Journalist

Park Boram
  • Daewoong Pharmaceutical Hosts Nabota Master Class, Highlights Safety
    Daewoong Pharmaceutical Hosts Nabota Master Class, Highlights Safety Daewoong Pharmaceutical said Wednesday it held a global academic program for medical professionals, the “Nabota Master Class (NMC) Spring in Korea.” The 2-night, 3-day event ran from April 13-15 for 74 medical professionals from 13 countries, including Thailand, Brazil and Chile. Sessions were held at Mercure Seoul Magok, COEX Magok, Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital and Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s Hyangnam plant. The NMC program is designed to strengthen clinicians’ capabilities and promote academic exchange as the global botulinum toxin market expands. The first day’s lectures covered trends in botulinum toxin procedures and safety, differences in diffusion and duration by product, and examples of combination treatments. An anatomy session, a key feature of the program, was designed to improve accuracy and safety in botulinum toxin injections. Using cadaver-based training and face painting, instructors explained facial anatomy and injection points, followed by a live demonstration via two-way broadcast and one-on-one hands-on training. Daewoong said sessions sharing know-how and experience with Nabota’s signature techniques, including Nabolift and Naboglow, drew strong interest. Participants also toured the Hyangnam plant, where the company introduced its aseptic processes, production facilities and automated logistics system, highlighting Nabota’s manufacturing capabilities. “Daewoong Pharmaceutical will continue to strengthen brand competitiveness through a global academic platform that expands Nabota’s proprietary techniques and clinical experience,” said Yoon Jun-su, head of the company’s Nabota Business Division.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-16 14:06:00
  • Kim Won Wins Grand Prize at 59th Yuhan Medical Award
    Kim Won Wins Grand Prize at 59th Yuhan Medical Award Yuhan Corp. said Wednesday it held the 59th Yuhan Medical Award ceremony with the Seoul Medical Association on April 15 at the Westin Josun Hotel in Seoul’s Sogong-dong neighborhood. Attendees included Hwang Gyu-seok, president of the Seoul Medical Association, and Kim Yeol-hong, CEO of Yuhan Corp. The grand prize went to Kim Won, a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center. The Young Medical Scientist Award was presented to Yoo Seung-chan, an associate professor at Yonsei University College of Medicine, and Ahn Yu-ra, an assistant professor at the University of Ulsan College of Medicine’s Asan Medical Center. Kim was recognized for analyzing genetic regulatory patterns in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD, laying groundwork for personalized diagnosis and the development of treatment targets. Organizers said the selection process considered research achievements across internal medicine, surgery, basic medicine and other supporting fields. The grand prize carries 50 million won, and each Young Medical Scientist Award carries 15 million won. “We are grateful for the dedication of medical staff, and we hope these research achievements will lead to advances in medicine,” Kim Yeol-hong said. 2026-04-16 14:03:08
  • Hugel Launches China Medical Aesthetics Symposium Tour With Beijing Event
    Hugel Launches China Medical Aesthetics Symposium Tour With Beijing Event Hugel said Thursday it will step up academic exchanges with local medical professionals by holding regional symposiums in major medical aesthetics hubs across China. Starting in Beijing, the company plans events this year in six cities: Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Chengdu and Wuhan. Hugel held its first event, the “Letybo Regional Symposium and Hands-on Training,” in Beijing on April 15. Kim Jeong-hwan, director of Dr. Evers Myeongdong, was invited as a speaker, and about 30 local medical professionals attended. The symposium was organized to raise awareness and trust in Hugel’s botulinum toxin product, Letybo. Participants discussed combined treatment cases using Letybo, their effects and potential future applications. “We will build a medical aesthetics exchange network based on academic events linking China’s key hub cities,” Hugel Vice President Ji Seung-uk said. He added the company aims to expand practical exchanges with local medical professionals and strengthen Hugel’s brand presence and credibility.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-16 13:57:00
  • Korea FDA Visits Functional Cosmetics R&D Site; Firms Report on Disinfectant, OTC Misuse, Patent Transfer
