Daewoong Pharmaceutical announced on November 18 that its oral drug candidate "DWP220," designed to treat severe liver fibrosis, has been selected as a project for the second round of the 2024 National New Drug Development Project. This initiative is overseen by the Korea Drug Development Fund (KDDF).

Liver fibrosis is a condition in which normal liver tissue is replaced with abnormal connective tissue due to repeated liver injury and inflammation, often caused by chronic fat accumulation. DWP220, currently under development by Daewoong Pharmaceutical, works by inhibiting the accumulation of collagen, a key driver of liver fibrosis.

In liver fibrosis, extracellular matrix (ECM) components, particularly collagen, accumulate excessively, causing the liver tissue to harden and lose its function. DWP220 aims to inhibit the production of collagen, the main component of ECM, to not only prevent the progression of fibrosis but also reduce existing fibrosis and repair tissue damage.

If successfully commercialized, DWP220 is expected to become the world’s first oral treatment for severe liver fibrosis, offering a significant breakthrough in the treatment landscape for this disease.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical plans to leverage its experience from developing "bersiporocin," a treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) currently in Phase 2 clinical trials, to accelerate the development of DWP220.

The CEO of Daewoong Pharmaceutical, stated, "Through this project selection, we aim to strengthen our capabilities in developing fibrosis treatments and provide a new treatment option for patients with severe liver fibrosis."

With this announcement, Daewoong Pharmaceutical continues to solidify its position as a leading innovator in the development of fibrosis treatments, further advancing its pipeline of novel therapeutics for unmet medical needs.