LifeStyle

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  Researchers work on alginate mass production to reduce S. Korea's reliance on imports SEOUL -- In an effort to reduce South Korea's heavy reliance on imports, a state marine research body in South Korea will lead a government project to develop technologies for the mass production of alginate, an anionic polymer that occurs naturally in brown algae. Alginates are used as a pharmaceutical or biomedical ingredient or as a compound for advanced biotechnology. Alginic acid is hydrophilic and forms a viscous gum when hydrated. With metals such as sodium and calcium, 2022-05-12
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  GI Innovation's GI-101 selected for government-initiated drug development program SEOUL -- GI-101, an immunotherapy agent being developed by South Korea's bio-venture company GI Innovation, has been selected for a government-initiated drug development program to receive financial support at clinical stages. GI Innovation said it would get up to seven billion won ($5.5 million) in research support for two years from the Korea Drug Development Fund (KDDF), which supports the investment, nurture and development of promising drugs. KDDF's move is seen as a 2022-05-09
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  Yanolja's cloud solution wing makes strategic investment in India's Innkey SEOUL -- The cloud solution wing of Yanolja, a leading travel and leisure activity reservation service platform in South Korea, will make a strategic investment in Innkey Infosystems with the conditional acquisition of the India-based service provider of cloud-based hotel management software. Yanolja Cloud said the investment is aimed at expanding its global Software-as-a-Service (Saas) solution business by combining the technology and know-how of the two companies. Innkey provide 2022-05-04
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  Rare ordinance enacted by local assemblymen to protect toad ecosystem SEOUL -- A rare ordinance has been enacted by local assemblymen in South Korea to protect an ecosystem for the Asiatic toad between their habitat in a mountain and a spawning ground in the middle of a residential area. The Asiatic toad is a species of toad endemic to East Asia. The species is relatively rare on the Korean Peninsula. The Asiatic toad avoids dense forests, but is found in most other habitats, including grasslands, open forests, meadows, and cultivated areas. It pref 2022-04-26
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  World's first prototype floating community in Busan designed to accommodate residents living on ideal eco-village SEOUL -- The world's first prototype of a floating community to be built in South Korea's southern port city of Busan for a United Nations project to present a solution to ensure climate resilience will be designed to accommodate thousands of residents living on an ideal eco-village where water leisure and daily life harmonize. As the world's coastal cities are increasingly threatened by rising populations and sea levels, the UN is exploring a new approach to building 2022-04-26
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  SK Bioscience's COVID-19 vaccine acquires successful results in final-stage clinical trial SEOUL -- Based on successful results in final-stage clinical trials at home and abroad, SK Bioscience will seek to apply for state approval to commercialize its COVID-19 vaccine candidate codenamed GBP510 after securing data on its safety by the end of April. SK Bioscience said that GBP510 has produced successful results in phase 3 clinical trials involving 4,037 adults aged 18 or older in South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, New Zealand, Ukraine, and the Philippines, such as showing e 2022-04-25
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  Daewoong applies for state approval to use Nabota botox for masseteric hypertrophy SEOUL -- Daewoong Pharmaceutical, a bioengineering company in South Korea, has applied for state approval to use Nabota, a botulinum toxin product developed for the treatment of frown lines, as the treatment of benign masseteric hypertrophy (square jaw) based on the positive results of a final clinical study. Benign masseteric hypertrophy is a relatively uncommon condition that can occur unilaterally or bilaterally. Unilateral- or bilateral hypertrophy of the masseter muscle is c 2022-04-21
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  Singapore's Juniper Biologics secures $600 million licensing deal from Kolon to commercialize cell-mediated gene therapy for degenerative arthritis. SEOUL -- Juniper Biologics, a Singapore-based developer of novel therapies, has secured a $600 million licensing deal from Kolon Life Science, a biosimilar arm of South Korea's Kolon Group, to develop and commercialize TG-C, the world's first cell-mediated gene therapy for degenerative arthritis. The deal covers the Asia Pacific region, the Middle East and Africa except for South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Juniper Biologics will be responsible for developing 2022-04-13