    Korea FDA Visits Functional Cosmetics R&D Site; Firms Report on Disinfectant, OTC Misuse, Patent Transfer MFDS visits functional cosmetics R&D site to speed product rollout Kang Seok-yeon, head of the National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, visited the central research institute of cosmetics contract manufacturer Cosmecca Korea and held a meeting with industry representatives, the institute said Tuesday. The visit reviewed development and quality-research facilities for functional cosmetics, including new formulations, and examined recent technology applications and product development trends. Officials also heard concerns about technical hurdles and the need for regulatory improvements. The meeting included the Korea Cosmetic Association and industry officials, who discussed regulatory support to help functional cosmetics reach the market faster. Key topics included support for launches to strengthen global competitiveness, improvements to the functional cosmetics review system, and expanded support based on regulatory science. Kang Seok-yeon said, "We will strengthen regulatory support so functional cosmetics can be developed and launched quickly by reflecting feedback from the field." Chong Kun Dang's 'Bio Spike Guard' shows 24-hour antibacterial effect in real-world study Chong Kun Dang said Tuesday that study results confirming the sustained disinfecting effect of its environmental disinfectant wipes, Bio Spike Guard, were published in Infection & Chemotherapy, an international journal of the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases. Bio Spike Guard combines didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC) and organosilane (Si-QAC). The company said it provides immediate disinfection and forms a protective layer on surfaces that helps kill microbes. The study involved five hospitals — The Catholic University of Korea Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Asan Medical Center, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Konkuk University Medical Center and Gachon University Gil Medical Center — and was conducted as a controlled study in real clinical settings. Researchers compared the product with existing disinfection methods at about 160 sites, including dry areas such as bed rails and nurse stations and wet areas such as sinks and toilet lids. The study found Bio Spike Guard maintained a statistically meaningful reduction in microorganisms from baseline at 1 hour, 6 hours and 24 hours after disinfection. The effect was especially notable in wet areas, where the reduction in microorganisms was greater than in the control group in the 1-hour comparison. GC Green Cross Cool Dream says it is helping prevent teen misuse of OTC drugs GC Green Cross said Tuesday it supported efforts through its Cool Dream brand to prevent adolescents from misusing over-the-counter medicines and to promote a culture of medication counseling. Cool Dream is a sleep aid containing diphenhydramine. The company said it has ranked No. 1 in market share for seven consecutive years, citing fast effects while minimizing concerns about tolerance and dependence. It is a soft capsule made using a patented NeoSol process designed to maximize absorption. The company said it joined public discussion on teen misuse of diphenhydramine, sharing views on prevention steps at a roundtable attended by pharmacists, parents and drugmakers. It also distributed medication guidance leaflets and provided information on the characteristics and side effects of major drugs, saying the materials were designed for use in pharmacies. Samhwa Dang Pharmaceutical to directly acquire S-PASS patent rights; completion expected within days Samhwa Dang Pharmaceutical said Tuesday it will transfer and acquire patent rights to its S-PASS platform technology, an oral formulation conversion technology applied to oral semaglutide, liraglutide and insulin, among others. The company said it previously listed Taiwan-based Summit Biotech as the patent applicant to avoid pushback from global originator drugmakers. Under a comprehensive R&D services contract signed in 2018, Samhwa Dang Pharmaceutical covered R&D costs and all rights, including intellectual property, belonged to Samhwa Dang Pharmaceutical, it said. The company said controversy has recently emerged over patent ownership. CEO Jeon In-seok said at a news conference on April 6, presenting U.S. FDA submission documents, that S-PASS is a patented technology held by the company. Samhwa Dang Pharmaceutical said it will also change the applicant for its ongoing international patent application under the PCT to its own name. The patent assignment agreement between the two companies was signed Monday. An application to change the PCT applicant has been filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration, and only administrative procedures remain, it said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-15 17:48:20
  • Biologics Shift From IV to Subcutaneous Dosing, Reshaping Prescriptions and Sales
    Biologics Shift From IV to Subcutaneous Dosing, Reshaping Prescriptions and Sales The biologics market, long dominated by intravenous (IV) infusions, is rapidly shifting to subcutaneous (SC) injections. The change is moving beyond convenience, with growing evidence that dosing method can reshape prescribing patterns and revenue, making formulation a key competitive factor. Industry officials said that in the U.S. market, an insurance billing code (J-code) began applying this month to Merck (MSD)’s SC formulation of its immuno-oncology drug Keytruda. With a J-code, administrative steps between hospitals and insurers are simplified, improving access to prescribing. The industry expects the shift to SC to accelerate further. Several products have already shown how formulation changes can translate into results. Janssen’s multiple myeloma treatment Darzalex reached about 90% of its sales from the SC version within three years of launch. Backed by that shift, 2023 sales rose more than 20% from the previous year, showing how the same drug can see prescriptions and revenue move together as dosing changes. Keytruda is also expected to follow a similar path. While the IV version posted $31.7 billion in sales last year, the SC version generated $40 million