Global stage features changes in drugs for metabolic disease

ICDM 2025 took place on September 25-27, 2025…promotion of GLP-1·SGLT-2·vaccines

Korean companies promoted Forxiga generics up front…competition against the original drug heats up

The International Congress of Diabetes and Metabolism (ICDM 2025) took place from September 25 to 27, 2025, at the Grand Walkerhill Hotel in Seoul, Korea.

A promotional competition between Korean and international pharmaceutical companies, highlighting the latest treatments for diabetes and metabolic disorders, unraveled at a recent medical conference in Korea.

 

The International Congress of Diabetes and Metabolism (ICDM 2025), held at the Grand Walkerhill Hotel in Seoul over three days starting September 25, featured a promotion focused on a range of topics, including the latest diabetes treatments, centered on GLP-1 and SGLT-2 inhibitors, as well as kidney disease therapies and vaccines.

 

Bayer, Novo Nordisk, GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Daewoong Pharmaceutical participated as diamond sponsors, taking on the key sponsor roles.

 

GLP-1 Rivals Enter Side-by-Side…Shingles and RSV Vaccines Also Garnered Attention Eli Lilly Korea and Novo Nordisk, two leading companies in the GLP-1 market, participated side by side at the event to promote their respective GLP-1 portfolios.

 

Following products like 'Trulicity (dulaglutide)' and 'Victoza (liraglutide),' both companies are seeking market entry for their newer GLP-1 formulations.

 

(from left) Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly exhibition booths.

Currently, Novo Nordisk has secured domestic approval for 'Ozempic (semaglutide),' and Lilly has secured domestic approval for 'Mounjaro (tirzepatide)' in Korea.

 

These companies have recently completed their applications for insurance reimbursement.

 

Ozempic and Mounjaro are Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) class drugs used in patients with Type 2 diabetes and obesity.

 

These two drugs have demonstrated significant effects in lowering blood sugar and reducing body weight in clinical trials.

 

While the weight loss effect of existing DPP-4 inhibitors or SGLT-2 inhibitors was limited to less than 5%, clinical results showed that GLP-1 formulations can achieve weight loss of 10% or more.

 

Consequently, GLP-1 formulations are increasingly included in the latest global R&D trends.

 

Studies have shown that if diabetic patients lose more than 5% of their body weight, not only are their blood sugar, blood pressure, and lipid levels improved, but the incidence and mortality rates of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases can also be lowered.

 

Both companies also expressed their intent to collaborate with domestic pharmaceutical companies.

 

Novo Nordisk recently initiated a co-promotion for the obesity treatment 'Wegovy (semaglutide)' with Chong Kun Dang, and the possibility of an additional contract for Ozempic is also being discussed.

 

Lilly is currently seeking a co-promotion partner for Mounjaro, and a strategy is anticipated that will utilize a single product name to cover both diabetes and obesity indications simultaneously.

 

In addition to diabetes, companies promoted the management of complications and vaccines at the conference.

 

(from left) GSK and Bayer exhibition booth.

Bayer prominently featured its kidney disease treatment, 'Kerendia (finerenone).' Kerendia is a drug that targets mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) overactivation, contributing to the treatment of key chronic kidney disease pathologies and heart failure patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 40% or more.

 

Kerendia is currently approved in over 95 countries globally and has recently obtained approval for heart failure patients in the U.S.

 

A subgroup analysis of the CONFIDENCE study, presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) this year, reported high hemodynamic compliance when Kerendia was combined with SGLT-2 inhibitors.

 

GSK focused on promoting its shingles vaccine, Shingrix, and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, Arexvy.

 

The importance of vaccination was highlighted, considering the frequent opportunities for vaccination in endocrinology clinical settings.

 

Shingrix is a recombinant zoster vaccine that has been shown to have a stronger preventive effect than the existing live attenuated vaccine.

 

Arexvy, which officially launched in Korea this year, attracted attention as the world's first RSV vaccine targeting older adults aged 60 and over.

 

The Market Gap Left by Forxiga...Generics Compete with Jardiance and Envlo The promotional competition among SGLT-2 inhibitors was also heated.

 

Following AstraZeneca's announcement of its withdrawal of the market-leading SGLT-2 inhibitor 'Forxiga (dapagliflozin)' from the Korean market in December 2023, there was intense anticipation that the original drugs 'Jardiance (empagliflozin)' from Boehringer Ingelheim and 'Envlo (enavogliflozin)' from Daewoong Pharmaceutical would gain a significant rebound effect.

 

(upper left, clockwise) Boehringer Ingelheim, Daewoong, HK inno.N, Boryung exhibition booths.

Jardiance is highly anticipated for sales growth, as it has secured both the chronic heart failure and chronic kidney disease indications, similar to Forxiga.

 

Consequently, Boehringer Ingelheim focused on promoting Jardiance at this conference.

 

Korean companies prominently featured their generics.

 

HK inno.N, Boryung, and Hanmi Pharmaceutical joined the competition by promoting their Forxiga generics.

 

Among these companies, HK inno.N and Boryung have formed a rivalry for the number one and two spots in market share.

 

After AstraZeneca transferred its indications to HK inno.N's Dapa.N following the withdrawal of Forxiga.

 

Dapa.N rose to become the leader in the monotherapy market.

 

Indeed, Dapa.N recorded KRW 2.3 billion in prescription sales in the first quarter of this year, securing the top spot over Boryung's 'Trudapa' (KRW 1.3 billion), and further widening the gap in the second quarter.

 

Hanmi Pharmaceutical's 'Dapalon' recorded the fourth-largest sales, following HK inno.N, Boryung, and Daewoong Bio, demonstrating its market presence.

 

The competition between the original drugs and generics to fill the void left by Forxiga is now intensifying.