Next Biomedical announced on the 17th that it has completed the first shipment of its hemostatic agent for endoscopy, Nexpowder, to Japan. Nexpowder received product approval from the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) in Japan last month. This hemostatic agent is used to stop bleeding during gastrointestinal hemorrhage by applying powder via endoscopy, preventing further bleeding and rebleeding in the future. The powder, when applied to wounds in the stomach and colon, turns into a gel that stops the bleeding. Nexpowder's Japanese sales partner, Century Medical Inc. (CMI), is a subsidiary of Itochu Corporation, a major trading company in Japan, and has a strong network in the gastroenterology field. The company plans to actively leverage this network to expand its market share.
Yuhan Corporation conducted a "blood donation campaign for cancer patients" at its three business sites, including headquarters, research center, and factory. The blood donation certificates contributed by employees will be delivered to children suffering from childhood cancer through the Korea Childhood Leukemia Foundation.
GC Cell announced on the 17th that it has been selected as the implementation organization for the "2025 CMC strategic consulting" project in the cellular and genetic sector by the National New Drug Development Institute. The institute operates a program that provides specialized consulting necessary during the CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls) preparation process to small to medium-sized enterprises and venture companies holding new drug candidates. This CMC strategic consulting support project aims to minimize trial and error that may occur in the early stages of new drug development and secure global-level CMC data by providing consulting from specialized institutions. GC Cell will be responsible for overall support from selecting new drug candidates to production, quality, and approval processes.
HUGEL announced on the 17th that it has obtained international standard certification for information security management systems, ISO 27001. ISO 27001 is a certification jointly created by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). It verifies whether a corporation's information security management system complies with international standards. HUGEL met overall security management criteria, including information security policy, communication and operations, access control, and incident response, receiving high marks for enhancing overall security systems, improving systems, and conducting regular security training for employees.
HYUNDAI BIOSCIENCE announced on the 17th that it will present research results on treating "false resistance," often mistakenly believed to be resistance to anticancer drugs, at the "American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)" to be held in Chicago from the 25th of next month. The false resistance HYUNDAI BIOSCIENCE refers to occurs when the therapeutic effect decreases with repeated administration of anticancer drugs, but in reality, it is not the cancer cells that are resistant; rather, the "extracellular matrix (ECM)" surrounding the cancer tissue hardens. HYUNDAI BIOSCIENCE has developed "Pennytrium," which prevents ECM hardening to resolve false resistance. During this conference, HYUNDAI BIOSCIENCE will also discuss joint projects with global pharmaceutical companies.
UBcare, a digital healthcare platform company, announced on the 17th that it will participate in the "39th International Medical Device and Hospital Equipment Exhibition (KIMES 2025)" to be held at COEX in Seoul from the 20th to the 23rd. In this exhibition, UBcare will showcase a medical environment incorporating artificial intelligence (AI). The "AI clinic," which implements a future-oriented medical environment, enables remote control of appliances and devices in the consulting room in conjunction with Samsung Electronics' AI-based Internet of Things (IoT) platform, "SmartThings." UBcare also developed an "AI consultation guide" utilizing generative AI, which features automatic recording of consultations and voice prescription functions. In addition, UBcare will present products such as the non-covered solution "PlusCRM" and the medical imaging integration management solution "UBPACS-Z."
The Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association announced on the 17th the launch of the second term of the "Pharmaceutical Review Communication Group (CHORUS)" in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation and the Korea Global Pharmaceutical Industry Association. CHORUS is a communication channel involving review officials from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the domestic and international pharmaceutical industry that identifies regulatory improvements in the review sector and devises solutions. The second term will be organized and operated in 11 divisions, including AI-based raw material quality review, covering areas such as safety and efficacy, quality, and equivalence. Major initiatives include establishing a system for assessing raw material impurities using AI technology and harmonizing clinical and equivalence trial review methods internationally.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that it will conduct planned collection and inspection starting on the 17th to ensure the quality of non-medical masks. The inspection targets 240 items, including health masks, splash-blocking masks, and surgical masks sold at offline stores such as marts and convenience stores as well as online shopping malls. Products deemed non-compliant based on the inspection results will be banned from sale and recalled/destroyed.