The success of Fexuclue (generic name: fexuprazan) is the result of close collaboration across all departments—from development and clinical trials to marketing and sales—working as a unified team. This achievement, made possible by Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s organic teamwork and execution capabilities, will drive future new drug development and global expansion efforts.
On Tuesday, Seo Wook, head of the marketing division at Daewoong Pharmaceutical, spoke with News1 at the company’s headquarters in Gangnam, Seoul, to introduce Fexuclue, the next-generation Potassium-Competitive Acid Blockers (P-CAB) treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Fexuclue has disrupted the market by surpassing 100 billion KRW (approximately 71 million USD) in cumulative prescriptions within just two years of its launch. At the core of this success lies a differentiated product that overcomes the limitations of existing treatments and a marketing strategy that thoroughly addresses market demands.
Seo stated that Daewoong Pharmaceutical is progressing toward its 1 product, 1 trillion won (about 714 million USD) vision, with projected domestic sales of 300 billion KRW (about 214 million USD) and global sales of 1 trillion KRW (approximately 714 million USD) for Fexuclue by 2030.
Anticipating a Game Changer in Helicobacter Pylori Eradication Treatment
Daewoong Pharmaceutical is not resting on Fexuclue’s success; instead, it is focusing on expanding its indications to broaden its treatment areas. The company is particularly optimistic about Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy.
Eradicating Helicobacter pylori, identified as a major cause of gastritis, gastric ulcers, and gastric cancer, remains a key challenge in treating gastrointestinal diseases. This eradication is critical for preventing disease recurrence and improving long-term patient outcomes. However, current clinical results for eradication treatments are reportedly insufficient.
Seo pointed out that successful eradication rates should exceed 80%, but in actual clinical settings, the eradication rates for standard treatments using Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) or P-CABs hover around 60-70%, highlighting a persistent unmet clinical need.
While factors like increasing antibiotic resistance contribute to these limitations, the primary cause of low success rates is the inability to create an optimal gastric environment for antibiotics to function effectively.
He explained that the success of eradication therapy hinges on maintaining a stable and elevated pH in the stomach. Further, Fexuclue’s powerful and sustained acid suppression effect is expected to achieve this.
Fexuclue effectively suppresses gastric acid, reducing Helicobacter pylori activity and creating an environment in which antibiotics can achieve maximum effectiveness, thereby addressing the limitations of existing treatments.
If combination therapy using Fexuclue achieves the target eradication rate of over 80% in clinical studies, its impact will extend far beyond simply adding a new indication.
Seo emphasized that if it can prove Helicobacter pylori eradication rates exceeding 80%, it will not only secure a new indication but also demonstrate Fexuclue’s strong acid suppression effect in the market. Further noting that this could be a game changer, potentially leading to a dominant position in the P-CAB market.
Differentiating Competitiveness: Improving Nighttime Symptoms and Proving Patient-Specific Safety
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) extends beyond mere heartburn; it significantly diminishes patients’ quality of life. Many patients report waking up at night due to sudden reflux of stomach acid.
These nighttime symptoms not only degrade sleep quality but also negatively impact energy levels and daily functioning the following day. Therefore, quickly and effectively suppressing nighttime symptoms has been a crucial goal in treating GERD.
Fexuclue has demonstrated its superiority in managing nighttime symptoms compared to existing treatments. Seo noted that subgroup data from our phase 3 clinical trials showed that Fexuclue improved nighttime symptoms more effectively than existing PPI medications, starting from the third day of treatment. Further noting that this difference was even more pronounced in patients with severe symptoms.
This clinical evidence was reaffirmed in a recent study involving patients with an average age of their 60s, suggesting that Fexuclue can effectively address chronic nighttime acid reflux issues.
Fexuclue’s efficacy stems from its unique characteristics. It has a longer half-life than existing PPI formulations, allowing it to reliably suppress gastric acid secretion throughout the night with a single dose.
Another strength of Fexuclue is its broad safety profile, which considers diverse patient populations. Its minimal impact on patients’ lifestyles and compatibility with other medications makes it an attractive treatment option for both healthcare providers and patients.
Seo illustrated with a real-world example: Fishermen who spend long periods at sea often struggle to maintain consistent medication schedules. Fexuclue’s flexibility in dosing times and its long half-life have become significant factors in its prescription.
He added that the ability to prescribe Fexuclue without concerns about drug interactions for patients taking the antiplatelet drug clopidogrel is also a significant advantage.
Validated 4-Step Marketing: The Winning Formula for Success
Fexuclue’s growth has been driven by Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s unique and systematic marketing philosophy known as the Validated 4-Step approach. This strategy goes beyond merely promoting the product; it involves presenting compelling reasons and building confidence for prescriptions.
Seo explained that Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s marketing success formula, which led to Fexuclue’s success, is the Validated 4-Step strategy. Further noting that this approach meticulously verifies evidence-based messages and strategically disseminates them in the market. It was their most effective tactic in penetrating the initial P-CAB market.
The Validated 4-Step strategy addresses the critical question: Why should healthcare providers prescribe Fexuclue instead of other medications? It goes beyond simply informing about the new drug, providing clear evidence and clinical advantages based on robust data, thereby instilling trust among healthcare providers. This approach has been instrumental in Fexuclue’s rapid market establishment.
Timely academic marketing utilizing digital platforms has also been a core component of the success formula. Seo mentioned that they’ve been conducting the Enigmatic Web Symposium Series for three years now. Further noting that this series features expert responses to pre-submitted questions about endoscopic findings that primary care providers are curious about. He noted that it has become incredibly popular, with hundreds of questions submitted for each session.
Team Daewoong’s 1 Product, 1 Trillion vision: Motivating New Drug Development
Fexuclue’s success has instilled a We can do it too mentality within Daewoong Pharmaceutical, transcending mere sales growth. It has become a significant reward for the research and development (R&D) team, which has devoted years to the uncertain journey of new drug development.
Seo stated that its R&D team members say that seeing the drug they developed actually being used by patients and gaining recognition in both domestic and global markets is their greatest motivation.
The energy of Team Daewoong naturally creates a virtuous cycle. The know-how in clinical trials, regulatory affairs, and global collaboration accumulated through Fexuclue’s development is now being applied to next-generation drug development processes. Consequently, Daewoong Pharmaceutical is boldly expanding its investment in its pipeline.
Fexuclue appears to mark a turning point for Daewoong Pharmaceutical in its journey to become a global pharmaceutical innovator.
Seo emphasized that given that gastroesophageal reflux disease has a high recurrence rate and significantly impacts patients’ quality of life, it hopes Fexuclue can improve the daily lives of patients suffering from acid-related diseases worldwide. Further noting that Daewoong Pharmaceutical is committed to ensuring that patients benefit clinically through its ongoing R&D efforts across various therapeutic areas, not just with Fexuclue.
Profile of Seo, Head of Marketing Division at Daewoong Pharmaceutical
△ Former Head of Daewoong Pharmaceutical Local Division △ Experience in Hospital Sales at Daewoong Pharmaceutical △ Former Product Manager of the Digestive Business Team in the Marketing Division △ Former Head of the Digestive Business Team in the Marketing Division △ Current Head of the Digestive, Respiratory, Dermatology, Urology, Oncology, and Customer Experience Management (CEM) Divisions in the Marketing Division at Daewoong Pharmaceutical
