JW Pharmaceutical announced on the 21st that it has launched a new product, 'Hwacoll Tablet,' which improves the formulation and packaging of its comprehensive cold medicine 'Hwacoll Soft Capsule.' The Hwacoll Tablet features a change from the existing soft capsule form to a film-coated tablet to enhance consumer convenience. A film-coated tablet has a thin coating on its surface, making it smoother for swallowing and reducing any bitter taste or foreign body sensation after ingestion. The size of the formulation is also smaller, making it easy for people of all ages to take. The packaging unit has changed from the previous 10 capsules to 20 tablets in a PTP (Press Through Package).
Lunit announced on the 21st that it will unveil seven recent research results utilizing its AI biomarker platform 'Lunit Scope' at the '2025 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR 2025),' which will be held in Chicago from the 25th to the 30th (local time). This presentation includes verification studies on the treatment effect of the immuno-oncology drug 'Tecentriq' in collaboration with global big pharma Genentech, as well as AI-based EGFR mutation prediction research with AstraZeneca. Additionally, it will present the research on predicting the treatment efficacy of first-line immuno-chemotherapy for patients with rare salivary gland cancer (SGC). The research results were conducted using spatial transcriptomics analysis technology from '10X Genomics' and Lunit Scope IO-based AI analysis and sequencing analysis.
GeneMatrix announced on the 21st that it has received approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for its domestic clinical phase 1 trial plan (IND) for the hepatitis A vaccine 'GMAI-02.' The GMAI-02 vaccine is a completely domestically produced product developed through GeneMatrix's own research and development process, and it is expected to not only contribute to the self-sufficiency of hepatitis A vaccines but also to expansion into overseas markets. GMAI-02, developed entirely with GeneMatrix's proprietary technology from the viral strain to the final vaccine product, has been validated for safety and efficacy in previous non-clinical trials. In animal potency tests, the antibody levels for hepatitis A virus were about 1.6 times higher compared to existing commercial vaccines, and in infection defense tests, it demonstrated equal or greater virus defense efficacy compared to control vaccines.
Pharos iBio announced on the 21st that it will participate in the 'China Bio Partnering Forum,' the largest pharmaceutical and bio conference in China, to be held in Shanghai on the 23rd and 24th (local time). At this conference, it plans to discuss global technology transfer for the challenging solid tumor drug 'PHI-501' that has entered clinical phase 1 with leading Chinese pharmaceutical companies. Given the growing interest from the global pharmaceutical industry in PHI-501, participation in this conference is expected to be an important turning point for Pharos iBio's entry into the Chinese market as well as the global market.
Samsung Biologics announced on the 21st that it will accelerate its three-pillar expansion strategy focused on production capacity, portfolio, and global bases as it celebrates its 14th anniversary this year. The company was established on April 21, 2011, in Songdo, Incheon, to actively pursue the bio business. Although it entered the global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) market as a latecomer, it has quickly become a leading company in the industry by securing rapid production capacity and high-quality competitiveness. Beginning with its fifth plant, Samsung Biologics plans to construct three additional plants of similar scale to the fifth plant by 2032. Once the eighth plant is completed, Samsung Biologics is expected to maintain an overwhelming competitive edge with a total production capacity of 1,324,000 liters.
HUGEL announced on the 21st that it recently held a launch seminar for 'Botulax' and 'Revolax' for local dermatologists and plastic surgeons in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is the largest country in Central Asia, with a stable economic environment and a high population growth rate, where the cosmetic aesthetic industry is growing at about 10% per year. HUGEL plans to use the launch in Kazakhstan as a stepping stone to actively target neighboring Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. The launch event was held under the theme 'NEXTGEN Beauty Congress,' inviting over 120 local beauty and medical professionals, to introduce HUGEL's botulinum toxin 'Botulax' and HA filler 'Revolax' for the first time in the region.
ENCell announced on the 21st that it conducted an online oral presentation on the topic of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) related to neuromuscular disorders and adeno-associated virus (AAV) based approaches at the '12th International Symposium of SMC CGTI,' co-hosted by Samsung Medical Center's Cell and Gene Therapy Research Institute and Samsung Institute of Convergence Medicine. ENCell introduced its proprietary ENCT technology and disclosed the development status of its MSC therapeutic pipeline EN001-CMT 1A (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A), as well as the results of CMT 1E conducted through advanced regenerative medicine research and future utilization plans.
Dong-A Pharmaceutical announced on the 21st that it has introduced an IT system for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) in its pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities located in Dangjin, Cheonan, and Icheon. Beginning with the Dangjin plant in 2022, Dong-A Pharmaceutical has successively introduced the GMP IT system to the Icheon and Cheonan plants, establishing a smart process system in all pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities and standardizing the production quality management system. Specifically, it has established IT systems necessary for plant operations, including electronic document management systems (EDMS), quality assurance systems (QMS), laboratory information management systems (LIMS), electronic batch record systems (EBR), and testing record systems (LES). This enables real-time monitoring of the entire process from incoming goods to shipment, allowing for cost reduction and consistent data across the three plants.
Hanmi Pharmaceutical Group announced on the 21st that its employees participated in meaningful volunteer work with local community members with disabilities on April 20, the 45th Day of Persons with Disabilities, as part of its ESG initiatives. On the 18th, Hanmi Group carried out a 'plogging' program with individuals with developmental disabilities in the Geoyeo-dong area of Songpa-gu, Seoul. This activity was planned to promote environmental protection in the community and to spread an accurate awareness of disabilities.
About 40 participants, including employees of Hanmi Group and workers with disabilities from the Songpa District's protected workshop, took part.
Participants in the volunteer activity formed teams to collect litter scattered throughout the streets, contributing to a cleaner local environment.
They supported the creation of a more caring community and shared warm interactions during the activity, embodying the spirit of living together.
They spent time reflecting on the value of community.
Sij Biologics, a bio-regenerative medicine specialist, announced on the 21st that its next-generation bone substitute 'NOVOSIS PUTTY' for spinal fusion surgery obtained an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the 17th. With this approval, Sij Biologics will embark on the final clinical process of confirmatory trials necessary for U.S. market approval (PMA). 'NOVOSIS PUTTY' is the first bio-composite medical device developed in Korea to receive confirmatory clinical approval from the U.S. FDA.
Konektive, a domestic medical AI corporation, announced on the 21st that it officially launched its AI-based orthopedic evaluation platform, which received formal approval from the Abu Dhabi Department of Health (DoH), at the '2025 Abu Dhabi Global Health Week (ADGHW).' Konektive and Burjil Holdings, a leading healthcare group in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), promised to continue research on the application of Konektive products across Burjil Holdings' major hospital network and the co-development of AI solutions in shoulder and spinal fields. This collaboration is expected to be a representative case of combining advanced AI technology from Korea with the clinical expertise of the UAE, potentially serving as a cornerstone for global patient-centered healthcare innovation models.
Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine announced on the 21st that Lee Ye-seul, director of the Spine and Joint Research Institute, received the 'Outstanding Researcher Award' at the 'SAR 2025 International Academic Conference' held recently in Newport Beach, California. The SAR International Academic Conference is one of the prestigious international conferences in the field of integrative medicine, leading the establishment of scientific evidence for acupuncture treatment and the qualitative improvement of research. Each year, researchers from the U.S., Europe, and Asia attend to actively exchange academic ideas, awarding the 'Outstanding Researcher Award' to those who have achieved remarkable accomplishments in their research fields. At this conference, she presented the results of a study on the reduction of medication usage in breast cancer patients experiencing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) after acupuncture treatment.