Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical (CKD Pharm) said Thursday it has released the renewed versions of Lipilow 20mg, 40mg, and 80mg, a treatment for dyslipidemia, after reducing their sizes.

Compared to the previous formulations, the new products have been reduced in size by 28 percent for 20mg and 80mg and by 49 percent for 40mg. In addition, CKD Pharm plans to launch a reduced 10mg formulation in February 2024, unifying the shape of all dosage forms into an oval shape and adding a dividing line to increase the ease of use for patients.

Lipilow is a statin-based dyslipidemia treatment with atorvastatin as the main active ingredient, initially launched in 2008. CKD’s proprietary technology has successfully reduced the size of the tablet, reducing the product sequentially since 2019.

Lipilow recently attracted attention when Korean researchers presented the results of a clinical comparison with rosuvastatin conducted through a one-to-one randomization of 4,400 patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

The results showed that LDL cholesterol levels remained lower in the rosuvastatin group than atorvastatin, but the rate of new diabetes diagnosis and cataract surgery was higher.

"Medication adherence is a key issue for patients with chronic diseases, who often have to take multiple medications," a company official said. "We believe that Lipilow, with its safety and ease of use, will help patients with dyslipidemia expand their medication options and improve their quality of life."

According to Ubist, sales of Lipilow in the first three quarters grew 17.9 percent year on year to 30.7 billion ($23.4 million).