JW Pharmaceutical says Empagard phase 3 cut HbA1c 0.81% in type 2 diabetes
In short
JW Pharmaceutical said its type 2 diabetes combination drug Empagard lowered HbA1c by 0.81% over 24 weeks in a phase 3 trial, versus 0.24% in the control group. The company said 55.7% of patients on Empagard reached the target HbA1c of 7.0% or below, compared with 25.5% in the control group. The results were presented at the EASD 2026 annual meeting, the company said.
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JW Pharmaceutical said its type 2 diabetes combination drug Empagard showed an additional blood-sugar-lowering effect in patients whose glucose was not adequately controlled on existing therapy. The company said it presented phase 3 results for Empagard, a combination of anagliptin (sold as Gardret) and empagliflozin, at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD 2026), according to Asia Economy, Seoul Economic Daily and Yonhap. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
In the trial, HbA1c fell 0.81% from baseline in the Empagard arm, compared with 0.24% in the control group that continued on metformin plus empagliflozin, the company said. The share of patients reaching the target HbA1c of 7.0% or below was 55.7% in the Empagard arm and 25.5% in the control arm, more than double, according to the reports. Improvements in pancreatic beta-cell function and fasting blood glucose were also observed, the company said. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
On safety, the company said adverse event rates were similar in the two arms and that no cases of severe hypoglycemia were reported. The trial covered 26 hospitals in South Korea over 24 weeks, and added Empagard to metformin for a three-drug regimen using agents with different mechanisms, Seoul Economic Daily reported. The control group kept its existing metformin and empagliflozin two-drug therapy. [ 1 , 2 ]
Kim Sang-yong, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism at Chosun University Hospital, presented the results at the conference. He said that in patients whose blood sugar was not controlled with the existing drug combination, Empagard produced a strong glucose-lowering effect and improved pancreatic beta-cell function, and that it could offer a new treatment option for patients with limited choices. [ 1 , 2 ]
JW Pharmaceutical said it plans to use the results to strengthen the market position of Empagard and Gardret and to expand marketing based on the clinical evidence, Asia Economy reported. The documents do not state the exact dates or location of EASD 2026, or whether the data have been published in a peer-reviewed journal or filed with regulators. The Newsis item headlined on the presentation carried article text about an unrelated National Assembly hearing. [ 1 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The trial targets patients whose blood sugar is not adequately controlled on metformin plus empagliflozin, a group the documents describe as having limited remaining treatment options. JW Pharmaceutical said it plans to use the results to strengthen the market position of Empagard and Gardret and to expand marketing based on the clinical evidence. The documents do not indicate whether the data have been published in a peer-reviewed journal or filed with regulators.
Key facts
- JW Pharmaceutical said Empagard, a combination of anagliptin (Gardret) and empagliflozin, showed a 0.81% reduction in HbA1c from baseline in a phase 3 trial, against 0.24% in the control group. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The share of patients reaching HbA1c of 7.0% or below was 55.7% in the Empagard arm and 25.5% in the control arm, the company said. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The trial ran for 24 weeks at 26 hospitals in South Korea, according to the company. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The company said adverse event rates were similar between the two arms and that no cases of severe hypoglycemia were reported. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- JW Pharmaceutical said the results were presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD 2026). [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Kim Sang-yong, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism at Chosun University Hospital, presented the results and said the three-drug combination could be an effective and safe option for patients not controlled on two-drug therapy. [ 1 , 2 ]
- JW Pharmaceutical said it plans to strengthen the market position of Empagard and Gardret and expand marketing using the clinical evidence. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Empagard combines anagliptin (sold as Gardret) with empagliflozin, and the trial added it to metformin for a three-drug regimen. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- HbA1c fell 0.81% in the Empagard arm versus 0.24% in the control arm. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The target HbA1c rate was 55.7% for Empagard versus 25.5% for the control group. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The company reported no severe hypoglycemia cases and adverse event rates similar to the control group. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The results were presented at EASD 2026, according to the company. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- The exact dates and location of EASD 2026 are not given. The documents refer only to the “recently held” annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.
- Whether the phase 3 data have been peer-reviewed, published in full, or submitted to regulators is not stated. The documents describe conference presentation and the company's marketing plans, but not any regulatory filing.
- Whether the trial's improvements in pancreatic beta-cell function and fasting blood glucose were statistically significant is not specified. The documents state that improvements were observed but give no statistical details.
- Empagard's current approval status and sales figures are not given. The documents mention plans to strengthen market position but no approved indications or revenue data.
- One outlet's article text did not match its headline about the trial. The Newsis item headlined on the phase 3 presentation carried unrelated text about a National Assembly hearing.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Asia Economy publishes the phase 3 results with the company's figures and its stated marketing plans. [ 1 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily publishes its report on the trial, including background on type 2 diabetes and the drug combination. [ 2 ]
- Newsis carries an item headlined on JW Pharmaceutical's presentation of phase 3 results at an international conference. [ 3 ]
- Yonhap includes the Empagard results in its biotech news roundup. [ 4 ]