Emerging 'triple comb therapies for diabetes'...up 59% in the first half

Prescription sales of triple combination diabetes therapies amounted to KRW 6 billion in the first half…59%↑ compared to the previous year

Triple combination therapies containing new active ingredients‧combination are set to launch…will the market be in full swing?

In the first half of this year, the South Korean triple-combination diabetes drug market expanded to KRW 6 billion, a 59% year-over-year (YoY) increase. Analysis suggests that the market is at its height, as products featuring various active ingredients and combinations have joined the market since the second half of last year.

​Furthermore, market growth is expected to accelerate as major pharmaceutical players, including Chong Kun Dang, Dong-A ST, Boryung, LG Chem, and Handok, add their respective triple-combination therapies to the market.

​Triple-combination therapies expand since H2 last year… Up 59% YoY

​According to pharmaceutical market research firm UBIST on the 8th, outpatient prescription sales in the domestic triple-combination diabetes drug market reached KRW 6 billion in the first half of this year, up 59% from KRW 3.8 billion in the first half of last year.

Quarterly prescription sales of triple combination diabetes therapies (unit: KRW 100 million, source; UBIST)

The market for triple-combination diabetes therapies formed in early 2023, following consecutive patent expirations of major DPP-4 inhibitors and SGLT-2 inhibitors, alongside the expansion of health insurance reimbursement coverage for triple combination therapy.

​Hanmi Pharm and Daewon Pharmaceutical joined. In the third quarter of 2023, they launched 'Sildapa M' and 'Dapasita M,' respectively, combining dapagliflozin + sitagliptin + metformin. In the first quarter of the following year, Dong-A ST launched 'Sugatree,' combining dapagliflozin and metformin with its proprietary novel drug Suganon (evogliptin).

​However, initial growth remained modest as only three companies had entered the market at the time. Led by these three products, quarterly prescription sales in the triple-combination diabetes market stayed below KRW 2 billion through the fourth quarter of 2024.

​The dynamic shifted starting in the second half of 2025 as follow-on products featuring similar active ingredients and combinations aggressively entered the market. During this period, Chong Kun Dang's 'Emsiformin,' Zenuone Sciences' 'Forxita M,' and GC Pharma's 'Sitadapam M' officially joined the market. Entering this year, additional latecomers, including KyungDong Pharma, joined. Currently, 47 products across 14 pharmaceutical companies have obtained approval as triple-combination diabetes drugs.

​Throughout this expansion, the prescription market for triple-combination diabetes drugs grew significantly. In the second quarter of this year, the market grew to KRW 3.3 billion, indicating that commercial growth is now in full gear. Industry projections suggest that if this trajectory continues, the market will expand beyond KRW 10 billion W by the end of this year.

​Major players (Chong Kun Dang, Dong-A, Boryung, LG Chem, and Handok) signal competition in the triple-combination therapy area

​The pharmaceutical industry anticipates that the growth trajectory of the triple-combination diabetes market will steepen further, driven by expectations that major manufacturers holding novel originator molecules will add their own triple-combination drugs to the market.

​For Chong Kun Dang, 'Duviempol,' formulated around its proprietary novel drug Duvie (lobeglitazone), was added to the reimbursement listing in June. The product combines lobeglitazone with empagliflozin and metformin, marking the first triple-combination therapy to pair an SGLT-2 inhibitor + TZD + metformin.

​Chong Kun Dang's diabetes treatment portfolio expands to 20 products, including Duvie and Januvia. Among these, three are triple-combination therapies: Duviempol, Duvimet-S (sitagliptin / lobeglitazone / metformin), and Emsiformin (empagliflozin / sitagliptin / metformin).

​Boryung received product approval for 'Truempa LM' in June and is preparing for its market launch. The drug is a combination of empagliflozin + linagliptin + metformin. Boryung's diabetes portfolio expands to 14 products, with two triple-combination therapies: Truempa LM and True DSM (dapagliflozin / sitagliptin / metformin).

​Dong-A ST has also announced the addition of another triple-combination drug. Building around its proprietary drug Suganon (evogliptin), Dong-A ST already markets Sugatree (dapagliflozin / evogliptin / metformin) and is expected to add "Suganova" (empagliflozin / evogliptin / metformin) to its lineup. Dong-A ST applied for product approval for Suganova in March.

​Additionally, LG Chem and Handok are reportedly developing triple-combination therapies based on their own proprietary novel drugs.

​In September of last year, LG Chem received Phase 1 clinical trial approval for "Zemidapamet," a triple-combination therapy combining Zemiglo (gemigliptin) with dapagliflozin and metformin. Handok has similarly conducted clinical trials evaluating a triple combination therapy combining its in-house drug Tenelia (teneligliptin) with empagliflozin and metformin.