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- 2026-05-01 11:20:50
- Policy
- PMS of Rekovelle shows ovarian hyperstimulation
- by Lee, Hye-Kyung Feb 21, 2025 05:56am
- The reevaluation of Ferring Korea’s fertility drug ‘Rekovelle Prefilled Pen (follitropin delta)’ revealed that 0.65% of patients experienced ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which is expected to be added as an adverse event. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 20th the proposed changes to the licensed conditions following the re-examination of new drugs. A post-marketing surveillance was conducted on 611 patients over 4 years for the re-examination of Rekovelle in Korea. As a result, the incidence of adverse events reported was 17.84% (109/611, 137 cases in total), regardless of causality. Among them, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome occurred in 4 (0.65%) of 611 patients with serious adverse drug reactions whose casualties cannot be ruled out. Unexpected adverse drug reactions were reported in 9 out of 611 patients (1.47%), including ovarian cysts, pelvic fluid accumulation, vulvar itching, acne, hair loss, cold sweats, pain at the injection site, erythema at the injection site, and palpitations. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will give advance notice by the 27th to add more cases of adverse reactions to the post-marketing surveillance and plans to change the label on the 28th. If there are disagreements during the opinion survey, the scheduled date for the label change order may be postponed. Since its domestic approval on December 27, 2019, Rekovelle has been prescribed at domestic infertility hospitals. Rekovelle increases the possibility of collecting the optimal number of eggs, 8 to 14, regardless of AMH levels, with a dosage that is delicately adjusted according to the patient's condition. At the time of its initial approval, the drug was only eligible for reimbursement as monotherapy, but From May 2022, controlled ovarian stimulation to mature multiple oocytes in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology such as IVF (in vitro fertilization) or ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) in combination with human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) therapy was also covered by the National Health Insurance. The expansion of the health insurance reimbursement to the combination of Rekovelle and hMG has provided even patients with low pregnancy success rates due to age or ovarian dysfunction with an option that meets the goal of being the optimal treatment. Rekovelle’s reimbursement standard was extended based on the MARCS study, a multicenter, open-label, single-cohort clinical trial that evaluated the efficacy and safety profile of Rekovelle and hMG combination in 110 infertile patients who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
- Policy
- Ocrevus, DM Duo reimbursed from March
- by Lee, Jeong-Hwan Feb 21, 2025 05:56am
- Roche's new multiple sclerosis drug Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) and Hyundai Pharm’s first dementia combination drug DM Duo (donepezil + memantine) will be reimbursed by Korea’s national health insurance starting next month. Amgen's osteoporosis drug Prolia will see some changes to its reimbursement standard as Celltrion's biosimilar Stoboclo is soon to be listed on the National Health Insurance reimbursement list. The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 20th that it has issued a pre-announcement of administration regarding the details of the application criteria and methods for the reimbursement of pharmaceuticals. The new multiple sclerosis drug, Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), will be reimbursed from March 1. Reimbursement for the drug is granted for patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who meet the McDonald ('17) diagnostic criteria and can exclude the occurrence of other similar diseases who have failed or are intolerant of first-line treatment (Interferon β-1b, etc.) and is ambulatory (able to walk). In patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), treatment should be discontinued when the EDSS score evaluated every six months from the first dose is 7.0 or higher. The treatment method is monotherapy. Hyundai Pharm’s DM Duo (donepezil + memantine), the first dementia combination drug in Korea, will also be reimbursed in March. Patients with moderate to severe dementia of the Alzheimer's type who meet the criteria for both the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 20 or less and the Dementia Scale Examination are eligible for reimbursement. Re-evaluation is conducted every 6 to 12 months to determine whether to continue administration, and continued administration is granted even if the MMSE score exceeds 20 during re-evaluations. However, when concurrently using DM Duo, Tanamin Tab, and Ginexin F Tab, the patient must pay the full cost of one of the drugs with the lowest cost of treatment within the scope of the drugs’ indications. Prolia’s reimbursement standard will change as the Celltrion biosimilar Stoboclo Prefilled Syringe’s imminent reimbursement listing. The standard change is to apply the same standards for the denosumab injection and add 'etc.' to the name of the product category in the notice.
