Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical struck a co-promotion deal with Novo Nordisk Pharma Korea to jointly market the obesity treatment Wegovy, as the Danish drugmaker faces mounting pressure from rival Eli Lilly’s competing product in the Korean market.
The agreement covers sales and marketing activities for Wegovy targeting domestic hospitals and clinics starting October 1, the companies announced Tuesday. Wegovy ranked first in domestic prescription drug sales in the second quarter of 2025, according to IQVIA.
The partnership comes at a critical time for both companies. Chong Kun Dang faced a sales gap of about 100 billion won ($75 million) annually after ending its co-promotion of heartburn drug K-CAB with HK inno.N at the end of 2023. Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk is defending its obesity drug franchise against Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, which launched in Korea in mid-August at prices about 25 percent lower than Wegovy.
Mounjaro has demonstrated greater weight loss effects than Wegovy in clinical trials, with an average weight reduction of around 20 percent compared to Wegovy’s 13.7 percent. The competitive threat has already forced Novo Nordisk to announce price cuts for Wegovy ranging from 10 to 40 percent depending on dose.
Wegovy entered the Korean market in October 2024 and quickly gained traction, but faces supply constraints and regulatory scrutiny over off-label cosmetic use.
