SK Biopharmaceuticals said that it has launched Xcopri, a treatment for partial-onset seizures in adults, in the United States.

Xcopri is the first drug independetly developed by a Korean company, beginning from candidate discovery to winning FDA approval. The company plans to market the product through SK Life Sciences, its U.S. subsidiary.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted the sales approval of the drug in November last year.

"We are finally able to offer new treatment options for patients suffering from seizures despite taking conventional treatments," SK Biopharmaceuticals CEO Cho Jeong-woo said. "The launch of the treatment is meaningful as it is the first locally developed new drug to be marketed in the U.S., which has the largest pharmaceutical market in the world."

SK Life Science CCO Sebby Borriello also said, "In consideration of the medical environment that has been changed by Covid-19, the company plans to implement its marketing and sales strategy in the U.S. carefully."

The company plans to market Xcopri by using various digital-based platforms, remote detailing, and conferences, Borriello said.

According to the company, the global epilepsy market in major countries reached about $6.1 billion in 2018. Of the total, the U.S. market accounts for 54 percent, or $3.3 billion.

"The U.S. epilepsy market is estimated to grow to about $4.1 billion by 2024," the company said.