Celltrion Pharm said on the 2nd that it released the two-drug combination hypertension treatment Idaldipin tablets in the domestic market.
Idaldipin tablets combine two ingredients with different mechanisms of action: azilsartan medoxomil (an ARB class that lowers blood pressure by widening blood vessels) and amlodipine (a CCB class that relaxes vascular smooth muscle). It is known that taking the two drugs together can control blood pressure more stably than taking either alone.
The main patients are those with essential hypertension whose blood pressure is not sufficiently controlled with a single drug, or those who are taking an existing single agent together and need to improve dosing convenience. In a clinical study conducted at 10 institutions in Korea and abroad, it was confirmed that taking the two ingredients together lowered systolic blood pressure more effectively than monotherapy.
A company official said, "Idaldipin tablets improve convenience with one tablet once a day and can keep blood pressure stable for 24 hours." The official also said, "Compared with some ARB-class drugs, renal protection and reduction in proteinuria were also confirmed, so it can be used in diverse patient groups, including patients with hypertension accompanied by type 2 diabetes."
Idaldipin tablets received item approval from the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety in Oct. last year, and prescriptions began with health insurance reimbursement from on the 1st of this month. For now, two doses, 40/5 mg and 40/10 mg, have been launched, and the reimbursed prices are 654 won and 725 won, respectively. In Feb., 80/5 mg and 80/10 mg products will be added, enabling customized prescriptions tailored to patient conditions.
In Korea's hypertension treatment market, use of two-drug combinations has been steadily increasing. According to market research firm Ubist, the number of patients taking an ARB and a CCB together is growing by an average of 4.6% annually, and the related market size is about 840 billion won. Celltrion Pharm plans to strengthen its circulatory system therapy portfolio and offer patients a range of treatment options by adding Idaldipin tablets following the existing Edarbi and Edarbyclor.