- Company
- Asthma drug Tezspire ready for launch
- by Whang, byung-woo Feb 21, 2025 05:56am
- Tezspire (tezepelumab), an anti-TSLP therapy for the treatment of severe asthma, is entering the market with its effectiveness regardless of biomarker status. Although the drug still faces reimbursement hurdle, clinical practices have high hopes. They expect that Tezspire's versatility can change the current treatment paradigm in which drugs are preferentially prescribed to patients with severe asthma. During a February 18 press conference hosted by AstraZeneca Korea to celebrate the launch of Tezspire, Dr. Heung-Woo Park, Professor of the Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at Seoul National University Hospital, anticipated that unmet needs for asthma treatment would be resolved. Tezspire is the first and only drug to treat severe asthma by inhibiting 'thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP).' By inhibiting TSLP, which is one of the factors associated with the pathology of asthma, the drug shows effectiveness in modulating symptoms in a wide range of patients with severe asthma regardless of asthma subtype. Dr. Heung-Woo Park, Professor of the Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at Seoul National University HospitalIn December 2023, Tezspire was approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) as an "Add-on maintenance treatment in adults and adolescents 12 years and older with severe asthma not adequately controlled by previous treatments." AstraZeneca plans to launch Tezspire in the first half of the year. The industry closely watches Tezspire for overcoming biomarker limitations and expanding treatment opportunities for patients with severe asthma. One of the difficulties in diagnosing asthma and its treatments is the wide range of manifestations of the disease. An accurate diagnosis is difficult because a clear biomarker for each asthma subtype is lacking. In other words, this causes a significant challenge in establishing a customized treatment strategy. Treatment options for non-Type-2 inflammation are still limited. Dr. Park said, "The introduction of biological agents improved the prognosis of patients with severe asthma, but unmet needs are yet to be addressed." Adding, "Severe asthma is a disease that causes not only decreased individual patient's quality of life but a societal burden. We are desperately in need of more effective treatment alternatives." The industry analysis suggests that Tezspire's unique mechanism of inhibiting TSLP, which drives asthma inflammatory cascade responses, will likely give distinction. Based on Phase 2 PATHWAY study and Phase 3 NAVIGATOR study, Tezspire was effective in demonstrating clinically significant improvement in asthma exacerbation rate regardless of asthma subtypes or biomarker status. Dr. Hwa Young Lee, Professor of Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, said, "This drug has brought a paradigm shift to the treatment of a wide range of patients with severe asthma since it can be used regardless of biomarker status, such as treating patients with low blood eosinophil or fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). Dr. Lee said, "It has shown effectiveness in reducing asthma exacerbation regardless of weather or accompanying diseases. Therefore, it is expected to expand treatment opportunities for patients with severe asthma significantly." Tezspire targets the standard therapy of severe asthma…"We will consider priority treatment" However, the indication of Tezspire is limited to cases where patients are not responding to previous treatments. It also has a limitation of not reimbursement by the National Health Insurance. Dr. Hwa Young Lee, Professor of Seoul St. Mary HospitalTezspire can be used regardless of type-2 inflammation and non-type-2 inflammation. It was expected that the use of the drug in clinical practices will gradually increase for patients with severe asthma whose biomarker status is difficult to identify. Dr. Park stated, "The drug can be expanded for use in both type-2 inflammation and non-type-2 inflammation. Clinicians may choose to use a treatment effective for a wider range of conditions first, and then select a treatment with a narrower range." Dr. Lee also emphasized that "For pneumonia treatment, doctors may use broader-spectrum antibiotics when identifying bacteria is difficult. In severe asthma, Tezspire can be effectively used if diagnosing type-2 inflammation proves difficult." However, due to limitations in reimbursement, only 10-20% of severe asthma patients are likely to receive the treatment readily. Ultimately, it will be up to the company to make efforts to obtain reimbursement. Regarding this, Ji-Young Kim, executive director of AstraZeneca Korea's Respiratory·Inflammatory Division, stated, "We acknowledge that severe asthma poses an economic burden." Kim added, "We are carefully considering patient support programs to reduce patient's economic burden."
