■SK bioscience announced on the 12th that it has begun shipping the flu vaccine 'Skycellflu' to southern hemisphere countries, including Southeast Asia and Latin America. The shipment quantity is enough for a total of 750,000 vaccinations. This is the second time SK bioscience has exported the flu vaccine to southern hemisphere countries, following its first export to Thailand last year. By broadening the market in southern hemisphere countries, the company expects a reduction in manufacturing costs alongside an increase in flu vaccine production. Skycellflu started its export in earnest last year after contracting with countries in Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. In Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, there has been a steady increase in vaccine demand due to rising hospitalization rates caused by seasonal flu. After the flu vaccine, SK bioscience is also expanding its export target countries for the chickenpox vaccine 'Skyvaricella', the shingles vaccine 'Skyzoster', and the typhoid vaccine 'Skytifoids'.
■Dong-A ST announced on the 12th that Aptis, an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) development company acquired in 2013, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Wuxi XDC, a Chinese ADC contract research and development manufacturing organization (CRDMO), to develop next-generation ADC therapeutics. This MOU aims to enhance the speed and efficiency of next-generation ADC development by combining Aptis's linker platform technology, AbClick®, with Wuxi XDC's production technology (CMC) platform. Wuxi XDC will implement Aptis's AbClick platform and selective drug conjugate technology. Additionally, the company will leverage its global network to provide opportunities for Aptis's technology to expand globally.
■Pharos iBio announced on the 12th that it has signed a contract for clinical trial services with C&R Research, a leading clinical research organization (CRO) in South Korea, to conduct Phase 1 trials of the difficult-to-treat solid tumor therapeutic 'PHI-501'. The goal of this Phase 1 trial is to evaluate the therapeutic effects, safety, and tolerability of PHI-501. The company previously submitted an investigational new drug application (IND) to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 5th. According to the company, PHI-501 has been proven effective against malignant melanoma and difficult-to-treat colorectal cancer in preclinical studies. Furthermore, the company stated that it has expanded the target diseases for treatment to various difficult-to-treat solid tumors, including difficult-to-treat colorectal cancer and malignant melanoma, by utilizing its own AI platform, Chemiverse.
■HEM Pharma announced on the 12th that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Xcell Therapeutics for research and commercialization collaboration on microbiome-based bio-materials. As part of this partnership, both companies will develop culture media for culturing difficult-to-cultivate strains, utilize microbiome-derived exosomes in the healthcare and beauty industries, and engage in technical exchanges and joint research. This initiative aims to accelerate the development of next-generation microbiome-based bio-materials and enhance competitiveness in the global healthcare and beauty industries. Microbiome-derived exosomes, which are extracellular vesicles secreted by gut microorganisms, are gaining attention as next-generation bio-materials due to their immune-modulating and anti-inflammatory effects.
■Y-Biologics announced on the 12th that it has signed a collaborative research agreement with Galux, an AI drug development company, to develop anticancer drugs utilizing AI technology. Under this agreement, both companies will collaborate on the development of antibody-based immuno-oncology therapeutics using AI technology. Y-Biologics plans to combine specific drug candidates derived from Galux's AI-based drug design platform with its own antibody platform to develop next-generation immuno-oncology therapeutics. Since its establishment in 2007, Y-Biologics has entered into technology transfer agreements for eight drug candidates developed independently or jointly based on its independent antibody discovery platform. Galux, founded by a research team led by Professor Seok-Jo Oh at Seoul National University, specializes in developing AI drug design platforms and has achieved world-class protein structure and interaction prediction technology.
■JW Shinyak announced on the 12th that it hosted the 'Modumoa Symposium' to celebrate the first anniversary of the domestic launch of the hair care cosmetic 'Ducray Neoptide Expert'. The Modumoa Symposium is an event where experts related to hair and scalp in South Korea share the latest research cases and information. This symposium was held at the Amber Pure Hill Resort in Jeju from the 1st to the 2nd. The interim results of the domestic human application tests for Ducray Neoptide Expert were presented at this symposium. Ducray Neoptide Expert is a hair care product from French cosmetics company Pierre Fabre. JW Shinyak has been selling Ducray Neoptide Expert since January last year following the signing of an exclusive supply contract.
