■Samsung Biologics announced on the 13th that it participated in the Protein & Antibody Engineering Summit (PEGS) Boston, a global bio-pharmaceutical technology conference. The company explained that it showcased its excellent contract development and manufacturing organization (CDO) capabilities, including the development of high-concentration formulation pharmaceuticals and the evaluation of candidate substances. On the first day of PEGS Boston, the world's largest protein and antibody pharmaceuticals conference, which took place on the 12th (local time), the company held a luncheon presentation on the theme 'Enhancing the efficiency of drug development: from feasibility assessment to the development of high-concentration formulations' to introduce its CDO technology. Specifically, Im Heon-chang, head of the formulation development group at the CDO Development Center, presented key CDO services from Samsung Biologics, including the high-concentration formulation development platform S-HiCon™ and the feasibility assessment platform DEVELOPICK™. S-HiCon is a platform designed to assist in the development of ultra-high-concentration formulation substances for customers, utilizing the company's extensive formulation development experience, which was first showcased in October of last year. DEVELOPICK has been continuously improved since its initial launch in October 2022, now reaching version 3.0.
■Hanmi Pharmaceutical announced on the 13th that it presented 11 research results on seven new drug candidates at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR 2025) held in Chicago, USA, from the 25th to the 30th of last month. For three consecutive years, it has published the most research outcomes among domestic pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The most notable presentation was the 'STING mRNA cancer drug,' which induces anti-cancer immune responses by directly expressing the STING (Stimulator of IFN Genes) protein. The STING mRNA cancer drug showed effective activation of various immune responses, indicated by increased secretion of anti-tumor cytokines in experiments using cell lines. In an animal model of colorectal cancer, significant tumor suppression was observed even with monotherapy using the STING mRNA cancer drug. The company expressed high hopes for its combination potential with various anti-cancer agents, suggesting it could represent a new immunotherapy strategy.
■Curocell announced on the 13th that it was selected for a government project to develop solid tumor CAR-T therapies in collaboration with Seoul National University. Curocell has proven its competitiveness in the hematological cancer field, as it is on the brink of the first commercialization of its CAR-T therapy 'RIMQARTO' for patients with recurrent and refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). At the same time, the company has been conducting research to present new treatment possibilities for solid tumor patients, including those with stomach and lung cancers. Prior to this government project selection, Curocell and Seoul National University completed a joint patent application for a new solid tumor CAR-T technology last January. The technology is designed so that CAR-T cells can maintain immune activity in immunosuppressive tumor environments, thereby overcoming the limitations of solid tumor CAR-T therapies.
■Daewoong Pharmaceutical announced on the 13th that it held the '2025 D.G.I.T Symposium' and operated a 'Digital Healthcare Experience Lounge' where participants could experience digital healthcare devices firsthand. The D.G.I.T Symposium features an experiential seminar enhanced by the incorporation of digital healthcare devices, with a dedicated experience lounge set up to directly engage attendees with the latest digital technologies. The lounge displayed products such as the AI-assisted vision disease diagnostic solution 'WISKY,' the fundus camera 'OPTiNA Genesis,' the wearable electrocardiogram device 'mobiCARE,' the ring-type continuous blood pressure monitor 'CART BP pro,' and the continuous glucose monitor 'Freestyle Libre 2.'
■Onconic Therapeutics announced on the 13th that it presented the results of a Phase 3 clinical trial for its gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment 'Ja Q Bo' (active ingredient: Zastafrazan Citrate) at the '2025 Digestive Disease Week (DDW 2025)' held in San Diego, USA. This research presentation gained further attention as it was selected for the 'Poster of Distinction.' The study evaluated the efficacy and safety of administering 20 mg of Zastafrazan or 30 mg of Lansoprazole once daily for four or eight weeks to 329 patients with gastric ulcers across 39 hospitals in the country. As a result, the cumulative healing rate of the Zastafrazan group at the 8-week mark was confirmed to be 100.00%, demonstrating excellent efficacy. Additionally, the Zastafrazan group showed statistically significant improvement in anxiety and depression indicators based on quality of life measured at the four-week treatment mark.
