Korean Pharma and Biotech Briefs: Dongkook, Dong-A, HK inno.N, Daewoong, Huons

   
Dongkook Pharmaceutical said Wednesday it held a “Love Scaling” volunteer event with the Korean Academy of Periodontology on March 27 at Hanyang Women’s University.

The program is a joint talent-donation initiative by the academy, the university and Dongkook Pharmaceutical. It provides oral checkups, scaling and other dental services to people who have difficulty visiting a dentist.

A separate ceremony was held to mark the program’s 10th event. Rep. Jeon Hyeon-hui of the Democratic Party, whose constituency includes the area where the university is located, was appointed this year’s “Love Scaling” ambassador.

At the ceremony, the Korean Academy of Periodontology presented recent research on periodontal disease at Seongbundo Welfare Center and proposed institutional adoption of panoramic imaging during health screenings for people with disabilities so all teeth can be checked at once. Dongkook Pharmaceutical presented on the ESG value of the volunteer program.
 

Dong-A Pharmaceutical said Wednesday its derma-cosmetics brand Fation has launched an “After Sun Gel Lotion” designed to care for sunburned skin after UV exposure.
 

The product is intended to soothe irritated skin and provide moisture while addressing five sunburn-related symptoms: heat, irritation, dryness, flaking and hyperpigmentation, the company said.
 

Combining features of gel and lotion, it can be used on the face and body in settings such as outdoor sports, camping and travel, it said.
 

Dong-A said human application testing confirmed it helps lower skin temperature and calm the skin, and may help improve UV-related moisture loss, flaking and hyperpigmentation. The product contains 58% of the company’s proprietary ingredient, Azulene Repair™.
 

Fation said it plans to expand into after-sun care, beyond a market centered on sunscreen products.
 

HK inno.N said Wednesday it held a ceremony for its 42nd anniversary and an event marking “Compliance Day” on March 31 at HK inno.N Square.
 

The event, attended by CEO Kwak Dal-won, executives and employees, reviewed the company’s 42-year history and aimed to strengthen communication. It was held both in person and online, the company said.
 

Participants watched a commemorative video in which long-serving employees and new hires exchanged questions to promote intergenerational understanding. The company also presented long-service awards to five employee representatives, it said.

After the ceremony, HK inno.N held its 11th Compliance Day event. Kwak and Executive Director Kim Ki-ho, who serve as co-compliance officers, joined employees in signing an anti-corruption and compliance pledge, the company said.
 

 

Daewoong Pharmaceutical said it will launch Baroejet tablets (pitavastatin 1 mg and ezetimibe 10 mg) on April 1 as a treatment for dyslipidemia. The new low-dose combination is indicated for primary hypercholesterolemia, the company said.

The company said statins are known to show diminishing gains in efficacy at higher doses, while concerns about side effects such as muscle pain increase. It said that when a statin dose is doubled, LDL cholesterol reduction increases by about 6%, while adding ezetimibe can be expected to provide an additional reduction of at least about 18%.

Daewoong said demand for low-dose statin combination therapies is rising as treatment strategies change. It cited domestic prescription growth last year of 37% for low-dose combinations based on rosuvastatin and 157% for those based on atorvastatin.
 

Baroejet was developed to address unmet needs, the company said, adding it offers a new 1/10 mg low-dose option among pitavastatin-based combinations and expands treatment choices.

Daewoong said the product may also be useful for patients taking multiple medications because pitavastatin has low dependence on CYP enzymes, which could reduce the burden of drug interactions.
 

 

Huons Group said Wednesday it delivered a total of 100 million won in donations on March 31 to the Choi Jae-hyung Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit honoring the independence activist. The company said the funds will be used to highlight Choi’s achievements, expand education and commemorative projects, and support Koryo-saram and younger generations of ethnic Koreans.
 

Choi, described as an entrepreneur and educator, led the Korean community in Russia’s Primorsky Krai. The company said he devoted himself to Korea’s independence by raising funds for the independence movement and supporting Ahn Jung-geun’s actions, and that he died after being arrested by Japanese forces in 1920. The foundation continues fundraising at home and abroad for historical recognition efforts and support programs for Koreans, it said.

Huons Group Chairman Yoon Sung-tae attended the foundation’s supporters’ association launch ceremony on March 26 as a leading business figure and expressed support for fundraising and sponsorship, the company said. It said the association is co-chaired by Park Jong-beom, chairman of the World-OKTA, and Jung Seok-hyun, chairman of Susan Group, with Kim Hyung-oh, a former National Assembly speaker, serving as an adviser, among others.

* This article has been translated by AI.

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