Daewon Pharmaceutical: "Pelubi Demonstrates Pain-Control Efficacy After Knee Replacement Surgery"

Study Results to Be Presented at the Korean Orthopaedic Association International Congress (KOA 2026)

Daewon Pharmaceutical announced on the 8th that it will present the results of a new clinical study evaluating the pain-control efficacy of pelubiprofen, the active ingredient in Pelubi, Korea's 12th domestically developed new drug, following total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

The results will be presented at the 2026 Korean Orthopaedic Association International Congress (KOA 2026), taking place at the Suwon Convention Center in Gyeonggi Province from October 8 to 10. Daewon Pharmaceutical plans to present the relevant clinical data at a luncheon symposium on October 9.

Visual Analog Scale pain score graph for pelubiprofen and celecoxib. Daewon Pharmaceutical

The study, to be presented by Professor Yongbeom Park of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital, involved 100 patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty for degenerative osteoarthritis. The patients were randomly assigned to a pelubiprofen group and a celecoxib group, with 50 patients in each, and the groups were compared in terms of postoperative pain control and functional recovery.

The results showed that the primary endpoint, the mean pain score on postoperative day 2, was 36.8 mm in the pelubiprofen group and 37.0 mm in the celecoxib group, as measured on the visual analog scale (VAS). The difference between the groups was 0.2 mm, confirming that pelubiprofen's pain-control efficacy was noninferior to that of celecoxib.

On postoperative day 7, the range of motion of the knee joint was 117.2 degrees in the pelubiprofen group and 119.4 degrees in the celecoxib group, with no statistically significant difference. Patient satisfaction was also similar, at 84.4 and 83.6 points, respectively. There were no significant differences in the number of additional analgesic doses or the incidence of adverse reactions such as nausea and vomiting. The short-term safety assessment also found no statistically significant difference between the groups.

No major postoperative complications were observed in either group during the study period, and there was no significant difference between the groups in the incidence of mild adverse reactions such as nausea and vomiting.

In an earlier clinical trial involving patients with rheumatoid arthritis, pelubiprofen was directly compared with celecoxib and was found to be noninferior in improving pain.

A Daewon Pharmaceutical official said, "This study is significant because it provides new clinical data on pelubiprofen for managing pain before and after surgery in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. We will continue evidence-based research and academic activities across various musculoskeletal pain areas and strive to provide healthcare professionals with useful treatment information."

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