Seoul Asan Medical Center announced on the 27th that it ranked the highest among South Korean hospitals at 25th in the '250 Best Hospitals in the World for 2025' selected by the U.S. weekly news magazine Newsweek. This ranking reflects the assessment of medical professionals from 30 countries and patient satisfaction compiled by the global research firm Statista. The top hospital in the world was the Mayo Clinic in the United States, followed by the Cleveland Clinic, Toronto General Hospital, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden. Seoul Asan Medical Center has maintained its position as the top hospital in South Korea since 2019, followed by Samsung Medical Center at 30th, Seoul National University Hospital at 42nd, Severance Hospital at 46th, Bundang Seoul National University Hospital at 68th, and Gangnam Severance Hospital at 87th.
Celltrion announced on the 27th that it will invest 300 billion won to establish a biopharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Yesan, South Chungcheong Province, by 2028. Celltrion signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Yesan County and will jointly establish industrial complex plans as joint implementers for some projects within the agricultural and bio-convergence industrial complex in the Nepo New Town. The province and Yesan County will provide administrative and financial support to ensure rapid development of the industrial complex and construction of the plant.
Alteogen announced on the 27th that its gene-recombinant hyaluronidase 'TergaJeju' has passed the pharmacy committee (D/C) at Seoul Asan Medical Center. TergaJeju, launched in November last year, is the first gene-recombinant hyaluronidase produced in South Korea. It increases the penetration of drugs such as local injections and promotes the reabsorption of excess bodily fluids and blood present in tissues. According to the company, TergaJeju has higher purity and lower side effects compared to existing animal-derived products. The active ingredient is 'ALT-B4,' used in Alteogen's subcutaneous injection platform, Hybrozyme. It is currently prescribed at 16 general hospitals in the country and is expected to be available for prescription at over 30 hospitals soon.
Lunit announced on the 27th that it presented 15 recent research achievements in breast cancer diagnosis at the 'European Congress of Radiology (ECR 2025)' held in Vienna, Austria. One of the key studies presented at this conference involved the analysis of over 1 million mammography data from the Norwegian Cancer Registry Research Team and the BreastScreen Norway program. The study explored whether the AI imaging analysis solution 'Lunit Insight MMG' could perform one of the roles of the two radiologists in the current double reading system; the results showed that when AI judged the probability of breast cancer to be over 10%, it identified 80% of the actual breast cancers detected during screenings, while it detected 75.5% of actual breast cancers when the probability was over 5%.
HLB announced on the 27th that the targeted cancer drug 'Riboceranib' and the immune-oncology drug 'Camrelizumab' combination therapy has been listed as a first-line treatment in the 'Hepatocellular Carcinoma Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines' published by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO). The guidelines provide information on cancer diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up management issued by the ESMO's liver cancer committee. HLB applied to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval of riboceranib and Camrelizumab combination therapy as a first-line treatment for liver cancer but faced a request for clarifications and has reapplied after adjustments in September last year. The company noted that it is unusual for a drug without approval to be listed as a recommended treatment.
Celltrion announced on the 27th that it has been selected by the Korea Exchange as an 'Excellent Disclosure Company in the KOSDAQ Market for 2024' in the general sector. During the review period, the company reportedly submitted the highest number of disclosures among domestic pharmaceutical and biotech companies, with a total of 235 disclosures, including 159 in Korean and 76 in English.
HANDOK announced on the 27th that it has donated 450 blood donation certificates to the Korean Association for Blood Cancer in recognition of World Rare Diseases Day. The donated certificates will be used for patients with rare diseases and blood cancers who need transfusions. The charitable blood donation campaign has been a volunteer activity involving HANDOK employees since 2007.
HK inno.N announced on the 27th that it has launched a new product, the peptide-X firming eye serum stick, under its slow-aging skincare brand Beyond. The Beyond ''Peptide-X Firming Eye Serum Stick'' enhances the elasticity of the delicate skin around the eyes and helps with hydration and wrinkle improvement. The stick is equipped with a steel ball for a smooth and cool massage experience without the need for direct contact. Compared to the existing ''PhytoCollagen Eye Serum Stick,'' the size of the steel ball (massage ball) has been increased by about 36% to enhance the cooling massage effect, and it has introduced refillable containers. Containing 10 types of peptides and soybean protein, it aims to improve the elasticity around the eyes, while the synergy of bakuchiol and rice-derived PDRN reportedly strengthens elasticity and hydration.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 27th that it visited the Korean Hospital Association to gather opinions from the hospital community on strengthening regional and essential medical care. Since last year, the government has been preparing execution plans for medical reform, including the structural transformation of high-level general hospitals, innovation in resident training, and normalization of essential medical costs. Minister Cho Gyu-hong listened to the opinions of regional general hospitals and small hospitals regarding reinforcing regional healthcare and discussed key tasks for medical reform aimed at enhancing the role and capacity of secondary hospitals.
The National Institute of Health's National Infectious Disease Research Institute announced on the 27th that it will publicly disclose 'multi-drug-resistant bacterial genomic information' starting from the 28th. The Infectious Disease Research Institute has been collecting genomic data on antibiotic-resistant bacteria from humans, animals, and the natural environment through national projects. Researchers will be able to utilize the genomic data collected by the Infectious Disease Research Institute in their studies. If necessary, actual strains can also be distributed. The actual strains include beta-lactamase-producing gut bacteria, carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
The National Health Insurance Service announced on the 27th that it will begin operating an integrated home care service for long-term care starting in March. The integrated home care service is a service that provides a combination of care services such as daytime and nighttime care, visiting care, bathing, and nursing through a single institution. While long-term care recipients need to use various combined services, 79.6% of all recipients have been using only one service until now. To address this issue, the government is amending the Long-Term Care Insurance Act for the Elderly and starting the integrated home care service. The institutions providing integrated home care services can be found on the long-term care insurance website for the elderly.