Ildong Pharma to export high blood pressure treatment to China

South Korea's Ildong Pharmaceutical Co. on Tuesday said it will export benidipine hydrochloride, a raw material used in the treatment of high blood pressure, to Guangzhou Tosun Pharmaceutical in Guangzhou, China.

Having registered benidipine as a drug substance and receiving related permission from Chinese pharmaceutical authorities, Ildong Pharmaceutical recently signed a contract with Tosun for the supply of the dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker and is completing all procedures needed to enter the Chinese market.

Under the contract, Ildong Pharmaceutical will supply benidipine to Tosun, which will handle distribution, sales, and marketing on the Chinese pharmaceutical market for related companies.

The South Korean company said benidipine is a calcium channel blocker (CCB) that dilates blood vessels by blocking calcium ions that cause blood vessels and heart muscle to contract to relieve heart strain. The substance is mainly used in the treatment of high blood pressure and angina pectoris.

"The number of cardiovascular disease patients in China is steadily increasing and thus related markets there such as demand for treatment are highly likely to grow," a company source said. "Through this contract, we plan to focus our capacity on developing the Chinese market by expanding our business scope."

Tosun focuses on pharmaceutical raw materials and intermediary operations, with a reported client base of over 1,500 companies worldwide and around 500 business and distribution networks.

Write to Ye-Na Kim at yena@hankyung.com