SK Chemicals announced on the 5th that it has signed a distribution and sales contract with Viatris Korea for Lyrica, Neurontin, and Celebrex. Lyrica is a treatment for peripheral and central neuropathic pain, Neurontin is a neuropathic pain treatment, and Celebrex is an analgesic anti-inflammatory drug confirmed for efficacy and safety through clinical studies. Under this contract, SK Chemicals will be responsible for the distribution of 3 types of pharmaceuticals to hospitals and marketing to clinics with fewer than 300 beds. SK Chemicals’ osteoarthritis treatment, Join’s, and non-narcotic analgesic, Ultraset, are actively used in combination with the 3 types of pharmaceuticals from Viatris. SK Chemicals expects to strengthen distribution and sales to Viatris through this contract and maximize synergy with existing products like Join’s and Ultraset.
Next Biomedical announced on the 5th that its musculoskeletal pain embolism treatment product, "Nexsphere-F," has received the designation of innovative medical device from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA's innovative medical device designation is a certification system that allows medical devices recognized for their innovation and importance to be approved quickly compared to existing treatment methods. With this designation, Nexsphere-F will benefit from simplified regulatory processes and flexible clinical trial designs as well as possible coverage from private insurance companies. Nexsphere-F is a treatment for knee osteoarthritis patients who do not experience pain reduction effects from existing treatment methods. It works by temporarily blocking blood flow in the knee artery to reduce pain. Next Biomedical plans to conduct a clinical trial involving 120 participants in the United States starting this year.
Prestige Biopharma announced on the 5th that it recorded sales of 2.1 billion won and a net profit of 32.1 billion won in the second half of last year (July 1 to December 31) based on separate standards. The operating loss amounted to 5.4 billion won, down from 20 billion won during the same period last year. The company explained that this sales figure is due to licensing revenue from the biosimilar "Toznu." In September, it obtained sales permission from the European Commission (EC), and received 1.7 billion won as part of a contract milestone fee of 14.5 billion won from its partner. This is the first time the company has recorded a net profit since its establishment.
Ildong Pharmaceutical's drug development subsidiary, Ideonce, announced on the 5th that it has published the clinical research results of its new drug candidate "Venetoclax" in the latest issue of the international journal "Cancer Medicine." Venetoclax is an oral targeted cancer treatment in the PARP inhibitor class. It works by inhibiting PARP, an enzyme involved in repairing damaged DNA, selectively killing cancer cells. The paper includes results from a Phase 1 clinical study conducted jointly with a research team from Seoul Asan Hospital led by Professor Kim Yong-man and Professor Kim Seong-bae, supported by the National Cancer New Drug Development Project Group designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The clinical trial focused on patients with solid tumors, such as breast cancer and ovarian cancer, who failed previous chemotherapy treatments. Doses ranged from a minimum of 2 mg to a maximum of 240 mg, and the progress of Venetoclax administration was observed. Clinical results showed that Venetoclax exhibited a wide therapeutic safety margin, demonstrating sufficient PARP inhibitory ability even at the low dose of 10 mg. It also confirmed tumor reduction responses in breast cancer and ovarian cancer patients who had not responded to previous treatment.
Roche Korea announced on the 5th that it has appointed new leads for its solid tumor and blood cancer clusters, Jeong Jin-young and Kim Hyun-mi, respectively. Lead Jeong graduated from Seoul National University College of Pharmacy and has been a pharmaceutical marketing expert since working at Korea Mundipharma and Korea Pfizer starting in 2009. He joined Roche Korea in 2019 and has led the growth of the oncology business. Lead Kim also graduated from Seoul National University College of Pharmacy and has handled blood cancer, solid tumors, and immunology at Janssen Korea. While at Janssen Korea, she was responsible for establishing the first cell therapy launch strategy in the Asia-Pacific region and developing market models.
MapsGen announced on the 5th that it has signed a joint research agreement with the University of Utah for corneal model development. Professor Kim Jeong-kyu's research team at the University of Utah will utilize MapsGen's biotissue chip in the first phase of the joint development research to develop a corneal model, and subsequently evaluate drug permeability and cellular responses to verify the completeness and practical applicability of the model.
YBrain announced on the 5th that it participated in the "International Brain Stimulation Conference" held in Kobe, Japan, from the 24th of last month to the 4th of this month and presented research results on its electronic drug for depression, Mindstem, in relation to postpartum depression and bipolar disorder. Professor Cho Hee-young and her research team from Seoul National University Hospital presented interim results of an empirical study on postpartum depression using Mindstem. The study involved 22 postpartum women with depressive disorders over a 6-week treatment period, confirming the effectiveness of depression reduction. In an experiment involving 64 bipolar disorder patients, safety levels comparable to the control group were also confirmed after 6 weeks of treatment. However, it was noted that the efficacy of treatment will be confirmed through further large-scale clinical trials.
Seoul National University Hospital announced on the 5th that it has appointed professional golfer Choi Yeo-ji as a publicity ambassador. Choi joined the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) in 2013 and has since transitioned to roles as a broadcaster and content creator, participating in various social contribution activities. As the hospital's publicity ambassador, Choi will participate in campaigns and social contribution events organized by the sponsorship committee, and engage in activities to promote a culture of donation through talent donation.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced on the 5th that it held a communication meeting with the 9th National Communication Group, inviting 50 members at the Osong headquarters in North Chungcheong Province. The meeting was arranged for the agency head to explain this year's work plans to the communication group and to gather suggestions on key policies. On that day, the communication group visited the emergency situation response center, the vector breeding facility, the National Institute of Health, a biosafety level 3 training facility, and the National Human Resource Central Bank, engaging in job experience and Q&A sessions with researchers.
The Korean Glaucoma Society announced on the 5th that it will conduct a "glaucoma disease awareness campaign" from the 9th to the 15th in celebration of the "2025 World Glaucoma Week." The World Glaucoma Association and the World Glglaucoma Patient Association designate the second week of March as "World Glaucoma Week" to raise awareness about the risks of glaucoma. During this period, green light illumination events symbolizing glaucoma will take place at seven national landmarks, including Seoul City Hall, Namsan Seoul Tower, Hotel Naru Seoul M Gallery, Guri Tower, Busan Gwangandaegyo Bridge, Yeosu Dolsan Bridge, and Yeosu Geobukseon Bridge. An online public lecture through the Korean Glaucoma Society's YouTube channel will also take place at 1 p.m. on the 10th.
Dong-A Pharmaceutical has launched two types of "Garglin Fresh Breath Toothpaste." The toothpaste is specialized in reducing hydrogen sulfide (the cause of rotten egg smell) and methyl mercaptan (the cause of rotten onion smell), which are identified as the fundamental causes of bad breath. Human application tests showed that both hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan were reduced by over 90% immediately after using Garglin Fresh Breath Toothpaste. Even after 12 hours, both substances maintained a reduction rate of 80-90%. In addition to eliminating bad breath, it can prevent cavities by containing fluoride, and ingredients like dental-type silica, tocopherol acetate, and pyrophosphate sodium can help prevent gum disease. The product does not contain seven harmful substances including benzophenone, parabens, and animal-derived ingredients.