Twenty-six new pharmaceutical products received approval in Korea in the first half year. All of the drugs can be directly administered to patients, except for Tristel Spori Wipes & Form, a prescription drug for endoscopy disinfection.

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the 26 new drugs were mostly treatments for rare disease or cancer, rather than those for chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.

The newly approved drugs had a variety of indications. They were indicated for rare diseases, cancer, gastric ulcer, chronic idiopathic constipation, epilepsy, HIV infection, and dry eye syndrome.

Treatments for rare diseases include Pfizer Korea’s Besponsa Inj. for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and JW Pharmaceutical’s Hemlibra S.C Inj. for hemophilia A. Both are biological drugs.

Anticancer drugs include Verzenio Tab. for breast cancer, Zejula Cap. for ovarian cancer, Rydapt Soft Cap. for acute myeloid leukemia, and Venclexta for B cell lymphocyte leukemia.

In ophthalmology, Xiidra Eye Drops for dry eye syndrome and Granatec Eye Drops for glaucoma patients landed in Korea.