Korea University Medical Center announced on the 12th that it received a donation of approximately $600,000 (about 870 million won) from an anonymous benefactor residing overseas. Korea University Medical Center plans to use the donation for the "Global Good Life Project" and the development fund for Korea University Anam Hospital, according to the donor's wishes. The Global Good Life Project is an international medical support initiative that aids patients facing medical gaps and economic difficulties. The goal is to invite and treat 100 vulnerable patients by 2028. So far, 15 patients have received treatment with support from the project. Additionally, there are plans to invest in building advanced operating rooms in the Rosé Hall at Korea University Anam Hospital to create an environment where emergency and critically ill patients can receive safe and prompt care.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 12th that it held a "2025 Food and Drug Testing and Inspection Policy Briefing" at the C&V Center of the Osong Advanced Medical Industry Promotion Foundation. About 150 testing and inspection organizations from the food and drug sectors participated in the briefing. During the session, they introduced the policy direction for the testing and inspection field this year and amendments to relevant laws. They also described the tailored technical support program "Lab Friends" to address challenges in testing and inspection, as well as the differentiated management plan based on the results of institutions' proficiency and quality control standards. The policy briefing will also be available on the Food and Drug Safety Ministry's YouTube channel starting on the 20th.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that Vice Minister Park Min-soo visited the Korea Health and Medical Information Service on the 12th to hear about the status of key projects. The Korea Health and Medical Information Service is a public institution established in 2019 to ensure continuity of care, patient safety, and improve the quality of health care services. The ministry had previously stated in January that it would promote the completion of integrating advanced general hospitals into the health information superhighway and expanding the recruitment size of participants in the national integrated bio big data project through its "2025 Major Business Promotion Plan." Vice Minister Park noted, "We will improve the quality of health care services based on data and realize future medical care."
GC Wellbeing's health functional food distribution specialist Honesty announced on the 12th that the initial supply of their recently launched "Super Recipe Ginger Shot" has sold out. The Super Recipe Ginger Shot is made using organic lemon, apple, orange, and ginger through a non-concentrated juicing method. Honesty is preparing supplies for a second batch, and currently, pre-orders are underway.
SG Healthcare, a manufacturer specializing in medical imaging devices, announced that it has completed the expansion of its factory in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, enhancing its production capacity. They invested 5 billion won in this factory expansion, increasing the area by 2,400 square meters to a total scale of 3,300 square meters. SG Healthcare expects that this factory expansion will enable it to meet market demand through the expansion of its product line and an increase in raw material inventory.
Pfizer Korea announced that it held the "2025 Pfizer Patient University" on the 11th at the Space Aid Dream Hall, with Professor Lee Rae-seok from Seoul St. Mary's Hospital's infectious disease department participating and discussing the need for disease severity prevention in adult patients, focusing on COVID-19, influenza, and pneumococcus. Pfizer Patient University is an educational course for patient group representatives. This year marks the third iteration of the event, which aims to improve understanding of infectious diseases such as COVID-19, influenza, and pneumococcus that can significantly affect the health of high-risk groups and explain the necessity of preventing disease severity.
Shin Poong Pharm announced that it presented the results of a Phase 2 analysis of its innovative stroke drug candidate, "Otaplimastat," at the International Stroke Conference (ISC2025) held on June 6 in Los Angeles. Shin Poong Pharm conducted a clinical trial involving 226 patients with acute ischemic stroke. Otaplimastat inhibits the matrix metalloproteinases associated with brain damage, simultaneously providing neuroprotective effects through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. In this clinical trial, Otaplimastat was administered alongside the thrombolytic agent Actilyse in patients receiving intravenous therapy, confirming its safety and therapeutic effect. The neurological scale showed improvement compared to placebo up to 90 days, and a tendency for a 89% reduction in the volume of brain infarction was observed.
Dong-A Pharmaceutical announced the launch of its toothpaste product "Gum Guard Expert." Gum Guard Expert contains 1450 ppm of fluoride, which is effective in preventing cavities, and also includes tocopherol acetate, which helps with gum blood circulation. Additionally, it contains USDA-certified chamomile extract, calendula extract, and green tea extract.
SillaJen announced on the 11th that it has submitted a request for approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to change the clinical trial plan (IND) for its anticancer drug "BAL0891." This is to expand the clinical trials currently being conducted on solid tumor patients to include patients with acute myeloid leukemia. If approved, initial clinical trials will begin on patients with recurrent and refractory acute myeloid leukemia. BAL0891 is a novel candidate drug that inhibits two proteins simultaneously, blocking the growth of cancer cells by inhibiting TTK and PLK1. A SillaJen spokesperson noted, "If BAL0891 shows meaningful results in blood cancer clinical trials, the drug's value will increase," adding that the company plans to develop it as a platform pipeline encompassing both solid and blood cancers.
Hanlim University Sacred Heart Hospital announced that it held the launch ceremony for the Mobile ICU dedicated to severe patients on the 5th. The Mobile ICU is specially designed for transporting critically ill patients, allowing medical staff to provide intensive care unit-level treatment inside the vehicle, thus being referred to as a "moving ICU." Hanlim University Sacred Heart Hospital will play a key role in transferring critically ill patients between hospitals when inter-hospital transfers are necessary. Approximately 60 stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Gyeonggi Provincial Office, Central Emergency Medical Center, and Hanlim University Sacred Heart Hospital, attended the launch ceremony. The event included an introduction to the Mobile ICU project, performance reporting, vehicle and equipment introduction, and demonstrations. Since November last year, Hanlim University Sacred Heart Hospital has operated the Mobile ICU after being selected for the pilot project to establish an inter-hospital transfer system for critically ill patients pursued by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Gyeonggi Province.
Laseroptek, a company specializing in laser devices for skin beauty and disease treatment, announced that its laser device "Helios 785" has obtained additional approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for new indications including melasma treatment and wrinkle treatment. The newly approved indications include treatments for melasma, wrinkle treatments, skin regeneration procedures for acne scars and wrinkles, and an expansion of color options for tattoo removal. With the addition of these indications, the company expects Helios 785 to gain competitiveness in the U.S. pigment treatment market.
Samsung Biologics announced on the 12th that it received a "Leadership" rating, the highest rating in water resource management, from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), a global sustainability evaluation organization. CDP has been requesting major public companies worldwide to disclose information regarding their responses to environmental issues since its establishment in the UK in 2000. The CDP evaluation is considered a key global sustainability indicator, alongside the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI). Samsung Biologics was recognized for its ESG capabilities through specific goal setting for water pollution management, water resource recycling rates, and ensuring the accuracy and reliability of data on water resource intake, discharge, and consumption.