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 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 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 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.
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