in sales just four months after launch, indicating rapid uptake. UBS forecast in a report that the U.S. market for Keytruda SC could grow to about $8 billion next year. Convenience and treatment efficiency are driving the broader shift. IV dosing typically requires a hospital visit and more than an hour for administration, while SC dosing can be delivered in under five minutes and may allow self-injection. SC formulations have been used mainly for autoimmune diseases, but they are increasingly moving into oncology, where clinician monitoring has traditionally been required. A biotech industry official described the trend as competition expanding beyond efficacy to include treatment continuity. The shift is also intensifying technology competition. As more efficient drug delivery begins to influence prescribing choices, securing SC conversion technology is emerging as a core advantage. Globally, competition is centered on companies with formulation-conversion technologies based on human hyaluronidase. U.S.-based Halozyme, through its Enhanze technology, has supported SC conversions of major blockbuster drugs, including Roche’s immuno-oncology drug Tecentriq and Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS)’s immuno-oncology drug Opdivo. In South Korea, Alteogen is seeking to catch up with its Hybrozyme platform, ALT-B4. The technology temporarily breaks down hyaluronic acid in the skin to create pathways for drug dispersion, enabling subcutaneous delivery even for high-volume antibody therapies. Eight global pharmaceutical companies are developing SC formulations using the platform, including deals signed with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in January and Biogen in March. Latecomers are also entering. Huons Lab, an R&D subsidiary of Huons Global, has developed technology to convert IV formulations to SC based on its HyDIFFUZ platform. Celltrion is also responding to the expanding SC market with Zymfentra. The company has applied SC conversion technology mainly to its own biosimilars, but plans to expand formulation-conversion services to outside drugmakers. Industry officials said SC conversion is likely to do more than change formulations, potentially reshaping competitive dynamics. “Now, it’s not only the drug itself but also the delivery method that determines competitiveness,” one industry official said. “As patient convenience and treatment efficiency become key standards, demand for SC formulations will grow further.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-15 17:09:00
  • Celltrion Named to S&P Global CSA Top 1% in Biotechnology for ESG Performance
    Celltrion Named to S&P Global CSA Top 1% in Biotechnology for ESG Performance Celltrion said April 15 it was named a “Top 1%” company in the biotechnology sector in S&P Global’s Corporate Sustainability Assessment, or CSA. The company was also listed as an “Industry Mover,” citing the scale of its year-on-year improvement in environmental, social and governance, or ESG, performance. The CSA evaluates ESG performance across more than 12,000 companies worldwide and ranks top performers by industry. Results are reflected in S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook, which recognizes the top 1%, 5% and 10% in each sector. Celltrion moved into the top 1% this year after placing in the top 5% in the biotechnology category last year. The company said it is pursuing structured management aimed at building a “sustainable medical service ecosystem based on ESG management.” On the environment, Celltrion said it is working toward carbon neutrality by 2045 by managing greenhouse gas emissions and expanding renewable energy use. It said it has expanded life cycle assessment, or LCA, to 11 biosimilar products to reduce environmental impacts across product lifetimes. On the social front, the company said it has supported startups through open innovation as part of efforts to strengthen South Korea’s biotech ecosystem. It also said it has continued support to improve medical conditions in developing countries using proceeds from an in-house bazaar event called “Celeb Market.” Through the “Kkumkkureon 2026” campaign involving running club members, it said it donated all participation fees to the Korea Blood Cancer Association. On governance, Celltrion said it introduced a lead independent director system to strengthen board independence. It also cited shareholder returns, saying it paid a cash dividend of 750 won per share in 2025 and canceled 895 billion won worth of treasury shares, posting a shareholder return ratio of 103%, which it said was the highest level in its industry. A Celltrion official said the selection reflects recognition of the company’s ESG performance in global markets and that it will continue strengthening the foundation for sustainable growth.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-15 10:51:00
  • JW Pharmaceutical to Distribute Hemophilia Comic for Women; MFDS Issues Atopic Dermatitis Injection Guidance
