A 'vegan' trend is sweeping through the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, aiming to reduce the suffering of animals. The companies emphasize the differentiation of their products for consumers who are concerned about animal welfare or are sensitive to allergic reactions, by not using animal-derived ingredients or additives in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
The vegan approach has also been introduced in the product development process. While animal testing is essential for developing pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, there is a growing movement to replace it with 'mini-organ' organoids grown from cells. According to the Korea Bio Association, the global organoid market is projected to grow from $1.42 billion (about 2 trillion won) in 2023 to $4.38 billion (about 6 trillion won) by 2028, at an average annual growth rate of 25.2%.
◇Pharmaceuticals and cosmetics excluding animal-derived materials
CKD BiO announced on the 1st that it received product approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for its botulinum toxin 'TM-Bus 100 Units.' Botulinum toxin is a protein extracted from the food poisoning bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which paralyzes muscles, leading to muscle reduction and smoothing out wrinkles.
As a latecomer in this market, CKD BiO has highlighted the use of non-animal-derived materials and additives in its manufacturing process. While using human serum albumin (HSA) is a common manufacturing method, CKD BiO has adopted non-animal excipients to minimize the possibility of pathogen transmission from blood. Excipients are substances added to make medications easier to take or to ensure a consistent form, irrespective of their therapeutic effect.
A CKD BiO representative noted, "Unlike existing products that carry potential infection risks or allergy-inducing possibilities due to the use of animal-derived ingredients, TM-Bus only uses non-animal-derived ingredients and excipients throughout the entire production process, ensuring safety. This makes it suitable not only for patients sensitive to animal-derived components but also for the vegan consumer segment, who can use it safely and widely."
Yuhan Corporation's beauty brand 'Dinci' has also taken a vegan approach. The company stated that the 'Dinci premium vegan tone-up sunscreen' does not use any animal-derived ingredients. According to the company, Dinci contains lotus flower and Jeju golden bell flower extracts, as well as blended teas, which help prevent photodamage to the skin caused by ultraviolet rays.
Dinci has announced that it is the first domestic beauty brand to simultaneously obtain the French EVE VEGAN certification and the British Vegan Society certification. Consumer feedback has been positive. Last month, Dinci was ranked as the top sun care product for repurchase rate in 2024, as selected and announced by Olive Young, a leading cosmetics retailer in Korea.
◇Actively utilizing technology without animal testing
Pharmaceuticals and cosmetics commonly use animal-derived materials in their production processes. Many vaccines are produced by inoculating pathogens into eggs, and blood products such as hemophilia treatments or immunoglobulins are also extracted from human or animal blood. The vegan trend in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries aims to cater to patients sensitive to animal ingredients and the growing vegan consumer base. Vegan consumers prefer medications and supplements made with plant-based cellulose capsules instead of animal-derived capsules extracted from cattle or pigs.
Companies emphasize the preventive effects of plant-based materials in avoiding allergic reactions. According to Asan Medical Center, research results indicate that animal-derived foods cause about twice as many allergies as plant-based foods.
Recently, the vegan approach has also been introduced in the product development process. Generally, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics confirm their efficacy and safety through animal testing on subjects such as mice, rabbits, and monkeys. Technologies that replace animal testing, such as organoids, are gaining attention.
Organoids are cultivated from stem cells into three-dimensional structures similar to organs and are referred to as mini-organs. Previously, human cells were tested with cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, but the results obtained from flat culture dishes did not accurately reflect the effects observed in three-dimensional human organs. By creating organoids from organ stem cells, it is possible to identify which toxic substances the specific organ is susceptible to and under what conditions cancers are likely to develop.
The United States passed the 'Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Modernization Act 2.0' in 2022, allowing for the evaluation of drug safety and efficacy using alternative testing methods like organoids, organ-on-a-chip, and artificial intelligence (AI). Organ-on-a-chip involves creating microcircuits on a plastic substrate through which fluids or blood flow, and placing organ cells within.
Swiss Roche established an organoid research lab in 2023. They believe that utilizing organoids made from human cells can more accurately determine the impact of new drug candidates on humans compared to animal testing. British AstraZeneca is also leveraging organoids in the validation of new drug candidates.
American biopharma Signatera Therapeutics began clinical trials in January for a candidate drug to treat stomach cancer, with a new drug candidate validated for efficacy through organoids discovered by AI, marking the first case entering clinical trial stages. Domestically, T&R Biofab and Organoid Science are also entering the organoid market.