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How is the biotech industry in South Korea?

The country’s biotech industry flourishes, powered by substantial government investment and support. South Korea excels in biopharmaceuticals, regenerative medicine, and biosimilars. With advanced infrastructure, cutting-edge technology, and a highly skilled workforce, the country is attracting global collaborations and solidifying its position as a biotech leader.

What are the main clusters in South Korea?

Prominent biotech clusters include Daejeon, known for its bioscience research institutes and biotech companies; Seoul, with a concentration of biotech startups and research institutions; and Busan, focusing on marine biotechnology and bioengineering.

Latest Posts

Best in Biotech 14 Nov 2023

10 biotech companies leading innovation in the Asia-Pacific region

Asia-Pacific is now establishing itself as a global innovation hub, with China, Japan, and Korea leading the space in overall innovative pipeline assets in the region. The life sciences industry is thriving, and there has been a shift in the region from predominantly producing generics to developing innovative technologies, with several Asia-Pacific biotech companies leading […]

November 14, 2023 - 11 minutesmins - By Willow Shah-Neville

News and Trends 28 Jul 2023

Could a natural sweetener from hydrangeas treat Alzheimer’s disease?

Amyloid β (Aβ) aggregation is primarily responsible for the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In a new mouse model study, South Korean researchers investigated the effect of phyllodulcin — a natural sweetener found in the hydrangea plant — in inhibiting Aβ accumulation. The results suggest that phyllodulcin effectively inhibits Aβ accumulation and decomposes the pre-aggregated […]

July 28, 2023 - 3 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall

Best in Biotech 23 Jun 2023

Six biotech companies in South Korea you should know about

A major player in the machinery, electronics and telecommunications market, South Korea’s growing biotech industry has made headlines over the past few years. Home to hundreds of biopharmaceutical companies, the sector saw ₩2.8 trillion ($2.14 billion) worth of investments pour in, according to 2021 statistics. One of the largest contract drug developers, Samsung Biologics, headquartered […]

June 23, 2023 - 8 minutesmins - By Roohi Mariam Peter

News and Trends 30 May 2023

Pancreatic cancer microbiome discovery holds treatment hope

iNtRON Biotechnology has announced the identification of prophage and (non-) ORF-jamphage from the microbiome frequently observed in long-term pancreatic cancer survivors. The company said the ‘significant identification’ was achieved as part of its ongoing PHAGERIARUS development project conducted by the new drug part of the company. The PHAGERIARUS development project is focused on acquiring bacteriophage-derived […]

May 30, 2023 - 4 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall

News and Trends 23 May 2023

FDA approval for Rznomics’ glioblastoma treatment trial

Rznomics Inc., a South Korea based biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of RNA-based gene therapeutics, has received phase 1/2a IND approval from the U.S. FDA for its glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) treatment. RZ-001 initially obtained IND approval for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but Rznomics also found pre-clinical efficacy in GBM models and submitted the IND for […]

May 23, 2023 - 3 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall

News and Trends 4 Apr 2023

iNtRON looks to control colorectal cancer through microbiome

iNtRON Biotechnology has announced that it has demonstrated the effectiveness of P18-BE3CRC using a cancer organoid model. P18-BE3CRC is a drug candidate from iNtRON Biotechnology’s PHAGERIA platform technology, which is for the development and commercialization of bacteriophage-based drugs (Phageome API) for cancer control. Bacteriophages have been used for R&D on bacterial infectious diseases, but recently […]

April 4, 2023 - 3 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall

News and Trends 17 Mar 2023

How cancer cells repair DNA damage from radiotherapy

A team of scientists led by Kei-ichi Takata from the Center for Genomic Integrity (CGI) within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) in South Korea, has discovered a new type of DNA repair mechanism that cancer cells use to recover from next-generation cancer radiation therapy. Ionizing radiation (IR) therapy is frequently used in the treatment […]

March 17, 2023 - 5 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall

News and Trends 28 Feb 2023

GC Biopharma acquiring hemophilia rare disease pipeline

GC Biopharma Corp., a South Korean provider of biopharmaceutical products, has signed an asset purchase agreement with Catalyst Biosciences to acquire three programs related to the orphan hematology disorders. The agreement includes Marzeptacog alfa (MarzAA), an engineered factor VIIa, which is ready for phase 3 clinical stage development. In its previous clinical development trials, MarzAA […]

February 28, 2023 - 2 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall

News and Trends 23 Feb 2023

Korean researchers develop antimicrobial peptides discovery tool

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a promising new weapon for combating the growing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of bacteria and other harmful microorganisms. Now, researchers from the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) in South Korea have developed a new, easy-to-interpret AI-powered AMP prediction model. The tool, named AMP-BERT, can capture the functional and structural properties […]

February 23, 2023 - 3 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall

News and Trends 2 Feb 2023

Possible drug targets from Korean atherosclerosis research

Research suggests that the enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 2 (PCK2) and its gene play a role in the development of vascular injury and atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a deadly disease; research suggests that proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and formation of a neointimal layer along the inner lining of arteries play a major role in […]

February 2, 2023 - 3 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall

glioblastoma oncolytic virus transgene 2

News and Trends 20 Jan 2023

New drug could replace current standard for treating brain cancer

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a WHO grade IV brain tumor with dismal prognosis. Although post-surgical radiation chemotherapy combined with temozolomide is the standard line of treatment, GBM cells surviving radiotherapy contribute to tumor progression and recurrence even more aggressively. Researchers have now unveiled the mechanism of radioresistance in glioblastoma cells, identifying therapeutic targets to overcome radioresistance. […]

January 20, 2023 - 3 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall

News and Trends 19 Jan 2023

GPCR Therapeutics launches multiple myeloma trial

GPCR Therapeutics, Inc., a drug discovery company targeting G Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCR) pairs, has started its phase 2 trial in the U.S. for its lead small molecule asset, GPC-100. GPC-100 targets CXCR4, one of the most prevalent chemokine GPCRs overexpressed in more than 23 cancers. This randomized, open-label phase 2 study assesses the efficacy […]

January 19, 2023 - 2 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall

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