    JW Pharmaceutical to Distribute Hemophilia Comic for Women; MFDS Issues Atopic Dermatitis Injection Guidance JW Pharmaceutical to distribute educational comic for women with hemophilia for World Hemophilia Day JW Pharmaceutical said Tuesday it will produce and distribute an educational comic book for women with hemophilia and carriers ahead of World Hemophilia Day on April 17. Titled “It’s OK to Be a Little Different, Because We’re Together,” the comic is part of the company’s annual hemophilia support program, the Bravo Campaign. The company said it aims to improve public understanding of women with hemophilia and carriers, and to help families explain the condition to children. The story follows “Bomin,” a fourth-grade girl with a younger brother who has hemophilia, as she learns she is a carrier and comes to understand the disorder. The book introduces symptoms women patients or carriers may experience, including heavy menstrual bleeding, bruising under the skin and nosebleeds, and outlines precautions for higher-risk situations such as surgery and childbirth. It also stresses early diagnosis, including clotting factor activity tests and genetic testing. MFDS issues spring guidance on safe use of injectable atopic dermatitis drugs South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on Tuesday issued guidance on safe use and precautions for injectable treatments for atopic dermatitis, citing an increase in skin problems in spring due to pollen, fine dust and wider day-to-night temperature swings. The agency said basic care includes using a moisturizer at least twice a day regardless of symptom severity. Treatments include topical steroids, oral antihistamines and immunomodulators, and wet-wrap therapy and antibiotics may be used together during acute flare-ups. For severe cases that are difficult to control with existing treatment, self-injectable biopharmaceuticals are used. The agency said these drugs suppress substances that trigger inflammation, improving itching and skin symptoms. Patients should use self-injectors only after receiving sufficient training from medical staff and should follow storage and disposal instructions. Single-use injectors must not be reused, and used syringes and needles should be sealed in a disposal container before being discarded. The agency said patients should consult medical staff if a parasitic infection is suspected before or during treatment. It also advised avoiding live vaccines — including measles, mumps and rubella, rotavirus and shingles — while using the injections, and said inactivated vaccines should be discussed with medical staff before vaccination. Hecto Group says it is strengthening workplace culture through “evolving” employee benefits Hecto Group said Tuesday it is boosting competitiveness in organizational culture by improving benefits around employee experience through what it calls “evolving welfare.” The company said it is building a participation-based culture and pursuing benefits that continue to develop rather than a fixed model, an approach reflected in its cafeteria, “Chaeum.” Chaeum provides free breakfast, lunch and dinner and is operated with employees’ condition and work efficiency in mind. Breakfast features simple options and balanced meals, while lunch offers a choice through A and B stations. Hecto Group said it recently revamped menus and services based on employee feedback, adding a summer-focused salad menu and setting up a self-serve hot pot station at dinner so employees can cook a range of items themselves. The company said it is also working to expand meals from a “benefit” into an “experience,” offering premium monthly specials and running menu collaborations with restaurants featured on the recently popular program “Black and White Chef.” It also said its ramen corner, previously centered on popular Korean brands, has added global options to broaden choices. Cha Bio F&C launches PetSeven probiotic supplement for dogs Cha Bio F&C, an affiliate of Cha Bio Group, said Tuesday its pet supplement brand PetSeven has launched “PetSeven Gut Care Probiotics,” a new product aimed at supporting dogs’ intestinal health. The company said the supplement was designed with dogs’ gut and pancreatic health and immune balance in mind. It contains selected probiotics with a guaranteed count of 5 billion CFU per stick, and applies a special coating technology intended to improve survival and colonization in the gut. It also combines prebiotics and probiotics. Key ingredients include a seven-strain probiotic blend from Lallemand’s Rosell, chicory extract as a prebiotic, postbiotic ingredients including Epicor Pet and yeast, and a plant-based enzyme blend, DigeZyme, the company said. Cha Bio F&C said it excluded 15 potentially harmful ingredients, including silicon dioxide, preservatives, sweeteners, colorants, artificial flavors and gluten, and that all products undergo safety testing before shipment. Seoul National University Hospital and Harvard Medical School team unveils “virtual hospital simulator” to evaluate medical AI A joint research team led by Kim Seong-eun, a research professor at Seoul National University Hospital’s specialized research institute, and collaborators at Harvard Medical School on Tuesday announced a “Clinical Environment Simulator (CES)” to dynamically evaluate large language model-based medical artificial intelligence. The study was published in the latest online edition of the international journal Nature Medicine. The researchers said existing medical AI evaluations rely on static, historical data and do not reflect real clinical effects such as changes in a patient’s condition over time. The team said medical AI should be assessed on how it responds under time pressure and resource constraints. In the system, a “patient engine” uses an LLM to generate diverse virtual paths of symptoms and treatment responses to simulate changes in patient status. A “hospital engine” tracks beds, staff