- Policy
- 'JAK inh-biological agent' switching will be reimb in March
- by Lee, Jeong-Hwan Feb 21, 2025 05:56am
- The National Health Insurance reimbursement standard for severe atopic dermatitis treatments will be extended starting March 1. The key change is reimbursement coverage for switching between JAK inhibitor and biological agent. The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) announced on February 20 that it gave administrative notice of 'Partial revision to the pharmaceutical long-term care reimbursement.' In South Korea, the atopic dermatitis treatments that gained marketing authorization include JAK inhibitors such as AbbVie's Rinvoq (upadacitinib), Lilly's Olumiant (baricitinib), Pfizer's Cibinqo (abrocitinib), as well as biological agents such as Sanofi's Dupixent (dupilumab), and LEO Pharma's Adtralza (tralokinumab). According to this administrative notice, the MOHW improved the standard so that reimbursement coverage is provided for switching to JAK inhibitor if atopic diseases are not adequately responded to or a patient lacks tolerability to initial treatment with a biological agent. If a patient does not respond to a JAK inhibitor or no longer continues treatment due to side effects (recommended to stay on the switched drug for at least 6 months), one can switch to a biological agent. In this case, doctors must file a doctor's note. However, reimbursement has not been approved for switching between JAK inhibitors. Switching to a JAK inhibitor is possible if treatment with a biological agent is not effective or a patient cannot continue treatment due to side effects. Yet, Dupixent and Adtralza switching treatment has not been approved for reimbursement. Meanwhile, previously, JAK inhibitors were excluded from the list of allowed drugs for switching because approval is specified for 'patients over 65 years and older whose initial treatment has failed.' Once the switching is approved, this patient group can receive treatment.
- Will the dyslipidemia drug Leqvio be reimbursed for ASCVD?
- by Eo, Yun-Ho Feb 21, 2025 05:56am
- The industry’s attention is focused on whether progress will be made in the discussion of insurance reimbursement coverage for the new dyslipidemia drug Leqvio. Novartis' siRNA drug Leqvio (inclisiran) applied for a new drug reimbursement listing at the same time as it obtained approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in June last year, but there are significant differences of opinion on the scope of its reimbursement standard set during the review process. Dailypharm coverage found that Leqvio’s reimbursement agenda will be submitted to the Drug Reimbursement Subcommittee today (21st). The core of the discussion on the reimbursement criteria for Leqvio is whether it will be recognized for the reduction of cardiovascular events in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), which has not yet been officially approved. Leqvio is only currently indicated for the treatment of the rare condition, familial hypercholesterolemia. The PCSK9 inhibitor 'Repatha (evolocumab)', which can be considered Leqvio’s competitor, was also approved for reimbursement only for familial hypercholesterolemia at the time of its initial listing, but its reimbursement criteria were expanded thereafter. Since the government has already granted reimbursement for its competitor that has the same therapeutic position, it is possible that the government has decided that it would not be a problem to delay the reimbursement of Leqvio for the same indication as much as possible. Currently, Repatha is already reimbursed in 41 countries, including major countries, and Leqvio is already reimbursed in 39 countries. However, it is worth considering whether Leqvio’s convenience in administration, being administered twice a year by medical staff directly at the hospital, has not been taken into account. Not only is the number of doses reduced, but the advantage is that the injection is administered by medical staff at the hospital rather than by the patient. 