Korea United Pharmaceuticals has recently registered a patent for its combined oral formulation technology, with Korea Intellectual Property Office (KIPO).

The registered patent, called “CombiGel Technology,” incorporates a tablet containing statin-based drug into a capsule containing an omega-3 fatty acid ester. According to the patent registration, Korea United_{한국유나이티드제약} (CEO Kang Deok-young_강덕영) will retain exclusive rights to the technology and the compound until Aug. 13, 2035.

These are capsules containing omega-3 fatty acid ester incorporated with statin-based drugs.

Statin drugs belonging to the scope of the patent right are Atorvastatin, Rosuvastatin, Lovastatin, Simvastatin, Pravastatin, and Fluvastatin. Korea United received a three-phase IND approval for omega-3 fatty acid ester and atorvastatin-containing hyperlipidemia combination last month, carrying out the development for the release of new improved drugs by 2019.

Omega-3 fatty acid esters are administered concomitantly with statin drugs in patients with a combination of hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia, where triglyceride levels are not regulated. About 40 percent of omega-3 fatty acid ester prescribers are taking statins together. About half of them are prescribing Atorvastatin, so if they succeed in developing a combination drug, they will take a larger market share in the Dyslipidemia market.

The prescription drug for statins in 2016 is about 800 billion won ($700 million), and Atorvastatin accounts for about 480 billion won. Omega-3 fatty acid ester, which is steadily increasing in the market, recorded prescription of more than 45 billion won last year.

Korea United filed for related domestic patents and overseas patents in China, Vietnam, Philippines, and Indonesia, which is currently under review. “Subsequent patents are also recognized as patentable,” said Lee Eun-hye_이은혜, an IP team leader who led the patent registration.

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