Dong-A Pharmaceutical (CEO Kim, Won-Bae) has released Gonadopin®, the world’s third and Korea’s first
infertility drug. Gonadopin® is a recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH) that helps follicles
mature in women who have received assisted reproductive technology. Clinical results show that
Gonadropin® is as effective as existing drugs and does not have unwanted side-effects. Existing infertility
drugs are either based on urea or gene recombination. Urea-based drugs are difficult to produce, and have
safety and distribution issues.




Gene recombination drugs (rFSH) do not have these disadvantages and are replacing urea-based products.
The Korean rFSH market is divided between Gonal (Ares-Serono Ltd.), and Puregon (N.V.Organon), and was
worth 6.3 billion in 2005 and is expected to grow to 9 billion in 2006. A Dong-A spokesman stated
“Gonadopin® is as effective as foreign products but is less expensive, and will put less of a burden on
patients suffering from infertility.”




In addition to Gonadopin®, Dong-A will release natural treatments for atopy and asthma in 2007 and 2008.
Dong-A is also planning to release the erectile dysfunction drug, Zydena® in the US in 2009. Follicle
stimulating hormone is a glycoprotein produced in the anterior pituitary lobe and distributed through the
endocrine system. It plays an important role in the differentiation and growth of male and female reproductive
cells. In males it stimulates sperm production and in females it regulates follicle maturation.