Kolon Life Science secures additional Asia patents for TG-C mixed-cell gene therapy
Kolon Life Science said Thursday that patents covering the “mixed-cell gene therapy” approach used in TG-C, an osteoarthritis gene therapy being developed by affiliate Kolon TissueGene, have recently been approved for registration in several Asian markets.
The patents cover a technique that combines cells engineered to produce growth factors (TGF-β or BMP) with cells designed to respond to those signals to deliver therapeutic effects. TG-C is administered by mixing two components — a cartilage-cell solution and a genetically modified cell solution — and the company said the approvals provide legal protection for that mixed-administration method.
Kolon Life Science said it has been expanding the patent’s scope in Asia. It previously secured the patent in Indonesia in February, followed by registration decisions in the Philippines and Malaysia last month.
TG-C is in the final stage of a Phase 3 U.S. clinical trial for knee osteoarthritis. Kolon TissueGene, which is running the U.S. study, aims to release topline results in July 2026 after completing two years of follow-up and analyzing the data. Based on those results, it plans to submit a biologics license application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the first quarter of 2027.
Daewoong says osteoporosis drug Stoboclo tops 11.8 billion won in first-year sales
Daewoong Pharmaceutical said Thursday that Stoboclo, an osteoporosis treatment it co-markets with Celltrion Pharm, posted cumulative first-year sales of 11.8 billion won.
Stoboclo is South Korea’s first biosimilar to Prolia, a global blockbuster osteoporosis drug, and was launched in March last year.
According to market research firm IQVIA, Stoboclo reached about 11.8 billion won in cumulative sales through the fourth quarter, moving into the domestic “blockbuster” category of more than 10 billion won in annual sales. South Korea’s osteoporosis drug market is estimated at about 3.6 trillion won as of last year.
Within that, the denosumab segment totals about 1.6 trillion won, or 45% of the overall market. Daewoong said Stoboclo’s share of the denosumab market grew to about 14% in the fourth quarter, and stood at about 7% on a full-year cumulative basis.
Daewoong said it plans to expand prescribing across major general and university hospitals, with the goal of building Stoboclo into a “mega blockbuster” with annual sales exceeding 100 billion won.
Celltrion says post-hoc Phase 3 analysis of Zymfentra published in IBD journal
Celltrion said Thursday that a paper reporting post-hoc results from a global Phase 3 trial of Zymfentra — the only subcutaneous formulation of infliximab — was published in the latest issue of the international journal Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Zymfentra is the U.S. brand name for Remsima SC.
The journal is the official publication of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, a large U.S. nonprofit supporting patients and research, Celltrion said, adding that the journal ranks in the top 20% of its field by impact factor.
The analysis covered 102 weeks of data from the Phase 3 program and evaluated patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis who lost response while on maintenance therapy of Zymfentra 120 mg every two weeks. Researchers assessed clinical effectiveness after increasing the dose to 240 mg.
Celltrion said more than 80% of patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis regained response after the dose increase. Most showed recovery within eight weeks, and early responders also posted favorable results across several measures used to assess long-term effectiveness.
Daewon Pharmaceutical to hold Naver launch event for Chondroitin King 1200
Daewon Pharmaceutical’s health supplement brand Daewon Health said Thursday it will hold a “Chondroitin King 1200 Launch Festa” to mark the release of its new product, Chondroitin King 1200. The online event will be held exclusively on Naver and is designed as the product’s first consumer showcase.
The supplement’s main ingredient is chondroitin sulfate, which the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has recognized as able to help support joint and cartilage health, the company said. Daewon said the ingredient is an individually approved material whose functionality and safety were verified through a separate review, and that it is the first and only chondroitin health supplement from a domestic pharmaceutical company to use such an individually approved ingredient.
Daewon said it used carefully selected material with more than 90% purity and the same structure as chondroitin found in human cartilage. It said the product is designed for once-daily use, with two tablets providing 1,200 mg of the main ingredient.
Samsung Medical Center opens senior lounge service desk for patients 65 and older
Samsung Medical Center said Thursday it began operating an “SMC Senior Lounge” starting April 1.
The hospital said it has set up a dedicated service counter on the first floor of its main building for customers ages 65 and older, providing assistance with services needed to use the hospital.
The hospital said the lounge is expected to reflect seniors’ needs and help drive broader changes across the hospital. When necessary, staff will call caregivers, such as adult children, to confirm that senior customers are not experiencing difficulties during visits.
To address common challenges seniors face using digital services such as the hospital app, the hospital said it has assigned staff to help and will also provide guidance on booking transportation and checking insurance-claim documents. It said it is also reviewing the introduction of an autonomous electric wheelchair service using “Age Tech” for customers with limited mobility.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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