Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical (CKD Pharm) announced on Wednesday that it has signed an exclusive domestic sales agreement with Bayer Korea for the chronic heart failure treatment Verquvo (vericiguat).

Under this agreement, CKD Pharm will be responsible for the exclusive distribution, sales, and marketing of Verquvo at Korean hospitals and clinics starting this month.

Verquvo is a treatment for symptomatic chronic heart failure with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) below 45 percent. It is the world's first soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulator approved for the treatment of chronic heart failure. It directly stimulates the nitric oxide–sGC–cGMP pathway, demonstrating efficacy in improving vascular function and cardiac structure and function.

Global and Korean clinical trials confirmed the drug reduces the risk of cardiovascular death and heart failure-related hospitalization in high-risk chronic heart failure patients who experienced worsening heart failure despite standard therapy. Acting through a mechanism distinct from existing neurohormone-blocking therapies, it presents a new treatment paradigm for high-risk patient groups.

“Through the exclusive domestic sales of Verquvo, we will establish a differentiated portfolio in the chronic heart failure treatment field while offering patients a broader range of treatment options,” CKD Pharm CEO Kim Young-joo said.

Bayer Korea CEO Lee Jin-a remarked, “Since receiving reimbursement approval in September 2023, Verquvo has become a cornerstone treatment for patients experiencing worsening heart failure symptoms. Through this collaboration with Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical, we anticipate that more Korean chronic heart failure patients will benefit from Verquvo's clinical advantages.”