Pharma Industry Faces High-Stakes Showdown in Blood Pressure Drugs (Yonhap News TV)
SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s pharmaceutical industry has opened the year with intensifying competition in the hypertension treatment market, as drugmakers race to secure an early foothold in one of the country’s largest and most lucrative therapeutic segments.
With an estimated 10 million patients and a market valued at roughly 2.4 trillion won, hypertension has become a strategic battleground where success can shape companies’ broader sales performance across other prescription drug categories.
Yuhan Corp. plans to launch a low-dose two-drug combination therapy, Twinlow, in March. The drug combines telmisartan and amlodipine and follows the company’s November debut of Truset, a three-drug, low-dose combination that includes a diuretic. Clinical trial data showed that Truset delivered significantly stronger blood-pressure reduction than standard monotherapy, boosting confidence in Yuhan’s stepped treatment strategy.
Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical is also preparing a March launch of Telminuvo Plus, which adds a diuretic to its low-dose two-drug therapy Telminuvo. The company introduced Telminuvo last November as the world’s first combination therapy approved specifically for essential hypertension at ultra-low doses and has set a target of 100 billion won in annual sales by 2028.
SK Chemicals has reentered the hypertension market for the first time in five years after receiving regulatory approval for Telamclo, a three-drug combination identical in composition and dosage to Yuhan’s Truset, intensifying competition among low-dose fixed-dose therapies.
The push reflects shifting treatment patterns. According to the Korean Society of Hypertension, more than 60 percent of patients now require two or more medications to control blood pressure, fueling demand for combination drugs that improve compliance while minimizing side effects.
Daewon Pharmaceutical has opted for a partnership strategy, joining forces with Celltrion Pharm to co-market three hypertension treatments this month, including Idaldepine, a combination of azilsartan and amlodipine, as well as related single- and dual-agent products. Daewon plans to focus its near-term sales efforts on expanding adoption of azilsartan-based therapies.
Industry officials said companies are stepping up promotional campaigns early in the year, viewing the first quarter as critical for capturing prescribing momentum.
“Securing market leadership at the beginning of the year is crucial,” one pharmaceutical executive said. “Firms are tightening sales management and intensifying physician outreach to gain an edge.”
As competition deepens, analysts say the hypertension market is likely to remain a proving ground for Korea’s drugmakers — testing not only clinical performance, but also marketing strength and long-term brand strategy.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
