Elpag Tablets secures full localization and 30% cost reduction for rare disease patients
Pharmbio Korea has secured a definitive victory in the Supreme Court against Novartis in a patent dispute over its thrombocytopenia treatment, Elpag Tablets (eltrombopag olamine), a generic version of Novartis’ original drug Revolade Tablets.
On April 24, Pharmbio Korea (Chairman Bong-Gil Nam) announced that the Supreme Court had ruled against Novartis in its final appeal concerning the scope of patent rights for Revolade Tablets.
Pharmbio Korea had originally filed a request in July 2023 to limit the scope of three formulation patents held by Novartis. The company prevailed in both the Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board in April 2024 and the Patent Court in December 2024. With the Supreme Court’s ruling, the legal battle has now concluded in Pharmbio’s favor.
Following regulatory approval, Pharmbio Korea launched Elpag Tablets on October 1, 2024. The product is priced at .40 for the 25 mg dose and .87 for the 50 mg dose—roughly 30% less than the original brand, significantly lowering out-of-pocket expenses for patients.
Elpag Tablets is the first generic developed in Korea for the treatment of immune thrombocytopenia and severe aplastic anemia, fully replacing the previously imported drug and achieving complete localization.
Chairman Bong-Gil Nam remarked, “Localizing this treatment was crucial for patients with rare diseases. By developing Elpag Tablets in Korea, we’ve reduced treatment costs by 30%, easing the financial burden for those in need.”