■ SK bioscience said on the 28th that it has received a request from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), a United Nations (UN) agency, to supply its self-developed chickenpox vaccine in the Latin American region by 2027. SK bioscience will supply the chickenpox vaccine 'SkyVaricella' according to future orders from PAHO. After successfully securing its first contract in PAHO's chickenpox vaccine bid in 2022, SK bioscience has contributed to the stable supply of the vaccine for three years. In addition to this contract, it plans to expand vaccine exports to other regions, including Southeast Asia.
■ GC Genome announced on the 28th that it has signed a supply contract for multi-cancer early diagnosis services through liquid biopsy with GC Lymphotec, a subsidiary of the GC Group based in Japan. Liquid biopsy is a technology that analyzes nucleic acid fragments found in blood, saliva, urine, etc., to track the progression of diseases like cancer in real time. Under the contract, GC Genome will supply the artificial intelligence (AI)-based multi-cancer early diagnosis test 'iCanSearch' to the Japanese market. GC Lymphotec will support GC Genome's entry into the Japanese market based on its cooperation network with medical institutions in Japan.
■ Pharos iBio said on the 28th that it has submitted an orphan drug designation (ODD) application for its acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treatment PHI-101 to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). PHI-101 is a substance derived using the artificial intelligence (AI) drug development platform 'ChemiverseⓇ' that targets FLT3 protein mutations in AML treatment. In December of last year, it presented comprehensive study results of PHI-101's Phase 1 clinical trial at the American Society of Hematology (ASH), demonstrating safety, tolerance, and efficacy for patients with relapsed or refractory AML. Pharos iBio plans to expand the target market for PHI-101 in global markets such as Europe and the United States through this orphan drug designation.
■ Yuhan Corporation announced on the 28th that its premium vegan beauty brand dinsee's key product, the 'premium vegan tone-up sunscreen,' achieved the highest repurchase rate in the sunblock category at Olive Young, the largest health & beauty store in Korea. The dinsee premium vegan tone-up sunscreen is a high-functioning vegan product that does not use animal-derived ingredients and is the first Korean beauty brand to obtain both EVE VEGAN certification from France and Vegan Society certification from the UK simultaneously. The company explained that the hybrid sunscreen, combining the advantages of mineral and chemical sunscreens, prevents skin damage from photoaging caused by UV rays and is also effective for antioxidant and elasticity improvement.
■ Roche Korea announced on the 28th that it has held an in-house event to raise awareness and improve the treatment environment for age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema, one of the major causes of blindness, in recognition of 'Macular Degeneration and Low Vision Awareness Month.' Macular degeneration and low vision awareness month was established in 2008 by the U.S. nonprofit organization Prevent Blindness. During this period, activities are carried out to emphasize the importance of early detection and prevention of macular degeneration and to provide accurate information.
■ AstraZeneca Korea announced on the 28th that it received a commendation from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency during the '9th Rare Disease Day' ceremony hosted by the agency. AstraZeneca Korea has conducted various activities to raise awareness of rare diseases and improve patient access to treatment. It is also working to introduce and supply innovative treatments for rare diseases in Korea.
■ The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced on the 28th that it held the '9th Rare Disease Day ceremony' at the Ntree Premier Hotel in Yongsan, Seoul, in recognition of 'Rare Disease Day.' Rare Disease Day was established to increase social interest in rare diseases and deliver hope for overcoming them. The event was conducted in two parts, attended by over 150 people, including Jeong Yeong-mi, the head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. It included a video presentation of the stories of rare disease overcome award recipients, an introduction to rare disease patient associations, and an awards ceremony for those who contributed to overcoming rare diseases. Trends in policies and research and development related to rare diseases were also introduced. Rare diseases are often referred to as orphan diseases due to their low incidence rates.
■ The National Health Insurance Service announced on the 28th that it shared its system operation and achievements with a visiting delegation from the Ugandan Ministry of Health and the cancer research institute on the 26th. Uganda is preparing to introduce a national health insurance system similar to that of Korea to achieve 'universal health coverage.' The service introduced Korea's medical system and health insurance system and shared practical experiences according to Ugandan health issues.
■ The Korea Institute of Health and Social Affairs announced on the 28th that it will completely reorganize its comprehensive customized services for medical technology evaluation this year, aimed at companies and institutions preparing to apply for new medical technology assessments, providing support from product development to clinical trials and evaluations. Major changes include improvements to the consulting process, revision of support items through the introduction of the NECA tool, and practical role support for technology development due to the introduction of the Target Technology Profile (TTP).
■ The Korea New Drug Development Association announced on the 28th that it held the inauguration ceremony of the '25th Technology Transaction Committee of the Pharmaceutical Industry Technology Transaction Center (PTBC),' appointing 150 members from 91 corporations and institutions. PTBC is the only privately led open innovation platform established in 2000 by the new drug association representing Korea's research and development-centered biohealth industry, including pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals, ventures, and startups. It promotes the establishment of partnering networks between domestic and international technology suppliers with promising technologies and business items and collaborative research and development projects with key institutions for technology transactions in Korea and abroad.