■Chong Kun Dang announced on the 12th that it has conducted the 'CKD Campaign' with healthcare providers nationwide in observance of World Kidney Day. CKD is an abbreviation for Chong Kun Dang, as well as a slogan meaning 'Care for yourself, Keep going, Don't give up.' Employees of Chong Kun Dang and healthcare providers across the country photographed themselves holding boards with the CKD campaign message, emphasizing the importance of early detection of chronic kidney disease and conveying encouragement to patients.
■HANDOK held the 54th Pharmacological Award ceremony with the Korea Pharmaceutical Association on the 12th, presenting awards to five pharmacists for their contributions to improve public health. Established in 1970, the Pharmacological Award is given to pharmacist members who have faithfully implemented the ethical guidelines for pharmacists and dedicated themselves to enhancing public health and community development. The 54th Pharmacological Award winners include pharmacist Jeon Seung-ho (Gangwon Province branch), who led a task force during wildfires in Gangwon, operating a mobile pharmacy and providing free medication to disaster victims, as well as Kim Dong-keun (Seoul branch), Son Byeong-ro (Gyeonggi branch), Jeong Yi-joo (Busan branch), and Jeong Hyeon-cheol (Gwangju branch). They received the Pharmacological Tower trophy and a cash prize of 5 million won.
■Yonsei Medical Center announced on the 12th that it held the opening ceremony of the 'Korean Medical Robot Center' at the Avison Biomedical Research Center on the 11th. The Korean Medical Robot Center is an expanded facility from the existing Korean Surgical Robot Education and Training Center. Yonsei Medical Center has been selected as an institution for the 'Second Phase of Support for Education and Training of Domestic Medical Devices' led by the Korea Health Industry Promotion Agency, building training and support systems for domestic surgical robots, AI-based medical devices, and rehabilitation robots. The Korean Medical Robot Center is expected to provide advanced education and training in the field of advanced medical robots and enhance the competitiveness of the medical robot industry.
■The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced on the 12th that it held the '1st National Injury Management Committee Meeting'. Injury refers to physical and mental health problems and aftereffects caused by external factors such as accidents, disasters, and poisoning. According to the 2023 mortality statistics, injuries ranked fourth among all causes of death. The National Injury Management Committee, established in February, is a deliberative and decision-making body that is responsible for making policy decisions needed for injury management under the 'Injury Prevention and Management Act' that was implemented last January. During the first meeting, the committee awarded appointment letters to its members and approved a proposal for selecting an institution to oversee the establishment and operation of the Central Injury Management Center, along with a report on the establishment of the national injury management system.
■The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 12th that it has administratively announced a revision of the 'Reporting Regulations on Finished Pharmaceutical Supply Shortages’ to expedite reporting by pharmaceutical companies. The revision advances the reporting timeline for supply shortages of finished pharmaceuticals from the previous 60 days to 180 days in advance, provides criteria for decreased production and imports that qualify for reporting shortages, and contains provisions regarding reporting targets and exceptions. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is accepting opinions on the revision until the 31st.
■The Korea Organ Donation Agency (KODA) announced on the 12th that it successfully held the launch ceremony of the 'KODA Honors Club' to promote donor recognition and the spread of a culture of donation. The launch ceremony was described by KODA as a first step to express gratitude to donors and establish a sustainable culture of donation. Various activities aimed at strengthening donor recognition and raising awareness of the need to spread the life-sharing culture were introduced at the launch ceremony. The KODA Honors Club consists of individuals and organizations (corporations) that have made cash or in-kind donations, aiming to convey respect and gratitude to donors while promoting the spread of the life-sharing culture. The club aims to systematically manage various donation fund usage, including donor recognition and support for bereaved families, and ensure that the positive influence of donors spreads throughout society.