78.4% of the target patient population, including patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) who have been administered Leqvio for up to 6.8 years or more, have reached the target LDL-C level. In a real-world study in the United States, the group with high medication adherence (fully adherent) among patients with ASCVD, including myocardial infarction, had a 27% lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) compared to the low-adherence group. In addition, it was found that patients with ASCVD who were highly compliant with their medication had lower annual medical costs than those with low compliance, which reduced the risk of recurrent cardiovascular disease and the economic burden of ASCVD patients. In other words, the convenience of taking the drug provided by Leqvio has clear therapeutic benefits. If Leqvio’s reimbursement standard for ASCVD is not approved this time, the company will have to wait for the results of the CVOT (Cardiovascular Outcome Trial) and wait for official approval, which would take several years. The market for statins and ezetimibe combination drugs alone is worth KRW 1 trillion, and if we add the funds spent on statins and PCSK9 inhibitors, the funds spent on lowering LDL-C alone are estimated to be between KRW 1.5 trillion to KRW 2 trillion. However, the LDL-C target achievement rate for ASCVD patients in Korea is only 24%. “In the case of high-risk patients, medication adherence is especially important for lipid-lowering treatment. In reality, medication adherence to current treatment options is low, and only 3 out of 10 patients still achieve the target LDL-C level. This is proof that new treatment options are urgently needed for lipid-lowering therapy,” said Jon Suh, Secretary of the Insurance Committee of the Korean Society of Cardiology and a member of the Insurance Committee of the Korean Society of Cardiology. He added, “If patients are not benefiting from the coverage of the treatment benefits of Leqvio, which can be used to manage LDL-C and prevent or delay the occurrence of cardiovascular events, this could lead to national losses due to an increase in cardiovascular disease mortality in the long term.”
- Policy
- Pfizer 'Vyndamax' reimbursed from March…KRW 100,000/cap
- by Lee, Tak-Sun Feb 21, 2025 05:56am
- Product photo of Vyndamax About 20% of the non-reimbursed price…significantly reduces patient with a special exemption of calculation provisions The completion of negotiations with the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) has been reported, so the reimbursement listing was a matter of time. The ceiling price is reported to be KRW 100,000 per capsule. According to industry sources on February 19, Vyndamax Cap was the only treatment for ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). As Vyndamax Cap becomes added to the reimbursement list in March, the ceiling price is reported to be set as KRW 100,000. The survival time for ATTR-CM is 2 to 3.5 years when it is not adequately treated. It is a disease mistaken for simply heart failure, but the treatment outcome is poor due to the unavailability of treatment. The efficacy of Vyndamax was demonstrated through the Phase 3 ATTR-ACT study, which showed Vyndamax reduced cardiovascular-related events and improved the 6-minute walking test in CM patients. However, after domestic approval in 2020, it faced difficulty in listing reimbursement. In April 2022, the drug was considered for the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA)'s Drug Reimbursement Evaluation Committee (DREC), but reimbursement appropriateness was not approved. Ultimately, high drug price was the problem. Vyndamax costs US$ 225,000 (approximately KRW 300 million) annually, and in South Korea, non-reimbursed treatment is reported to cost KRW 150 million (KRW 410,000 per capsule) annually. If the ceiling price is KRW 100,000 per capsule, it costs 20% less than when it was non-reimbursed. Patients only pay a co-payment of 10% with a special exemption of calculation provisions, so the economic burden is expected to be less. If the company has reached a risk-sharing agreement (RSA), drug cost is expected to decrease even more. The number of ATTR-CM patients in South Korea is reported to be 75 as of 2021.
