Sam Chun Dang Pharm's "Latast" Surpasses 11% Share of South Korea's Glaucoma Eye Drop Market
South Korea market share rises to 11%
Sam Chun Dang Pharm's glaucoma treatment Latast eye drops (active ingredient: latanoprost) has increased its market share in South Korea's single-use eye drop market to double digits.
According to a survey by market research firm UBIST released on October 8, Latast's share of South Korea's single-use latanoprost eye drop market rose from 3.1% in March 2025 to 11% in August 2026. Over the same period, its share in the hospital and clinic channel grew from 4.8% to 14.2%.
South Korea's single-use latanoprost eye drop market grew about 2.7-fold in four years, from 13.1 billion won in 2021 to 36 billion won in 2025. The growth reflects rising demand for preservative-free, single-use formulations, as glaucoma treatment requires patients to use eye drops over an extended period.
Sam Chun Dang Pharm began developing preservative-free, single-use latanoprost about 10 years ago. Latast is a generic drug developed after the original drug's patent expired, but its efficacy was demonstrated in a global Phase 3 clinical trial. In a trial involving 170 patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, Latast reduced mean intraocular pressure by about 32%, from 24.4 mmHg to 16.6 mmHg, demonstrating non-inferiority to the original drug.
Latast is also performing well in overseas markets. Sam Chun Dang Pharm supplies the product to a global pharmaceutical company that owns the original latanoprost drug. In Europe, the product is sold under the original brand name.
Hot Picks Today
"Two Spend 500,000 Won in a Flash, Yet Wait Two Hours?" ... 'Dreamland' Shunned by Kids and Foreign Tourists
- The Era of Getting 200 Million Won After 30 Years Is Over... A Japanese Bank's "Perpetual Department Head" Who Just Clocked In Cries Out
- Spain Hit by Its Worst Tragedy... Lee Kangin, Moreno and Real Madrid Join Soccer World in Mourning
- They Said, “Make It Your Home for Life” - Then Suddenly Kicked 200 Passengers Off... What Happened to the Around-the-World Cruise?
- "130 Rice Bowls Sold Out in a Day"... 'Unfiltered Face' Adds 8 Million Won to Night Market Sales: China's Bungeunwoo
A Sam Chun Dang Pharm official said, "Our strategy of proactively responding to the shift in the glaucoma eye drop market from multi-dose products to preservative-free, single-use products is paying off. Building on our eye drop development and manufacturing capabilities, we will continue to expand our presence not only in South Korea but also in global markets, including Europe."
© The Asia Business Daily. All rights reserved. Unauthorized AI training and use prohibited.
