- Synergies expected to result from cooperation between research focused Korea MSD products
  and the excellent infrastructure of Daewoong Pharmaceutical



On June 30th, 2011, it was announced that Korea MSD (President: Hyeon Dong Wook), a Korean corporation of the global health care group Merck & Co., Inc and Daewoong Pharmaceutical (President: Lee Jong Wook) had set up a strategic agreement for the marketing of Vytorin (component name: ezetimibe/simvastatin), a cholesterol-lowering agent of Korea MSD ezetimibe/simvastatin). This marketing and affiliation agreement is the third one after Foxamax and Januvia. Both companies expect to achieve great success through this mutual agreement. 

Based on this strategic alliance, both companies are expected to reinforce their sales activities more effectively. This in turn will allow customers to access information and services on Vytorine of Korea MSD rapidly and effectively. 

Director Kim Sang Pyo of Korea MSD cardiac and diabetes business department, who is in charge of the domestic marketing of Vytorine, said “we expect to provide the excellent effects of Vytorine to hyperlipemia patients and customers more rapidly. What is more important is that patients can get the benefits of the product more rapidly.”

Director Baek Seong Ho of Daewoong Pharmaceutical ETC sales department remarked, “the excellent medicines of Korea MSD and the excellent marketing capacity of Daewoong Phamarceutical, which achieved the no. 1 sales in prescribed medicine, can form a synergy. We will do our best to deliver the best benefits of the product to patients through our diverse experiences.”

To effectively control cholesterol, Vytorin consists of two medicines, which are statin to restrain the generation of cholesterol in the liver, and ezetimibe to restrain the absorption of alimentary and biliary cholesterol.[1][2]

A US FDA license was obtained in July 2004, and a KFDA license in July 2005. It can be administered once a day regardless of meals. Generally, 10/20mg/day is recommended initially.[3]

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[1] Goldberg AC, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Ezetimibe Coadministered With Simvastatin in Patients With Primary Hypercholesterolemia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial Mayo Clin Proc. 2004;79:620-629

[2] Toth PP, Davidson MH. Simvastatin plus ezetimibe:combination therapy for the management of dyslipidaemia Expert Opin. Pharmacother. 2005;6(1):131-139

[3] Instructions in the use of Vytorine, Korea MSD