Celltrion announced on the 24th that its autoimmune disease treatment 'Steqeyma' is set to be sold at Costco, the third-largest major retailer in the United States. This comes about two weeks after the launch of Steqeyma in the U.S. Celltrion signed a listing agreement for Steqeyma with Costco Health Solutions, a subsidiary of Costco's pharmacy benefit manager (PBM), on the 22nd (local time). Reimbursements for Steqeyma are expected to be available to PBM members and Costco employees at pharmacies within Costco stores across the U.S. Steqeyma has been listed as a preferred drug, which typically allows it to receive a higher tier in the prescription guide, leading to prioritized prescriptions compared to other competing products.
i-SENS announced on the 24th that it has officially launched the successor product of the continuous glucose monitoring device (CGM) 'CareSense Air.' The most significant change in this successor product is that the previous blood glucose correction method is now performed through fingertip blood sampling only when needed. This allows users to choose whether to correct based on their blood glucose patterns and preferences, enabling more freedom and precision in blood glucose management. The initial stabilization time has also been greatly reduced from two hours to 30 minutes. The initial stabilization time refers to the waiting period until blood glucose data is displayed after the sensor is first attached. The company expects that the reduction in waiting time will allow for rapid blood glucose monitoring, minimizing gaps in blood glucose management. All new features can be utilized immediately by updating the 'CareSense Air' app on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
HUGEL announced on the 24th that it will launch a new product sunblock 'Real Hyaluronic Blue Sun Cream' under its skin care brand Wellajoo. Real Hyaluronic Blue Sun Cream features a strong UV blocking function with sun protection factor (SPF) 50+/PA++++ and contains high-purity hyaluronic acid, similar to the rapid moisture improvement ampoule 'Real Hyaluronic Blue 100 Ampoule.' There is no caking or white cast, allowing for natural application even after multiple layers before and after makeup. Clinical trials showed that the product calmed skin irritation caused by heat and lowered skin temperature by 4.3 degrees within just one minute of use.
PeopleBio noted on the 24th that recent research has demonstrated that the oligomerization of beta-amyloid in the blood can be an important indicator for predicting the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This research was published in the latest issue of the international journal 'Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia.' The study, conducted by a research team from Peking University on 727 patients, analyzed the plasma beta-amyloid aggregation levels and evaluated the cognitive functions of the participants. The four-year follow-up results revealed that patients with high beta-amyloid aggregation levels had a significantly increased risk of progressing to Alzheimer's disease. For every 0.1 increase in beta-amyloid aggregation levels, the risk of conversion to Alzheimer's disease increased by 1.083 times. Notably, beta-amyloid aggregation levels showed a high correlation with various cognitive functions, including memory, language ability, and attention, indicating high accuracy in predicting whether MCI patients would transition to Alzheimer's disease.
JW Pharmaceutical announced on the 24th that it has launched a 100-tablet bottle product of 'Rivarojet,' a combination drug for dyslipidemia that was previously only supplied in individual packaging using the Press Through Pack (PTP) method. Rivarojet is the world's first combination drug that combines pitavastatin, a statin, and ezetimibe, a cholesterol absorption inhibitor. It continues to grow steadily in the domestic market due to its excellent cholesterol-lowering effects and safety. The company explained that this bottle packaging helps patients take their medication more conveniently and increases practical convenience in the medical field by streamlining the dispensing processes for hospitals and pharmacies.
HANALL BIOPHARMA announced on the 24th that it will acquire its own shares worth 3.2 billion won. The shares to be acquired amount to approximately 0.21% of the total issued shares, consisting of 110,000 shares, and will be acquired through on-market purchases on the KRX. The purpose of this share buyback is to stabilize the stock price and enhance shareholder value, as reported by HANALL BIOPHARMA. A company official mentioned, "The decision to protect shareholder value was made after candidate substance 'HL161' (vatoclax) for an autoimmune disease treatment demonstrated excellent efficacy compared to competing products in Phase 3 clinical trials, even as the stock price declined." The acquired shares will be utilized for employee compensation purposes.
Seoul National University Hospital announced on the 24th that Professor Hong Seok-kyun of the Department of Surgery received the '2024 Korean Transplantation Society Academic Grand Award' at the 21st Spring Conference of the Korean Transplantation Society. This award recognizes outstanding research achievements in the field of transplantation, which is expected to have a significant impact on the advancement of liver transplantation and the improvement of the medical system. Professor Hong garnered attention for his research on 'pure laparoscopic donor liver resection.' His main study compared the outcomes of pure laparoscopic donor liver resection and traditional open donor liver resection using a propensity score matching method, receiving recognition for objectively proving the safety and utility of the technically challenging pure laparoscopic liver resection.
Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine announced on the 24th that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Virginia University of Integrative Medicine (VUIM) this month. Established in 2004 in the Fairfax region of Virginia, VUIM is the first institution in the U.S. to receive accreditation from the 'Accrediting Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine' (ACAHM) under the U.S. Department of Education. The school offers master's and doctoral programs in acupuncture, herbal medicine, and integrative medicine and is recognized for its excellence in integrative medicine education in the U.S. through evidence-based research. Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine promises to engage in continuous education and research exchanges for the globalization of integrative medicine with VUIM. Notably, VUIM medical students are expected to undergo integrative medicine training at Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine in the second half of this year, and both institutions plan to hold joint workshops and seminars in the future.
Korea University Guro Hospital announced on the 24th that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with George Emil Palade University of Medicine in Romania. Accordingly, Korea University Guro Hospital will provide its accumulated know-how in managing smart hospitals for the construction of Romania's first digital smart hospital, George Emil Palade Hospital, and plan to deliver the latest medical technology and clinical know-how through medical staff training programs.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced on the 24th that it will implement the '2025 Domestic Mosquito Surveillance Project for Infectious Diseases' starting at the end of this month in 13 airport and port quarantine areas and four southern cities and provinces. Major infectious diseases transmitted by mosquitoes include Japanese encephalitis, malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, Zika virus infection, and West Nile Virus. Japanese encephalitis and malaria are occurring domestically, while diseases like dengue fever are being imported from overseas. The agency will carry out surveillance at a total of 169 key locations from March to October. The surveillance results will be used as indicators for mosquito control and infectious disease prevention and will be published on the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's website as 'Pathogen and Vector Surveillance Weekly Alert.'