■GI Innovation announced on the 13th that it has been selected as a semifinalist in the 'XPRIZE Healthspan' competition hosted by the XPRIZE Foundation in collaboration with its affiliate GI Biome. The XPRIZE Healthspan competition involves inviting the top 40 teams among over 600 teams from 58 countries worldwide. Notably, out of the 100 semifinalist teams, only the top 40 teams will win approximately 350 million won worth of prizes. The company secured not only the prize but also the opportunity to present in front of investors managing 'trillions' of won, having been selected among the 40 teams. The XPRIZE Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that serves as a global competitive platform to promote groundbreaking scientific and technological innovations to address the pressing challenges faced by humanity.
■Emocog, a digital healthcare company, announced on the 13th that it signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Naver Cloud for 'business cooperation utilizing AI technology for senior cognitive care.' This agreement was established to expand into dementia management and cognitive health areas, based on Naver Cloud's experience with its AI-based welfare phone service 'CLOVA CareCall' in addressing issues facing the elderly living alone. Both companies will integrate CLOVA CareCall with Emocog's comprehensive dementia cognitive care digital solution, developing voice-based dementia screening scenarios and predictive algorithms, linking CLOVA CareCall with the mobile cognitive test 'Memory Cook,' crafting customized cognitive training content based on voice inputs, applying trial projects based on joint research results, and proactively promoting the global expansion of digital healthcare.
■The Seoul Biohub announced on the 13th that it will recruit the first resident companies for the 'Hongneung Bio-Medical Research and Development Anchor Facility' jointly operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), and Korea University starting in 2025. Applications are open until the 20th of this month, and selected companies will reside in the Seoul Biohub, the Seoul Bio Innovation Community Center, and the BT-IT Convergence Center. Startups less than five years old, prospective entrepreneurs, and corporate research institutes with excellent ideas or technologies in the red bio field, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and digital healthcare, can apply to the Seoul Biohub and Innovation Community Center. The BT-IT Convergence Center targets the specialized field of digital healthcare. The residency period is initially for one year and can be extended annually for a maximum period of three years after review.
■MEDIPOST announced on the 13th that it has published research results demonstrating the skin anti-aging and cell recovery effects of plasma separated from umbilical cord blood in a reputable academic journal in the anti-aging field. The Anti-Aging Research Team at MEDIPOST’s Advanced Regenerative Medicine Institute published the paper titled 'The Promoting Cell Recovery and Anti-Aging Effects of Umbilical Cord Blood Plasma on Human-Derived Dermal Fibroblasts Under Oxidative Stress' in the respected anti-aging journal 'Rejuvenation Research.' This study compared and analyzed the effects of umbilical cord blood plasma and adult blood plasma based on models of aging caused by oxidative stress and natural aging using human skin cells. In both models, umbilical cord blood plasma showed anti-aging effects by reducing aging indicators and promoting cell recovery.
■Aptis, a company specialized in the development of ADC therapies, announced on the 13th that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a Toolbox partnership with Chemexpress, an ADC CDMO company located in Shanghai, China. The Toolbox partnership is an integrated platform that provides services that combine different technologies and solutions to be tailored and utilized according to the customer's situation. Aptis aims to improve safety and efficacy compared to existing ADCs through its unique site-selective antibody conjugation technology platform AbClick®. Chemexpress, as an ADC CDMO expert, possesses a one-stop platform capable of research and development through GMP production. Through this partnership, Aptis and Chemexpress will integrate their ADC research and development capabilities, providing solutions ranging from attracting new customers to developing new markets through shared global networks.
■GeoYoung announced on the 13th that it has opened the 'New Gangnam Center' in the Dongan-gu area of Anyang City, Gyeonggi Province, and has commenced full operations. The newly opened New Gangnam Center serves as a strategic logistics hub that integrates the existing Gangnam Center and Gyeonggi Center, which were located in Gwachon and Uiwang, thereby enhancing the precision of the pharmaceutical supply chain and operational efficiency in the southern metropolitan area. Covering a total area of 3,613 square meters (about 1,093 pyeong), the New Gangnam Center is designed to store various items such as pharmaceuticals at appropriate environments according to the Korean Good Storage Practice (KGSP), including room temperature, refrigeration, freezing, controlled substances, and non-pharmaceutical goods. The center's interior features systematically separated storage areas by item type, and the flow of stock processing has been improved to enhance accuracy and stability in logistics operations. Additionally, the entry and exit routes of delivery vehicles have been newly organized, improving overall transportation efficiency.