and equipment status in real time. AI decisions are scored using a “dual-metric composite score” combining patient outcomes — survival, time required for treatment and adherence to guidelines — and hospital operational efficiency, including total length of stay, emergency room throughput, and bed and equipment utilization. The researchers said the system rewards improvements in care that do not damage hospital operations, but penalizes decisions that focus on one patient at the expense of others’ access to care. It also runs adversarial stress tests under extreme scenarios such as network outages and multiple simultaneous emergencies. The team said the work provides a “zero-risk preclinical test environment” that can demonstrate system safety without exposing patients to harm. With thoroughly validated AI taking on complex operational tasks, the researchers said, physicians could focus more fully on empathy and judgment.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-14 17:33:27
  • Ildong Pharmaceutical Expands DropTop Cholesterol Drug Supply to Three More ASEAN Countries
    Ildong Pharmaceutical Expands DropTop Cholesterol Drug Supply to Three More ASEAN Countries Ildong Pharmaceutical said April 14 it signed an additional agreement with its Indonesian partner, Kalbe Pharma, to expand the supply territory for its drug DropTop as it broadens its presence in Southeast Asia. DropTop is a combination therapy for dyslipidemia that pairs rosuvastatin, a statin that inhibits cholesterol synthesis, with ezetimibe, which reduces cholesterol absorption. Ildong said it signed a contract with Kalbe International, a distribution affiliate of Kalbe Pharma, to expand DropTop supply to three ASEAN countries. With the deal, Ildong will have a cooperation framework with the Kalbe Group in a total of eight Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, its existing supply market. Ildong signed a partnership agreement with Kalbe Pharma in 2020 and has continued exports since 2023 after completing approval and launch procedures. The product is sold locally under the brand name “Rozet.” Ildong said it has posted average annual growth of about 130% over the past three years since launch and ranks No. 1 by market share in Indonesia’s dyslipidemia combination-drug market. Ildong said it plans to pursue product approvals and launches in the newly covered countries in stages, and to accelerate market entry with localized marketing and distribution strategies. “Through this agreement, DropTop can enter most ASEAN member states,” a company official said. “Working with the Kalbe Group, we will continue to expand our market reach and product lineup.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-14 16:27:00
  • Celltrion Completes Cancellation of 9.11 Million Treasury Shares, Industry’s Largest
    Celltrion Completes Cancellation of 9.11 Million Treasury Shares, Industry’s Largest Celltrion said Tuesday that its largest-ever cancellation of treasury shares has been fully reflected in the stock market following a change listing on April 13. With the process complete, the company said its total number of outstanding shares fell by about 4%. Celltrion described the move as the largest treasury-share cancellation ever in South Korea’s pharmaceutical and biotech industry. The canceled shares accounted for about 74% of the company’s treasury stock and 3.94% of total issued shares. Based on the previous day’s closing price, the cancellation was valued at about 1.7782 trillion won, exceeding the combined size of its treasury-share cancellations in 2024 and 2025. Celltrion said the cancellation is expected to improve earnings per share. Earlier, Celltrion said it recorded a shareholder return rate of about 103% last year through a cash dividend of 750 won per share and treasury-share cancellations, surpassing its stated three-year average target of 40%. A Celltrion official said the cancellation was aimed at boosting shareholder value and expressed confidence it would be a turning point for the company to be properly valued alongside future earnings growth.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-14 15:12:00
  • Huons Biopharma Names Lee Jeong-hee as New CEO
    Huons Biopharma Names Lee Jeong-hee as New CEO Huons Biopharma, a Huons Group company specializing in botulinum toxin, said April 14 it has appointed Lee Jeong-hee, an executive director, as its new CEO. Lee, born in 1976, earned an MBA from Aalto University in Finland. He has more than 23 years of experience in the dermatology and medical aesthetics market, working in marketing, sales and strategic planning at Ipsen Korea, Hanwha Pharma, Hugel, Daewoong Pharmaceutical, Jetema and Chong Kun Dang Bio, among others. The company said Lee was credited with helping lay the groundwork for global expansion while leading overseas business development at Hugel and Daewoong Pharmaceutical. Huons Biopharma in January received product approval from China’s National Medical Products Administration for its botulinum toxin Hutox (sold domestically as Liztox) in a 100-unit dose, and began its first shipments last month. “Huons Biopharma is at an important turning point as it has secured approval in China for its botulinum toxin product and is moving into full-scale exports,” Lee said. “We will accelerate exports to China in the second half and expand R&D for next-generation products to sustain growth.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-14 15:09:00