Daewoong Pharmaceutical said Monday that it would collaborate with Inventage Lab, a company specializing in drug delivery system, to develop long-acting injections (LAI).

The two companies will work together to develop LAI pipeline and formulation research, conduct non-clinical and clinical trials, and carry out overseas partnering.

LAI is a new type of medication, which replaces the drugs that require daily oral taking or injection by administering once every one to three months. It has the advantage of improving medication compliance, increasing patient convenience, and optimizing treatment effects with a stable dosage.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical said it has released Lupier Depot (ingredient: leuprolide acetate), a treatment for prostate cancer, as an LAI formulation, which has grown into a blockbuster with 20 billion won ($16.1 million) in sales.

Based on 20 years of LAI production and research experience, Daewoong has various research and development pipelines, including treatments for the central nervous system, diabetes, and obesity aside from anticancer drugs.

Daewoong is preparing to expand to global markets through developing its exclusive injection container, Dual Chamber Syringe, and building manufacturing facilities with current Good Manufacturing Practice.

Inventage Lab has developed IVL-Precision Particle Fabrication Method (IVL-PPFM), which suppresses the burst phenomenon where a large amount of drug is rapidly released. The technology has secured data of excellent completeness in controlling release control function that maintains the drug concentration level in the blood within a certain range.