Chong Kun Dang Co-Sales With Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals, Korea's Obesity Treatment ® Co-Sales
Sep 18, 2025
Kong Geun-dang (CEO Kim Young-joo) announced on the 18th that it has signed a domestic joint sales contract with Novo Nordisk Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (CEO Casper Rossille Poulsen), an obesity treatment, at its headquarters in Chungjeong-ro, Seoul, for Wigobi® (component name: Semaglutide).
Through this agreement, the two companies will jointly conduct sales and marketing of WeGovi® for domestic hospitals and clinics from October 1.
Hugo Bee® is an injection of semaglutide ingredient developed by Novo Nordisk that helps reduce weight loss and cardiovascular risk by suppressing appetite and increasing satiety. It was released in Korea in October 2024, and ranked No. 1 in domestic specialty drug sales in the second quarter of 2025 based on IQVIA.
As a single GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) and the only biological agent among GLP-1 agents, it has 94% homology to GLP-1 hormones produced in the human body. During the global approved clinical trial, STEP 1 and STEP 5 showed an average weight loss of 17% (based on Trial product estimand), and a weight loss effect of more than 20% was confirmed in one out of three subjects. Consistent weight loss effects and safety were also demonstrated in STEP 6, 7, and 11 clinical trials conducted on Asians, including Koreans.
In particular, Hugo Bee® is the first and only obesity treatment with cardiovascular event (MACE) risk reduction indications. It has demonstrated a continuous weight loss effect as well as an early reduction in the risk of major cardiovascular events independent of weight loss. A large-scale SELECT Phase 3 clinical sub-analysis, a cardiovascular safety verification clinical trial (CVOT) in obese patients, significantly reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events to 37% within 3 months of the administration (HR 0.63, 95% CI: 0.41-0.95). Within 6 months of administration, the risk of death from cardiovascular disease was reduced by 50% (HR 0.50, 95% CI: 0.26-0.93), while the risk of hospitalization and emergency treatment and the risk of death from cardiovascular disease was reduced by 59% (HR 0.41, 95% CI: 0.24-0.67) in the heart failure patient group.
Chong Kun Dang CEO Kim Young-joo said, `We have high expectations for becoming a partner of Hugo®, which is attracting attention as a groundbreaking alternative in the field of obesity treatment. Based on Chong Kun Dang's know-how accumulated by leading the obesity co-morbidities such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes, and successful joint sales experience with multinational and domestic history, we will actively expand the domestic obesity treatment market.'
"WeGovi® is an innovative treatment developed by Novo Nordisk over the past 25 years after recognizing the complex mechanical problems of obesity," said Casper Rossille Poulsen, CEO of Novo Nordisk Pharmaceutical. "We will work with Chong Kun Dang, which has a strong position in the field of chronic diseases in Korea, to raise awareness of the clinical benefits of WeGovi® and actively support domestic medical staff to further contribute to improving the treatment environment for patients suffering from obesity."
Through this agreement, the two companies will jointly conduct sales and marketing of WeGovi® for domestic hospitals and clinics from October 1.
Hugo Bee® is an injection of semaglutide ingredient developed by Novo Nordisk that helps reduce weight loss and cardiovascular risk by suppressing appetite and increasing satiety. It was released in Korea in October 2024, and ranked No. 1 in domestic specialty drug sales in the second quarter of 2025 based on IQVIA.
As a single GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) and the only biological agent among GLP-1 agents, it has 94% homology to GLP-1 hormones produced in the human body. During the global approved clinical trial, STEP 1 and STEP 5 showed an average weight loss of 17% (based on Trial product estimand), and a weight loss effect of more than 20% was confirmed in one out of three subjects. Consistent weight loss effects and safety were also demonstrated in STEP 6, 7, and 11 clinical trials conducted on Asians, including Koreans.
In particular, Hugo Bee® is the first and only obesity treatment with cardiovascular event (MACE) risk reduction indications. It has demonstrated a continuous weight loss effect as well as an early reduction in the risk of major cardiovascular events independent of weight loss. A large-scale SELECT Phase 3 clinical sub-analysis, a cardiovascular safety verification clinical trial (CVOT) in obese patients, significantly reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events to 37% within 3 months of the administration (HR 0.63, 95% CI: 0.41-0.95). Within 6 months of administration, the risk of death from cardiovascular disease was reduced by 50% (HR 0.50, 95% CI: 0.26-0.93), while the risk of hospitalization and emergency treatment and the risk of death from cardiovascular disease was reduced by 59% (HR 0.41, 95% CI: 0.24-0.67) in the heart failure patient group.
Chong Kun Dang CEO Kim Young-joo said, `We have high expectations for becoming a partner of Hugo®, which is attracting attention as a groundbreaking alternative in the field of obesity treatment. Based on Chong Kun Dang's know-how accumulated by leading the obesity co-morbidities such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes, and successful joint sales experience with multinational and domestic history, we will actively expand the domestic obesity treatment market.'
"WeGovi® is an innovative treatment developed by Novo Nordisk over the past 25 years after recognizing the complex mechanical problems of obesity," said Casper Rossille Poulsen, CEO of Novo Nordisk Pharmaceutical. "We will work with Chong Kun Dang, which has a strong position in the field of chronic diseases in Korea, to raise awareness of the clinical benefits of WeGovi® and actively support domestic medical staff to further contribute to improving the treatment environment for patients suffering from obesity."
|
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