- Company
- The aftermath of the prolonged medical care gap continues
- by Moon, sung-ho Feb 20, 2025 05:59am
- Global pharmaceutical companies are launching new blood cancer drugs in Korea one after another, but the situation on site is impeding their access. According to industry sources on the 17th, the the medical school admission expansion policy last year has led to a continued mass resignation of residents, which has disrupted the treatment of blood cancer at university hospitals. # The blood cancer treatment environment in Korea has been improving with an increasing number of “weapons” that medical staff can use due to the recent domestic approval and coverage of various treatments. From CAR-T (chimeric antigen receptor T cell) therapy to bispecific antibody therapy, various options are being introduced into clinical settings in Korea, expanding their use. If we were to choose a therapy that has been applied to clinical settings in Korea, the representative example is Novartis' Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel), which has been reimbursed by the National Health Insurance Service as a CAR-T therapy. In addition, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved Jassen Korea’s Carvykti (ciltacabtagene autoleucel), Gilead Sciences Korea’s Yescarta (exicabtagene ciloleucel) and the new domestic drug, Curocell’s Limkato (Anbasel) is awaiting approval in Korea. Also, when looking at bispecific antibody treatments with indications for blood cancers, ▲ Roche's Lunsumio (mosunetuzumab), Columvi (glofitamab) ▲ Janssen's Rybrevant (amivantamab), Tecvayli (teclistamab), Talvey (talquetamab) ▲AbbVie’s Epkinly (epcoritimabab) ▲Pfizer’s Elerexfio (elranatamab), etc. All seven treatments have been approved in Korea and are currently being tried for reimbursement. In fact, Roche's Columvi, AbbVie's Epkinly, and Janssen's Tecvayli all attempted to pass the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service's Cancer Disease Deliberation Committee, the first hurdle to reimbursement. Pfizer's Elerexfio was also submitted to the first Cancer Disease Deliberation Committee for deliberation this year and discussed the need to set reimbursement standards. All of these treatments failed to set reimbursement standards at the time, but depending on whether they are further challenged in the future, they are expected to be covered by insurance within the year. As a result, the expectations of patients for such treatment have greatly increased as the range of treatments has expanded beyond hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. However, due to the medical crisis that broke out last year, some university hospitals are still unable to accept new patients in the field of blood cancer. In the case of blood cancer, treatment is mainly provided at certain university hospitals, but these hospitals are not accepting new patients, causing a situation in which patients are flocking to other hospitals. Even hospitals where the patients flock are saying that they may no longer be able to accept new patients due to the lack of residents. A professor of hematology at a university hospital who requested anonymity said, “Some of the major university hospitals in Seoul are also unable to accept new patients in the field of hematological cancer,” and pointed out the problem, saying, “Even in northeastern Seoul, there is only one hospital that provides treatment for hematological cancer.” He added, “The situation is the same nationwide. People from Gangwon-do, Chungcheong-do, and even Gyeongsang-do province have no choice but to go to the capital region for treatment of blood cancer, but these hospitals are not accepting new patients.” He also complained, “Even hospitals that accept new patients are having difficulty coping with the constant influx of patients due to the lack of resident doctors. We cannot continue to endure the situation any longer.”
- Company
- Jeil’s super-antibiotic cefiderocol approved in Korea
- by Nho, Byung Chul Feb 20, 2025 05:59am
- Jeil Pharmaceutical (CEO Seok-je Sung) announced on the 19th that it has received approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to market the drug Fetroja Inj 1g’ (cefiderocol sulfate tosylate) for the treatment of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacterial infections. With the approval, adult patients may use Fetroja for the treatment of the following infections caused by susceptible Gram-negative microorganisms: • Complicated Urinary Tract Infections (cUTI), including Pyelonephritis • Hospital-acquired Bacterial Pneumonia and Ventilator-associated Bacterial Pneumonia (HABP/VABP) Prior to this domestic approval, Fetroja Inj has been approved in more than 10 countries around the world, including the US, Europe, and Japan, and was designated by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety as a national essential medicine in April 2024 as a medicine necessary for responding to public health crises and promoting public health. Fetroja Inj, which was developed by Shionogi, is the world's first siderophore cephalosporin antibiotic, it binds with iron and is then absorbed into the cell through the bacteria's iron-porin channels to overcome the problem of existing antibiotics losing their effectiveness due to resistance. Through this different mechanism of action, it shows a strong antibacterial effect, and Jeil Pharmaceutical expects it to present new possibilities in the treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens that have been difficult