Hanmi, Sanfer Partner to Bring GLP-1 Therapy to Mexico

Hanmi Pharmaceutical has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Mexico-based Laboratorios Sanfer to introduce efpeglenatide, a GLP-1 therapy for obesity, alongside Hanmi’s Dapalon Family diabetes treatments, marking a step in the South Korean company’s global expansion strategy focused on metabolic diseases.

“Our collaboration with Hanmi Pharmaceutical on therapies focused on metabolic diseases reaffirms our commitment to improving the quality of life with health solutions of high scientific value,” says Laboratorios Sanfer.

The agreement, announced Jan. 28, 2026, assigns Hanmi Pharmaceutical responsibility for supplying efpeglenatide and its Dapalon Tab. and Dapalon Duo SR Tab. products, while Laboratorios Sanfer will lead regulatory approval, marketing, distribution and sales in Mexico. The partnership positions both companies to address rising demand for therapies targeting obesity and diabetes in one of the world’s highest-burden markets.

Mexico’s obesity prevalence stands at 36.86%, while diabetes affects 16.4% of the population. Market demand is expanding beyond weight reduction to include long-term metabolic management and blood glucose control. Within this framework, the companies said the agreement reflects confidence in the scalability and strategic value of efpeglenatide.

Efpeglenatide, says Hanmi Pharmaceutical, is the first GLP-1 treatment for obesity and metabolic diseases developed independently in South Korea. The product anchors the company’s effort to strengthen its presence in global metabolic care, an area where GLP-1–based drugs have gained clinical and commercial relevance.

Sanfer, founded in 1941, is the largest privately held pharmaceutical company in Mexico. The company operates in over 20 Latin American countries and in the United States and maintains in-house R&D capabilities alongside an established regional sales and distribution network. Sanfer Laboratorios recently expanded its biopharmaceutical footprint through the acquisition of Probiomed, reinforcing its position in Mexico’s pharmaceutical sector.

Company executives frame the partnership as both a commercial and healthcare access initiative. Ricardo Amtmann, CEO, Sanfer, says the company aims to improve patient outcomes through access to innovative treatments. He notes that healthcare costs account for 34.6% of household spending in Mexico and said expanding access to new therapies is essential. He adds that efpeglenatide and Hanmi’s diabetes portfolio align with efforts to address growing challenges related to obesity and diabetes in the country.

Jae-hyun Park, CEO, Hanmi Pharmaceutical, says the agreement highlights the company’s formulation capabilities and R&D competitiveness. He links the partnership to Mexico’s policy focus on standardizing healthcare services and strengthening chronic disease management, stating that GLP-1–based treatments and Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s diabetes portfolio could contribute to improving population health.

The collaboration is expected to expand over time to include additional metabolic disease treatments, new product launches, and joint marketing strategies in the medium to long term, according to the companies.

The agreement also comes as Hanmi Pharmaceutical advances regulatory and clinical milestones for efpeglenatide. The company submitted a regulatory approval application for the therapy to South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on Dec. 17, 2025. In September 2025, Hanmi filed an investigational new drug application for a Phase III clinical trial evaluating combination therapy with SGLT-2 inhibitors and metformin, which was approved on Jan. 21, 2026.

Hanmi Pharmaceutical is seeking to broaden efpeglenatide’s use from obesity to diabetes. The company expects to obtain approval for obesity in the second half of 2026 and for diabetes in 2028, positioning the product as a long-term component of its metabolic disease portfolio.

In recent years, the rapid growth of the GLP-1 market stands out as one of the most significant therapeutic advancements. In 2025, the GLP-1 therapeutic category solidified its position as one of the most dynamic segments in the global health industry, driven by policy validation, strategic competition among major pharmaceutical players, and expanding indications beyond glycemic control, reports MBN. 

Last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued its first guideline endorsing GLP-1 therapies for the long-term treatment of obesity, recognizing it as a chronic disease and recommending these agents as part of comprehensive management strategies that include diet, physical activity, and structured care. WHO cautions that, even with production scale-up, fewer than 10% of eligible individuals may have access by 2030, flagging equity and system capacity as critical challenges for adoption. 

Commercial and competitive dynamics also intensified. Novo Nordisk resolved earlier supply constraints of its flagship injectable GLP-1 products Wegovy and Ozempic in the United States, stabilizing availability after shortages that had previously constrained patient access earlier in the year. This supply normalization was critical for maintaining market momentum through late 2025. Meanwhile, the company advanced its competitive positioning with the planned rollout of semaglutide-based GLP-1 therapies in key markets, such as the launch of semaglutide 2.4mg in Mexico starting in April 2025, expanding treatment options for patients with obesity and supporting broader regional market growth. 

Competition among large manufacturers sharpened during the year. Pfizer and Novo Nordisk engaged in a high-profile tussle over the acquisition of Metsera, an obesity and cardiometabolic clinical-stage biotech, highlighting the strategic value attributed to innovative pipelines in an increasingly crowded field. At the end, Pfizer won the bidding war for Metsera. Pfizer’s efforts to secure exclusive rights to emerging GLP-1 modalities, including an oral GLP-1 candidate in early-stage development with Shanghai Fosun’s YaoPharma, reflected a broader industry push to diversify delivery formats and expand market reach. 

Moreover, in 2025, Eli Lilly became the first pharmaceutical company in history to reach a US$1 trillion market valuation, joining a club historically dominated by technology firms. This milestone underscores the increasing economic weight of the obesity-drug market, a sector projected to expand sharply through 2030.

Eli Lilly’s surge has been fueled by unprecedented demand for GLP-1–based obesity medicines such as Zepbound (tirzepatide) and anticipation around its oral obesity candidate, orforglipron, expected to gain regulatory approval early next year. As one of the first small-molecule oral GLP-1 therapies, orforglipron offers significant advantages in manufacturing and scalability, opening access to broader populations. “The company is exploring alternative methods of administering GLP-1 medications beyond injectables, with the goal of achieving scalable production to reach a wider population,” says Karla Alcázar, President and General Manager, Lilly Latin America, during Mexico Health Summit 2025.