LG

LG Chem finds ‘SOLUTION’ to maximize blood sugar lowering effects
‘Zemiglo + SGLT2 inhibitor combination therapy, strong blood sugar lowering effects identified’
 
■ Announced results of Zemiglo combination therapy ‘SOLUTION study’ at International Diabetes Federation Congress
    - When ‘Zemiglo’ is added to patients taking ‘Metformin + Dapagliflozin’, blood sugar lowering effects and safety were identified, and superior effects compared to placebo were demonstrated
 
■ 2022 marks the 10th anniversary since launch of Zemiglo, and will be the year that Zemiglo rises as the top brand in the diabetes market
    - Sales increases by 20 times compared to year of launch, records 2nd place for the first time in the Korean diabetes market
 
 
LG Chem has demonstrated that the Company’s product Zemiglo has a strong blood sugar lowering effect on patients with difficulty in controlling blood sugar levels.
 
LG Chem announced that on the 7th, the Company participated in the IDF Congress held online as an abstract presenter and revealed the results of the phase 3 clinical trial of the Zemiglo additional triple-combination therapy. The clinical trial was named ‘SOLUTION’ study, containing the meaning that it will present a new drug combination that can maximize the blood sugar lowering effects on diabetic patients.
 
In this clinical trial, 315 patients with type 2 diabetes who are currently taking metmorfin, a first-line medication for type 2 diabetes, and dapagliflozin, the newest form of SGLT-2 inhibitor, were additionally treated with Zemiglo or a placebo for 24 weeks and then compared for glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c).
 
The change in glycated hemoglobin compared to the baseline in the 24th week was -0.86% for the group treated with Zemiglo and -0.20% for the group treated with a placebo, demonstrating that the blood sugar lowering effects of Zemiglo were superior to that of the placebo. The incidence of adverse effects, including hypoglycemia, was not significantly different from the placebo group.
 
The rate of reaching a glycated hemoglobin level of less than 7.0% was 60.56% for the Zemiglo group, which was meaningfully higher than the placebo group (17.53%). The rate of reaching a glycated hemoglobin level of less than 6.5% was also superior for the Zemiglo group (22.02%) compared to the placebo group (2.43%). Even for the change in fasting plasma glucose (FPG), a superior effect was identified compared to the placebo group.
 
LG Chem applied for product approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety last October to commercialize a new diabetes complex which combines Zemiglo and dapagliflozin. LG Chem plans to launch the product domestically after 2023.
 
2022 marks the 10th anniversary since launch of Zemiglo, and will be the year that Zemiglo rises as the top brand in the diabetes market.
 
LG Chem plans to make 2022, the 10th anniversary since launch of Zemiglo, as the year in which Zemiglo rises as the number 1 diabetes medicine in Korea, and plans to strengthen R&D and sales capabilities.
 
LG Chem has been focusing on securing a superior position over the Company’s competing drugs through comparative research, and has strengthened its sales capabilities by undertaking joint sales with Daewoong Pharmaceutical since 2016.
 
In conjunction, LG Chem has focused on activities to improve on the customers’ pain points regarding Zemiglo’s product lines such as reducing the tablet size, diversifying the dose, stabilizing the blood sugar fluctuation levels, and demonstrating that there is no need to adjust the dose for patients with renal disease.
 
As a result, sales from Zemiglo’s product lines is expected to record 120 billion Korean won, which is 20 times higher than the first year of launch. In the DPP-4 inhibitor market where 9 brands compete, LG Chem’s market share of the current year-to-date sales is around 21% (UBIST, ’21.01~’21.10), and surpassed multinational companies to record the second-place position for the first time as a Korean diabetes drug brand.
 
LG Chem's strategy is to focus on securing differentiated competitiveness to rise as the number one leader in the Korean diabetes market. The Company plans to additionally undertake combination clinical trials with other diabetes drugs, and also plans to quickly complete the large-scale observational study targeted at elderly diabetes patients aged 65 and above in Korean.
 
In addition, LG Chem plans to continuously increase sales capabilities through stronger partnership with Daewoong Pharmaceutical. The two companies agreed to continue joint sales of Zemiglo and Zemimet SR until 2030.
 
 
[For reference] DPP-4 inhibitor market share (based on UBIST data)