HK Innoen

The indications approved locally in Mexico include four categories: ▲Treatment of erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease ▲Treatment of non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease ▲Treatment of gastric ulcers ▲Combination antibiotic therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication in patients with peptic ulcers and chronic atrophic gastritis. The product will be launched under the local name 'KI-CAB.'

Launched in 2019 as a P-CAB class new drug for gastroesophageal reflux disease, K-CAB tablets have expanded not only to major markets such as China and the United States but also to 18 Latin American countries including Brazil and 35 countries in Southeast Asia.

Mexico, where K-CAB has now been approved, is experiencing rapid population aging and has an obesity rate accounting for 72% of the total population, leading to a steady increase in demand for various metabolic disease treatments, including peptic ulcer drugs like K-CAB. In 2020, 'gastrointestinal drugs' ranked third in pharmaceutical sales within Mexico.

The Latin American pharmaceutical market size in 2019 was largest in Brazil at $22.658 billion (approximately 29 trillion KRW). The Mexican pharmaceutical market ranked second in Latin America at $10.571 billion (approximately 13 trillion KRW) and 15th worldwide.

Dalwon Kwak, CEO of HK inno.N, said, "With approval in Mexico, the second-largest market in Latin America, K-CAB is expected to further demonstrate the value of Korean new drugs on the Latin American stage," adding, "We will expand our entry into Europe and the Middle East to establish K-CAB as a global blockbuster new drug."

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