Daewoong Pharmaceutical announced on November 12 that it has signed a joint development agreement with Tionlab Therapeutics, Daehan Newpharm, and Dalim Biotech to create a long-acting obesity treatment injection that requires only once-monthly administration.

The four companies will form a consortium to accelerate the development process by pooling their respective expertise in preclinical studies, clinical trials, drug development, and regulatory affairs.

The new obesity treatment under development is based on the active ingredient semaglutide. The goal is to enhance drug release and prolong its effectiveness, ultimately extending the dosing interval from once a week, as with current treatments, to just once a month.

As part of the collaboration, Daewoong Pharmaceutical will integrate Tionlab's proprietary Quject®sphere, a long-acting drug delivery platform technology. Tionlab explained that Quject®sphere enables the gradual release of drugs without the initial burst release, thereby maintaining prolonged efficacy.

The treatment will also feature a high drug-loading ratio, with semaglutide being encapsulated at a concentration of 20% within the drug delivery particles. This approach aims to achieve the same therapeutic effects with smaller doses, thus improving treatment efficiency.

Currently, the obesity treatment is undergoing preclinical studies, including GLP toxicity testing and clinical dose determination. Once formulation optimization is complete, the companies plan to submit an Investigational New Drug application for a Phase 1 clinical trial in South Korea next year.

Sung-soo Park, CEO of Daewoong Pharmaceutical, stated, "The synergy between Daewoong Pharmaceutical's extensive experience in developing metabolic disease treatments and Tionlab's innovative drug delivery technology will be a game-changer. We aim to develop a safer and more effective obesity treatment and bring it to the domestic market as quickly as possible."

Beyond this development, Daewoong Pharmaceutical also plans to expand the application of Tionlab's drug delivery platform to a wider range of therapeutic areas, including obesity, metabolic diseases, and endocrine disorders.

In addition to the long-acting injectable obesity treatment, Daewoong is pursuing the development of alternative administration methods for obesity treatments, such as microneedle patches and oral formulations, as part of its broader strategy to offer diverse and convenient treatment options for patients.