HANDOK said on the 22nd that it signed a domestic distribution and sales contract for the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi's anticancer drugs "Eloxatin® (Eloxatin)" and "Zaltrap® (Zaltrap)." HANDOK plans to exclusively sell the two products in Korea starting in January next year.
Eloxatin and Zaltrap are standard treatments for unresectable advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, and pancreatic cancer. These cancers are major diseases that rank among the highest in incidence in Korea. HANDOK plans to strengthen its oncology business base through this contract and expand next year's oncology sales to about 69 billion won.
HANDOK is continuing a growth strategy focused on strategic portfolio expansion and research and development (R&D) in oncology. In particular, it has steadily expanded its product lineup centered on treatments for gastrointestinal cancers such as cholangiocarcinoma, gastric cancer, and anal cancer.
In 2022, it partnered with global biopharma Incyte to sign a domestic approval and supply contract for the cholangiocarcinoma treatment Pemazyre and the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treatment Monjuvi. This year, it additionally signed a contract for the anal cancer treatment "Zynyz" and is currently preparing for domestic approval.
In particular, Pemazyre is covered by national health insurance in the field of cholangiocarcinoma, where treatment options are limited, expanding its use in real-world patient care.
HANDOK plans to continue expanding its anticancer pipeline. In 2027, it plans to launch in Korea as its own new drug the cholangiocarcinoma treatment "HDB001A (generic name tobesimig)," which is being developed through open-innovation R&D. Tobesimig met the primary endpoint based on objective response rate (ORR) in key results from phase 2/3 in April this year.
Results from analyses of the secondary endpoints overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) are scheduled to be released in the first quarter of next year. Fewer deaths were observed than expected, and the analysis timing was adjusted, delaying it from the original plan.
HANDOK Chair Kim Young-jin said, "HANDOK has already secured a variety of anticancer drugs that can be launched within the next five years," and added, "We will offer better treatment options to cancer patients through innovative anticancer therapies."