JW Pharmaceutical announced on Thursday that it has inked an exclusive licensing deal for the GLP-1 receptor agonist Vopaglutide (development code GZR18) with Beijing-based Gan & Lee Pharmaceuticals. This follows the company’s disclosure of related information the previous day.
The agreement grants JW Pharmaceutical exclusive rights to develop, approve, market, and commercialize Vopaglutide in South Korea.
Gan & Lee will provide regulatory materials necessary for clinical trial applications and product licensing in Korea, collaborating on related tasks.
JW Pharmaceutical will pay Gan & Lee a 5 million USD upfront fee and 76.1 million USD in milestone payments, totaling 81.1 million USD.
The milestones cover development, approval, and sales targets for four indications: type 2 diabetes, obesity, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASH). Royalties will be paid separately based on sales thresholds.
Vopaglutide is a synthetic peptide drug in development as a biweekly subcutaneous GLP-1 receptor agonist. It stimulates insulin secretion and regulates blood sugar by acting on pancreatic GLP-1 receptors while prolonging feelings of fullness by delaying gastric emptying.
This mechanism suppresses appetite and promotes weight loss, targeting conditions like diabetes, obesity, sleep apnea, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
Improved Dosing Convenience, Exceptional Weight Loss Results in Clinical Trials
Currently in Phase 3 trials in China, Vopaglutide is demonstrating superior convenience and efficacy compared to existing treatments. In a Phase 2b obesity trial, participants achieved an average 17.29% weight loss over 30 weeks with biweekly dosing.
Notably, compared to clinical data from weekly dosing products, Vopaglutide showed excellent weight loss and blood sugar reduction in a relatively short period, highlighting its potential as a next-generation obesity treatment.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Vopaglutide for a Phase 2 trial in chronic weight management. A Phase 2 study comparing it to placebo and tirzepatide is ongoing in the U.S. with overweight or obese patients.
JW Pharmaceutical expects Vopaglutide to stand out in the GLP-1 market, where weekly dosing is standard, by emphasizing dosing convenience. The company aims to swiftly enter the booming metabolic disease treatment market by introducing a clinically advanced candidate.
Shin Young-seob, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of JW Pharmaceutical, stated that this deal expands our rapidly growing portfolio in metabolic diseases, particularly diabetes and obesity. Leveraging JW’s proven development and regulatory expertise, it’ll successfully commercialize Vopaglutide in Korea, offering patients innovative treatment options.
JW Pharmaceutical plans to launch Phase 3 clinical trials for Vopaglutide in obesity and type 2 diabetes in South Korea simultaneously in the latter half of this year.