Weight-loss/diabetes drug Dapa.N expands indications to chronic heart failure, kidney disease

HK inno.N said Monday that the approved indications for its SGLT-2 inhibitor diabetes drug Dapa.N (dapagliflozin) have been expanded to include chronic heart failure and chronic kidney disease.

The market size of the dapagliflozin-based SGLT-2 inhibitors, which are well-known as weight-loss diabetes drugs, was about 139.2 billion won ($101 million) in terms of outpatient prescription sales last year.

HK inno.N jumped into the SGLT-2 inhibitor market last year by introducing Dapa.N 10mg, a dapagliflozin-based drug, and Dapa.N Duo, a combination of dapagliflozin and metformin.

Last year, HK inno.N and AstraZeneca entered into a comprehensive collaboration on a portfolio of diabetes medicines, from supplying AstraZeneca's Forxiga to co-promoting Xigduo and Sidapvia.

"Through our collaboration with AstraZeneca Korea, we could contribute to creating a stable treatment environment for patients in Korea," HK inno.N CEO Kwak Dal-won said. "We will build Dapa.N into a leading product that improves the quality of life for patients with type 2 diabetes, as well as chronic heart failure and kidney disease."

AstraZeneca Korea Country President Chon Se-whan said, "Through this collaboration, we contribute to creating a stable treatment environment for patients with chronic heart failure and kidney disease in Korea. We will continue to work together with HK inno.N on a comprehensive portfolio of diabetes medicines and do our best to deliver differentiated value through the development and supply of innovative new medicines in Korea."