to effectively treat with existing treatment options. Fetroja Inj demonstrated in-vitro activity against various antibiotic-resistant (AMR) pathogens, including carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE), carbapenem-resistant acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), and carbapenem-resistant pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) that produce metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL). A Jeil Pharmaceutical official said, “Fetroja is an innovative antibiotic that was named to conquer pathogens by using the Trojan horse mechanism of penetrating pathogens through the iron (Fe) forin channel. It will be an important treatment option for patients with complicated urinary tract infections, including nephropyelitis, and ventilator-associated pneumonia, which was difficult to treat due to multidrug-resistant bacteria infection.” Jeil Pharmaceutical signed an exclusive domestic supply agreement with Ping An-Shionogi in July 2022 and secured the rights to develop and commercialize ‘Fetroja Inj.’ Meanwhile, Shionogi is a global research-oriented pharmaceutical company established in 1878, and has a long history and expertise in the development of infectious disease treatments. In particular, it is conducting continuous research and development in the fields of antibiotics, antiviral drugs, and central nervous system treatments, and currently has subsidiaries in Japan, the United States, Europe, and China. Ping An-Shionogi was established in 2020 as a joint venture between the Japanese company Shionogi and the Chinese company Ping An, and introduced the Asian rights to “Fetroja Inj.” However, in December 2024, Shionogi acquired all of Ping An's shares and incorporated it as a subsidiary of Shionogi.
- Company
- Myelofibrosis drug 'Omjjara' attempts at reimb listing
- by Eo, Yun-Ho Feb 20, 2025 05:59am
- 'Omjjara,' a targeted treatment for myelofibrosis, attempts to be added to the National Health Insurance reimbursement list. According to industry sources, GSK Korea submitted a reimbursement application for its new myelofibrosis drug, Omjjara (momelotinib), at the end of last year, and is awaiting to be considered for the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA)'s Cancer Disease Review Committee (CDRC). The company has applied for the indication to treat 'adult patients with intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis who have anemia.' The drug has approved indications to treat primary myelofibrosis, post-polycythemia vera myelofibrosis, or post-essential thrombocythemia myelofibrosis. Unlike single-target drugs, Omjjara is a multi-target drug that blocks three key signaling pathways. It is expected to have a significant treatment effect. This drug has an inhibitory ability along three key signaling pathways, including JAK1 and JAK2 proteins that are targets of previous drugs, along with activin A receptor type 1 (ACVR1). The recommended dosage is once daily oral administration of 200 mg, and it can be taken regardless of meal intake. Myelofibrosis is a rare blood cancer in which the buildup of fibrosis in the bone marrow causes symptoms such as anemia, thrombocytopenia, and enlarged spleen and liver. It occurs in 1 out of 100,000 worldwide. In South Korea, it has been reported that as of 2023, about 2292 patients have received inpatient and outpatient treatments. Patients who have anemic symptoms have poor prognosis after treatment, and the problem is most patients experience anemia. According to the research, 87% of myelofibrosis patients were reported to be anemic at the time of diagnosis. In another study, 46% of patients required blood transfusion after one year of diagnosis. Typically, anemia in myelofibrosis patients increases the death risk by twofold compared to other prognostic factors, such as age, increased white blood cells, and symptoms throughout the body. The clinical efficacy and safety profile of Omjjara were confirmed through the Phase 3 'SIMPLIFY-1 study' and 'MOMENTUM study.' The studies confirmed that the drug improved key symptoms, such as enlarged spleen, in adult myelofibrosis patients and reduced dependence on blood transfusions in anemic patients. Firstly, the SIMPLIFY-1 study directly compared Omjjara to 'Jakavi (ruxolitinib)' in 432 adult myelofibrosis patients without prior JAK inhibitor therapy. Subgroup analysis was performed in patients with anemia. The results showed that Omjjara was confirmed to be non-inferior to ruxolitinib in terms of the primary efficacy endpoint, which was a spleen volume at week 24 (≥35% reduction). Non-inferiority was not identified in the total symptom improvement score. The rate of transfusion independence in each patient group was confirmed. The rate of patients with transfusion independence in the Omjjara treatment group was 66.5%, and those in the ruxolitinib treatment group were 49.3%, showing that the Omjjara treatment group had significantly lower transfusion independence. In the MOMENTUM study, which was another basis of approval, the efficacy and safety of Omjjara to 'danazol' were compared in 195 adult patients with myelofibrosis who had previously undergone JAK inhibitor therapy, exhibited symptoms, and had anemia. All study participants had been treated with ruxolitinib before, and 4.6% of the patients received 'fedratinib.' The common primary efficacy endpoint was the percentage of patients with a 50% or greater reduction in the Total Symptom Score (TSS) and transfusion independence at week 24.
