The Jeonnam Bio Promotion Agency is working to establish a collaborative framework for the bioindustry connecting Jeonnam's Hwasun and Gangwon's Hongcheon and Chuncheon. Discussions focused on jointly utilizing research, testing, and production infrastructure and expanding cooperation in the public CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization) sector.
The Jeonnam Bio Promotion Agency announced on August 31 that from August 27 to 28, it visited the Gangwon Bio Special Zone to share the current status of bioindustry development and key infrastructure, and to discuss cooperation and joint project opportunities between the regions.
The delegation included 26 participants from the Jeonnam Bio Promotion Agency, Hwasun County, Hwasun Jeonnam University Hospital, the Vaccine Safety Technology Support Center, and local bio companies.
On the first day, the group visited the Hongcheon National Antibody Cluster to review the progress of the Gangwon Bio Special Zone and its research and business support infrastructure.
They shared insights on the roles and operational status of key institutions such as the Scripts Korea Antibody Research Institute and the Seoul National University System Immunology Research Institute, and toured research and testing facilities including the Neutralizing Antibody and Immune Antibody Center and BLS.
The Jeonnam side introduced the bio-medical cluster support projects centered in Hwasun, along with the research, clinical, and technical support infrastructure for biopharmaceuticals provided by the Jeonnam Bio Promotion Agency, Hwasun Jeonnam University Hospital, and the Vaccine Safety Technology Support Center.
Both sides particularly noted the potential for joint use of regional bio facilities and collaboration in the public CDMO sector.
They believe that by linking the biopharmaceutical research, clinical, and technical support capabilities of Jeonnam and Gwangju with Gangwon's research and industrial support in antibodies and immunity, companies can broadly utilize the necessary infrastructure from research and development to testing and production, overcoming the limitations of individual regions.
Instead of duplicating separate infrastructures in each region, they discussed connecting existing facilities and expertise to enhance accessibility for companies and improve support efficiency. Both sides agreed to specify facilities and business areas for joint use based on actual corporate demand in the future.
On the second day, the delegation visited the Chuncheon Bio Industry Promotion Agency and Chuncheon Bio Town to share the current status of bioindustry development and the corporate support system in Chuncheon. They examined examples of bio company support facilities and key infrastructure operations on-site and reviewed areas that could be linked with Jeonnam's corporate support projects.
The Jeonnam Bio Promotion Agency plans to continuously expand the cooperation network between Hwasun and Hongcheon and Chuncheon as a result of this visit. They aim to move beyond simple inter-agency exchanges to develop joint projects and utilize research, testing, and production facilities together, as well as collaborate in the public CDMO sector, creating tangible benefits for companies.
Seo Dong-sam, head of the Bio Pharmaceutical Division at the Jeonnam Bio Promotion Agency, stated, “Through this visit, Jeonnam, Gwangju, and Gangwon shared their experiences and infrastructure in fostering the bioindustry and confirmed the potential for collaborative efforts between the special zones. We will focus on discovering joint projects centered on practical cooperation areas such as shared facility use and public CDMO to enhance the competitiveness of the bioindustry in both regions.”
Meanwhile, the K-Bio Health Regional Center, led by the Jeonnam Bio Promotion Agency, is promoting technology and commercialization support projects based on corporate demand to foster the growth of local biohealth companies. The agency plans to identify additional infrastructure and support projects that local companies can jointly utilize based on this visit to the Gangwon Bio Special Zone and expand the biohealth industry cooperation network between regions.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.