Daewoong Pharmaceutical, CJ Healthcare, and Jeil Pharmaceutical have won the license to sell two-in-one drugs for dyslipidemia and diabetes.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on Thursday approved the three drugmakers to sell combo drugs of atorvastatin and metformin. Daewoong will release Lipimet SR Tab., CJ Healthcare, Atomet SR Tab., and Jeil, Lipitor M Tab. D, in doses of 10/750mg, 10/500mg, 20/750mg, and 20/500mg.

The combos of atorvastatin and metformin were granted as incrementally-modified drugs (IMDs) with a six-year reassessment. During the reevaluation period, generic drugs are banned from entering the market, and the three combo drugs receive price benefits.

Patients who need simultaneous administration of atorvastatin and metformin can take the combo pill once a day.

Diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia are top three chronic diseases in Korea. According to Fact Sheet jointly published by Korean Society of Hypertension, Korean Diabetes Association, and Korea Society of Lipidology and Atherosclerosis, 727,374 Korean patients have both diabetes and dyslipidemia, and 1.4 million have all of the three diseases.

Due to high marketability, pharmaceutical firms are working hard to develop a combo remedy to treat two diseases with one tablet.

Since the release of LG Chem’s Zemiro (ingredient: gemigliptin/rosuvastatin), the first combo treating dyslipidemia and diabetes, Daewoong Pharma, CJ Healthcare, and Jeil Pharm succeeded in developing the combo. Yuhan Corp. and BC World Pharm are selling combos of rosuvastatin and metformin.

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