■HYUNDAI BIOSCIENCE announced on the 4th that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the international non-profit organization DNDi to develop the antiviral candidate Xafty as a treatment for dengue fever. Through this collaboration, HYUNDAI BIOSCIENCE aims to create a safe antiviral treatment that is both economically viable and accessible. The signing ceremony was attended by CEO Sanggi Oh of HYUNDAI BIOSCIENCE and Daisuke Imoto, the director of business development and partnership management at DNDi. The two organizations will collaborate on clinical research, managing the procedures necessary for new drug approval, and securing research funding. To broaden the use of Xafty globally, DNDi will receive a non-exclusive license. Xafty is a candidate substance that has demonstrated broad antiviral efficacy. As of now, there are no approved dengue fever treatments from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA). HYUNDAI BIOSCIENCE received approval for a clinical trial of Xafty as a dengue fever treatment in Vietnam last December.
■Prestige Biopharma announced that its partner, Dr. Redis, has applied for product approval for the biosimilar ‘Tuznue’ with the Brazilian health regulatory agency, ANVISA. Tuznue is a biosimilar of Herceptin, which has been recognized for its effectiveness in treating HER2-positive early breast cancer, metastatic breast cancer, and advanced gastric cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Brazil, with 60,000 new cases reported annually. This is the first product approval application for Tuznue in the Latin American region. Brazil has become the first country in Latin America to submit an application for product approval since Tuznue successfully entered the European market last September.
■GeneMatrix announced that it will participate in the international diagnostic exhibition ‘Medlab Middle East 2025’ at the Dubai World Trade Center in the United Arab Emirates on the 6th (local time). Medlab is the largest diagnostic and medical device exhibition in the Middle East and Africa. This year, over 800 companies from 40 countries worldwide and more than 20,000 industry stakeholders are expected to attend the event. At the exhibition, GeneMatrix will showcase a diverse lineup of its multi-molecular diagnostic products ‘NeoPlex’, including respiratory infection (RI) diagnostics, sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnostics, human papillomavirus (HPV) diagnostics, and acute gastroenteritis (GI) diagnostics. As exports of respiratory disease products and STI diagnostics to the Middle East and Africa are increasing, GeneMatrix plans to focus on showcasing its related products.
■SillaJen announced on the 4th that its oncolytic virus platform, SJ-607, has completed patent registration in Japan. The main content of the patent for SJ-607 pertains to an oncolytic virus that creates complement regulatory proteins on its surface and its applications. SJ-607 expresses the complement regulatory protein CD55 on the viral envelope, allowing the oncolytic virus to survive in the bloodstream steadily. It can be administered systemically through intravenous injection, facilitating direct drug delivery to both solid tumors and metastatic cancers. Studies indicate that even a lower dosage of SJ-607 compared to existing oncolytic viruses shows superior anticancer efficacy compared to direct injection into tumors. SillaJen plans to continuously expand its intellectual property (IP) portfolio by pursuing domestic and international patent registrations for its latest platforms, including SJ-607, which has successfully registered the patent.
■Medytox announced on the 4th that it attended the International Master Course on Aging Science (IMCAS World Congress 2025) held in Paris, France from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1 (local time). IMCAS is a global aesthetic surgery conference where dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and industry professionals from around the world present the latest trends, technologies, and insights. Medytox discussed various strategies for activating local sales through individual meetings with partner companies from different countries.
■The Department of Urology at Seoul National University Hospital announced that on the 13th of last month, it signed a detailed implementation agreement (AOI) with the University of Indonesia and its training hospital, Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM), to strengthen collaboration in the field of urology. The two universities had previously signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in July of last year to enhance international cooperation. The MOU included commitments to joint research, academic exchange, and the operation of student exchange programs. The signing of this AOI serves as a follow-up measure to establish specific collaboration plans.
■SD BIOSENSOR announced on the 4th that it will participate in ‘Medlab Middle East 2025 (MEDLAB 2025)’ held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. MEDLAB 2025, the world's largest diagnostic and medical device exhibition, will take place over four days from the 3rd to the 6th (local time). SD BIOSENSOR, a total platform company for in vitro diagnostics, plans to showcase various products centered around its major brands, including the rapid immunodiagnostic ‘STANDARD Q’, the fluorescent immunodiagnostic ‘STANDARD F’ based on high sensitivity and specificity that supports qualitative and quantitative analysis, and the on-site molecular diagnostic platform ‘STANDARD M10’, which provides results within one hour.