Daewoong Pharmaceutical has successfully completed a Phase III clinical trial of next generation gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) drug candidate in South Korea, but strong competition awaits from approved P-CAB drugs of CJ Healthcare and Takeda.

The ongoing battle between Korea's Medytox and Daewoong Pharm over the source of the botulinum toxin strain in Daewoong’s product looks set to rumble on until a trade commission unveils the results of its probe next year.

Following major global licensing out deals in the sector this year by South Korean bioventures Bridge Biotherapeutics and TiumBio, Scrip takes a look at why firms in the country are competitively pursuing development of drugs for IPF.

Shares of Korea's Medytox fell on suspicions that it supplied botulinum toxin to local hospitals before the product's approval in 2006. The concerns add to other manufacturing issues that have been denied by the company, which pointed to a rival as the possible source amid an ongoing legal battle over the strain used in the product.