- Company
- Organon Korea releases first product after spinoff
- by Whang, byung-woo Feb 20, 2025 05:58am
- Organon Korea is launching a new product for the first time since its spin-off in June 2019 and is beginning to expand its influence in earnest. The product, which was unveiled about 3 years after the official launch of the Korean subsidiary, is JADA, a medical device used to control and treat postpartum hemorrhage. The company plans to target the market with its women-focused strategy that differentiates itself from other companies. At a media session held on the 19th, the company announced the launch of JADA and expressed Organon's commitment to improving women's health and safe birthing environments in this era of low fertility. JADA is a new technology that has emerged 15 years after the previously used “intrauterine balloon tamponade and compression suture.” In the case of intrauterine balloon tamponade and compression, hemostasis was achieved by directly applying pressure to the inner wall of the uterus for 12 to 24 hours, but JADA induces physiologic contraction by creating a negative pressure in the uterus within a few minutes and applying pressure (up to 90 mmHg). In the PEARLE trial, 94% of patients could control postpartum hemorrhage without additional treatment, and the median time taken to control their bleeding was 3 minutes. In March of last year, JADA was approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to control and treat abnormal postpartum hemorrhage when conservative management of the uterus is required. In June of the same year, intrauterine negative pressure hemostasis using JADA was listed as a new health technology based on the results of the safety and effectiveness evaluation of new health technologies by the National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency (NECA). Jada's indication, postpartum hemorrhage, is a condition with a high unmet need in women's health worldwide, and it is one of the complications of childbirth that occurs in one in six mothers worldwide, highlighting the need for immediate and appropriate treatment. On this day, Professor Geum Joon Cho of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Korea University Guro Hospital explained, “One of the main causes of postpartum hemorrhage is uterine atony. A normal uterus naturally stops bleeding through contraction after childbirth, but in the case of uterine atony, the contraction does not occur properly, so the bleeding continues. If the bleeding is not controlled with initial treatment, an intrauterine device is inserted to try to stop the bleeding.” Professor Cho added, “In Korea, as of 2021, labor and delivery complications account for 34.8% of the causes of maternal mortality, and any postpartum hemorrhage that may occur in connection with this should be treated immediately.” He also emphasized, “For mothers experiencing postpartum hemorrhage, prompt judgment by on-site medical staff and the use of appropriate medical devices are very important.” Professor Cho explained that JADA is meaningful in that it provides a new treatment option that can quickly and accurately control postpartum hemorrhage, in the current situation where there is a high level of interest in maternal health due to the low birth rate issue. Professor Cho said, “NECA has been evaluated as having an acceptable safety profile, a high treatment success rate, and an effectively low volume of transfused blood, so it is worth trying by clinicians.” Meanwhile, this launch is significant in that it marks the beginning of the company’s movement to specialize in solutions that are specifically designed for women's health, which has been a key focus of Organon Korea since its inception. Jung Eun Jang, Country Medical Director at Organon Korea, said, “Since Organon was launched with the vision of promoting women's health, we have been continuously striving to provide a wider range of choices by providing various solutions to treat diseases that occur only in women or are disproportionately affected and have unique effects on women.” So Eun Kim, Managing Director of Organon Korea, added, “Postpartum hemorrhage is a problem that can affect not only the mother but also the unborn child, the family, and society as a whole. We hope that the launch of this product will create an environment where postpartum hemorrhage can be treated more quickly and effectively.”
