Domestic Obesity Drug Epe to Cost in the 180,000-Won Range for Its First 4 Weeks... 25% Cheaper Than Wegovy and 40% Cheaper Than Mounjaro

[Financial News] The cost of a first four-week course of Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s Epe (ingredient: efpeglenatide), the country’s first homegrown GLP-1-class obesity treatment, averaged in the 180,000-won range. Based on initial prescriptions at 10 hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi, patients’ out-of-pocket costs, including consultation fees and other charges, were about 25% lower than for Wegovy and about 40% lower than for Mounjaro. However, these figures cover only the initial doses and do not account for the cost of later dose increases.
According to the pharmaceutical industry and DoctorNow, a telemedicine platform, on the 1st, the cost of Epe’s first four weeks of treatment ranged from 165,000 to 200,000 won, depending on the hospital. The cost of Wegovy, the comparison drug, ranged from 223,000 to 270,000 won at the initial dose of 0.25 mg, while Mounjaro cost 285,000 to 320,000 won at a dose of 2.5 mg. The comparison covers four weeks of treatment for patients receiving each product for the first time and reflects actual out-of-pocket costs, including hospital consultation fees and other charges.
On this basis, the initial treatment cost for Epe is about 75% of Wegovy’s and about 60% of Mounjaro’s. However, prices vary by hospital, and costs may change as doses increase, so this should be distinguished from cost competitiveness over the full course of treatment.
During the first four weeks, Epe is administered twice each at the 2 mg and 4 mg doses, after which the dose is increased in stages. The product’s supply price ranges from 24,200 to 74,800 won, depending on the dose, and the supply price for the initial four weeks is 129,800 won. Consultation fees and other charges are added to patients’ actual out-of-pocket costs. Initial supplies are currently limited, so prescriptions are available only at some hospitals, and the product has not yet been supplied to pharmacies.
As a homegrown obesity treatment enters the market touting its price competitiveness, the possibility of price adjustments for existing products is also being discussed. When Mounjaro launched in South Korea in August last year, Wegovy’s supply price was cut by as much as 42%.
Whether the drugs are covered by health insurance is also a market factor. Novo Nordisk submitted an application to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service last month seeking insurance coverage for Wegovy for patients with severe obesity and comorbidities. Lilly Korea is also reportedly pursuing coverage for Mounjaro for adults with type 2 diabetes.
If insurance coverage is granted, the medication costs borne by eligible patients could fall. As Epe’s price competitiveness coincides with price adjustments to existing products and expanded insurance coverage, the competitive landscape of South Korea’s obesity-treatment market is expected to change.

[email protected] Jung Sang-hee Reporter