Steven Walter has begun serving as the head of the Korean branch of Boehringer Ingelheim, the company said Thursday.“I’m pleased to be part of Boehringer Ingelheim Korea, which serves a critical role in the Southeast Asian markets,” Walter said.Walter served as the country general manager of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar since July 2014 before becoming the Korean branch’s CEO in June.
Sanofi-Aventis Korea Tuesday launched dyslipidemia therapy Praluent (ingredient: alirocumab) in Korea.Praluent inhibits Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) from binding to low-density lipoprotein receptors (LDLRs). The PCKK9 inhibitor lowers bad cholesterol levels known as LDL-c.Praluent won approval in Korea in January 2017 and is indicated as an adjunct to diet and maxi
Guerbet Korea has come under fire again for requesting 5-fold price hikes for its contrast medium Lipiodol and stopping imports of it at the same time, ringing alarm bells for liver cancer patients and civic groups. Lipiodol is the only pharmaceutical agent that can be used in combination with anticancer drugs in transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) procedures for liver cancer patients.“
A new survey shows that out of a variety of life stressors, a whopping 57 percent of Koreans were worried about health, with 70 percent of those over 60 years old worried about health the most.The survey by Hankook Research published by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism examined the quality of life and life satisfaction of 1,500 Korean adults.The survey showed the biggest worries
Boston Scientific Korea launched Vercise DBS systems for patients with movement disorders such as Parkinson’s, dystonia, and essential tremor, this month.The system also gained reimbursement from the Ministry of Health and Welfare starting on June 1, allowing patients with movement disorders to benefit from coverage, according to the company.Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a procedure that
A medical team from Samsung Medical Center has completed the country’s first cryoballoon ablation on a patient with atrial fibrillation (AF), the hospital said Monday.The team led by Professor Park Kyung-min from Samsung Medical Center, Department of Cardiology, finished the operation on the patient on May 30, and the patient is now recovering well and stable, according to SMC.
The graphic warning labels slapped onto cigarette packages since 2016 are proving useful in stopping teens from smoking, a survey by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) showed.According to the survey, eight out of 10 adolescents said they thought smoking bad for health after seeing the warning pictureAround 50 percent of teens who smoked said the pictures helped the
Teva Handok’s once-daily narcolepsy therapy Nuvigil (ingredient: armodafinil) got reimbursement from the Ministry of Health and Welfare starting this month.Coverage will benefit patients confirmed with narcolepsy, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual and the International Classification of Disease: G47.4.Children and adolescents under 18 years of age may also benefit from cov
A new study shows Xarelto (ingredient: rivaroxaban) to result in fewer strokes and systemic emboli compared to warfarin in frail patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), Bayer Korea said Thursday.Xarelto, developed by Bayer, is an anticoagulant medication indicated to decrease the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with NVAF, among four other indications.The
Researchers from Yonsei University Health System (YUHS) will work with Celltrion to develop a next-generation ischemic stroke therapy using a compound obtained from snake venom, called saxatilin. The novel thrombolytic agent, coined FC-saxatilin, was developed in 2008 by the YUHS research team led by Professor Heo Ji-hoe. Clinical studies on animals showed it had thrombolytic effect
Novartis Korea Thursday launched Signifor LAR (long-acting release)(ingredient: pasireotide pamoate), an acromegaly therapy, on the domestic market.Acromegaly is a rare disease where parts of the body such as hands, feet, and face grow excessively, leading to facial deformity or limb enlargement. It is often caused by a pituitary adenoma, a benign tumor that makes too much of a growth hormone.
Leo Pharma Korea has launched a spray-on, topical treatment for psoriasis called Enstilum foam (calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate), on the domestic market.“We at Leo pharma are proud and extremely excited to help more Korean patients with our product Enstilum,” said Kelly Lauson, general manager of Leo Pharma Korea.Psoriasis is a long-term (chronic) inflammatory skin condition charac
Many Koreans are still taking first-generation antihistamines or steroids to treat chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU), also known as hives, which stops them from getting better quickly, a local expert said Thursday.The number of people with CIU has been on a steady incline with the condition affecting 2.26 percent of the Korean population from 2010 to 2014. CIU is characterized by itchy welts
Sixty Asian oncologists have banded together to publish a textbook on the surgical treatment of colon cancer in the Asian region.The textbook titled “Surgical Treatment of Colorectal Cancer” covers almost everything from the latest treatment trends to treatment for late-stage cancer patients, Severance Hospital said.The textbook outlines surgical treatment principles for colorectal can
AbbVie Korea’s winning of reimbursement for its hepatitis C treatment Mavyret (glecaprevir/pibrentasvir) may threaten Gilead Sciences Korea, a giant player in hepatitis C therapies.According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Mavyret will be reimbursed from June and will cost around 10 million won ($10,000) for eight weeks of treatment. The therapy has yet to be launched.Mavyret is the
New injections to prevent migraines with little or no side effects are now being developed to change the lives of people who suffer from intense headaches, industry sources say.Three such therapies are in clinical trials locally, and Eli Lilly Korea is closest to getting approval.Migraine headaches cause severe head pain that is characterized by sensitivity to light, sound, or smells.
Novo Nordisk Korea published real-world study findings on its obesity treatment Saxenda (ingredient: liraglutide 3 mg) that showed notable weight loss for its takers.The Danish pharmaceutical firm published its findings at the 23rd International Meeting of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR 2018) held in Baltimore, Md., and the 25th European Congre
What does hair loss treatment Propecia, cholesterol therapy Lipitor, and hepatitis B drug Viread have in common?All four are the leading products in their respective field even though hundreds of generics exist.Industry practice dictates the price of an original product be set at 70 percent of its original cost for 12 months after the first generic is launched. After 12 months, the rate is
Researchers at Severance Hospital have successfully found a treatment method for lupus nephritis that controls the transcription factor of inflammatory T cells.Although clinical studies of biological agents targeting autoimmune cells or substances are underway, no new therapeutic agents have shown superior efficacy in lupus nephritis, according to Severance. Steroid-based injections of anti-ca
Novartis Korea’s Revolade (ingredient: eltrombopag) can now be used to treat people with severe aplastic anemia who have not shown sufficient response to immunosuppressive therapy.Severe aplastic anemia is a severe blood disease where the bone marrow does not produce enough blood cells for the body, leading to complications such as fatigue, dyspnea, and abnormal bruising or bleeding.The Mi