Boryung eyes KRW 60 bln multiple myeloma drug market

Signs a deal to supply new drug and challenges original patent

Boryung Pharmaceutical HQ in Jongno

Boryung Pharmaceutical is taking bold actions to expand its share in the South Korea’s multiple myeloma treatment market valued at 60 billion won.

 

After signing a deal to supply a new drug in the Korean pharmaceutical market, the company is now challenging the original Pomalyst’s patent for the first time in Korea.

 

According to the industry sources on Aug.

 

5, Boryung Pharmaceutical filed a request for a negative confirmation of scope in Pomalyst capsule on July 31 to evade the original’s pharmaceutical substance patent.

 

Pomalyst, a product by Celgene, is currently dominating the biggest pie in the multiple myeloma treatment market.

 

It was approved for sales in 2014, and received reimbursement from 2017 as a third-line therapy.

 

The drug is indicated to treat patients, who failed with the first-line treatment, Janssen’s Velcade, and show no response to the second-line treatment, Revlimid (lenalidomide).

 

Revlimid is also developed and supplied by Celgene.

 

Boryung Pharmaceutical owns Velkin injection containing bortezomib.

 

The injection was approved for the market in November 2015.

 

In October of the following year, Boryung Pharmaceutical inked an agreement with a Spanish-based pharmaceutical company PharmaMar to supply their multiple myeloma treatment Aplidin (plitidepsin) to Korea.

 

The medication attracted attention recently with its benefit of preventing COVID-19 infection.

 

For the market approval in Korea, Boryung Pharmaceutical has submitted Aplidin’s Phase I trial protocol to Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS).

 

The Korean company seems to have challenged the Pomalyst patent to prepare development of follow-on drugs.

 

If the court accepts the negative confirmation of the patent scope, Boryung Pharmaceutical would be able to release three products in the multiple myeloma treatment market.

 

Boryung Pharmaceutical is a rare gem in the Korean pharmaceutical industry with strengths in anticancer treatments.

 

It owns originals like Gemzar and Xeloda, and it also supplies the number one follow-on drug Genexol.

 

The industry is paying a close attention to the company on its path to secure a strong income source by strengthening the anticancer business with a variety of multiple myeloma treatments.