Hanmi Pharm's obesity treatment Eppe wins domestic approval

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in South Korea approved Hanmi Pharmaceutical's Eppe, marking the country's first domestically developed glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-based obesity treatment. This achievement makes Eppe Korea's 45th novel drug and validates the country's growing pharmaceutical innovation. Eppe is available in five different doses, ranging from 2 to 10 milligrams, and is designed for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or those who are overweight without diabetes, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and exercise regimen.

Initially licensed to global pharmaceutical company Sanofi for diabetes treatment in 2015, Eppe's rights were returned to Hanmi Pharm in 2020, prompting the company to develop the drug as its own obesity treatment. Prior to its approval, Eppe was poised to be Korea's 44th domestically developed new drug, but the honor was claimed by an eye treatment jointly developed by Aju Pharm and GL Pharm Tech, which received approval on September 8.

Eppe is now expected to enter the competitive arena alongside established GLP-1-based obesity treatments like Wegovy.