Daewon Pharmaceutical said on the 13th that it will recruit promising startups to join an open innovation program in partnership with Seoul Bio Hub, Seoul's bio and medical startup innovation platform.
The "2026 Seoul Bio Hub–Daewon Pharmaceutical open innovation program," now in its third year, plans to build a collaboration framework that identifies startups with technologies aligned with Daewon Pharmaceutical's needs and connects them to joint research and commercialization.
Daewon Pharmaceutical has commercialization experience based on its capabilities in developing improved new drugs and its sales network in chronic disease areas such as respiratory and cardiovascular. Through this, it plans to provide practical collaboration opportunities to startups that have secured early-stage technologies but face challenges entering the market.
Selected corporations will be offered a one-year collaboration program, including joint research and proof of concept (PoC). Through collaboration with Daewon Pharmaceutical's R&D personnel, they will conduct technology validation, and tailored mentoring will be provided for issues that arise during research and commercialization.
Eligible applicants are pharmaceutical and bio startups less than eight years since founding. The main fields are ▲ metabolic diseases ▲ musculoskeletal disorders ▲ fibrotic diseases ▲ cancer treatment, and the technology areas include ▲ peptide-based drugs and conjugates (PDC) ▲ small-molecule-based targeted protein degradation (TPD) ▲ gene therapy–based antisense oligos (ASO) and small interfering RNA (siRNA).
Two corporations will be selected. Benefits include joint research using Daewon Pharmaceutical's research infrastructure, support for global expansion, and assistance with moving into Seoul Bio Hub and rent.
Daewon Pharmaceutical has continued collaborating with promising startups through open innovation. Last year, it signed an artificial intelligence (AI)–based drug discovery research agreement with Atomatrix, and in 2024 it signed a joint new drug development and technology transfer agreement with Prazer Therapeutics. In the same year, it signed a joint development and commercialization agreement for a peptic ulcer treatment with Yunovia.
Baek In-hwan, president of Daewon Pharmaceutical, said, "We will secure global competitiveness by combining clinical and manufacturing capabilities with startups' technologies," adding, "We look forward to participation by corporations with next-generation technologies such as small molecules, peptides, and drug delivery systems (DDS)."
Kim Hyun-woo, head of Seoul Bio Hub, said, "This will be an opportunity for startups to verify their commercialization potential," adding, "We will serve as a bridge to support growth during the collaboration period."
Corporations wishing to participate can apply through the Seoul Bio Hub website by 3 p.m. on May 13.