Dong-A ST said on Wednesday that it launched Vemlia (tenofovir alafenamide citrate), a generic drug of Gilead’s hepatitis B treatment Vemlidy.

The main ingredient of Gilead’s original drug, tenofovir alafenamide hemifumarate, was changed from hemifumarate to citrate in Dong-A ST’s generic version.

The Vemlia generic provides a 30 percent cut in the original drug price and improves patient compliance with the medication as the day of the week is placed on the cap of the Vemlia medicine bottle, Dong-A ST said.

Accordingly, the day of the week on the lid of the product container is automatically changed to the next day each time it is opened and closed, explained a company official.

Dong-A ST is also conducting clinical trials to prove the non-inferiority of Vemlia compared to the original drug. In the first half of this year, the trial will be conducted across 28 institutions nationwide on patients who received no previous hepatitis B treatment.

"Vemlia has lowered the economic burden at a lower price than the original drug, and it is expected to be a good treatment option for hepatitis B patients by improving compliance with the medication on the day of the week. We will do our best to improve the quality of life of hepatitis B patients based on Dong-A ST's competitiveness and know-how in the hepatitis B treatment field. A Dong-A ST official said.

Vemlia adds to Dong-A ST’s vast portfolio of hepatitis B treatments as the fourth hepatitis B treatment after releasing Hepsevir (ingredient: Adefovir dipivoxil), Baracle (ingredient: entecavir), and Virreal (ingredient: tenofovir disoproxil orotate) sequentially.