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  Cosmax teams up with research institute to commercialize fiber material with cosmetics function SEOUL -- Cosmax, a cosmetics original development manufacturer in South Korea, teamed up with a domestic research institute to commercialize a functional material that adds cosmetics functions to textiles. The first lineup will be bedding and clothing with cosmetic fibers applied with various cosmetics materials. Cosmax is developing bedding made of cosmetic fibers in partnership with the Korea Dyeing and Finishing Technology Institute (DYETEC), which has cosmetic source technolog 2022-04-13
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  SK Bioscience launches development of antiviral nasal spray for COVID-19 prevention SEOUL -- SK Bioscience began developing an innovative technology to prevent viral infections and relieve symptoms through intranasal spray in a project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The spray could slow the spread of COVID-19 once authorized as the first line of defense before vaccines or therapeutics are developed. When sprayed into the nose, a small protein creates a protective layer inside the upper respiratory tract and may alleviate symptoms of an establish 2022-04-13
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  Abclon partners with state cancer center to develop CAR-T cell therapy for intractable solid cancer SEOUL -- South Korea's state cancer center will cooperate with Abclon, a domestic antibody-drug company, to develop a CAR-T cell therapy for intractable solid cancers. In CAR-T treatment, immune cells obtained from the patient's blood are genetically manipulated, cultured, and put back into the patient's body. CAR-T cell therapy uses T cells engineered with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), which are receptor proteins that have been engineered to give immune cells the 2022-04-08
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  State-run hospital treats leukemia patient with self-produced CAR-T treatment SEOUL -- South Korea's top state-run hospital has successfully treated an 18-year-old leukemia patient with self-produced CAR-T treatment in which immune cells obtained from the patient's blood are genetically manipulated, cultured, and put back into the patient's body. It was the first self-produced CAR-T treatment among domestic hospitals. CAR-T cell therapy uses T cells engineered with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), which are receptor proteins that have been engin 2022-04-05
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  Researchers develop rapid diagnosis technology to detect COVID-19 virus and mutantations SEOUL -- A state research body in South Korea has developed a rapid diagnosis technology that can detect COVID-19 mutant antigens. Researchers have transferred their technology to a private company for the commercialization of universal rapid test kits capable of detecting novel coronaviruses and mutations. As a transmembrane protein, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (mACE2) serves as the main entry point into cells for some coronaviruses. The Korea Research Institute of Chemical T 2022-04-05
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  [INTERVIEW] Babitalk eyes overseas markets after success in domestic market with unique marketing SEOUL -- Babitalk, a mobile application that gives information about plastic surgery in South Korea, eyes overseas expansion especially in Southeast Asia, buoyed by fast domestic growth with unique non-traditional marketing that attracts consumers' attention with advertisements encouraging careful decision-making on plastic surgery. Babitalk is South Korea's No. 1 beauty medical information app that connects users with plastic surgeons and dermatologists and generates profit 2022-04-04
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  KT unveils AI autonomous robots with safe plasma quarantine function SEOUL -- South Korea's largest telecom company KT unveiled two types of autonomous quarantine robots, small and large, to sterilize viruses and purify the air using a plasma method that can safely disinfect hospitals, schools and public facilities at all times even with people staying around. The global outbreak of a novel coronavirus prompted researchers to quickly develop autonomous quarantine robots that can roam about high-risk facilities. There are many kinds of autonomous 2022-03-30
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  State health center signs pre-purchase contract for SK Bioscience's COVID-19 vaccine SEOUL -- South Korea's state health center has signed a pre-purchase contract for 10 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate codenamed GBP510 being developed by SK Bioscience, which aims to supply GBP510 from the second half of 2022 and obtain emergency use approval from the World Health Organization. GBP510 is South Korea's first vaccine candidate to receive state permission for Phase 3 clinical trials and the second in the world to demonstrate its effectiveness in 2022-03-21
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  Arthrex selected as new U.S. partner to sell Hanmi's arthritis treatment hyalrheuma SEOUL -- Hanmi Pharmaceutical, a major drugmaker in South Korea, has selected Arthrex, an American medical device company, as a new partner to sell its arthritis treatment, hyalrheuma, in the United States. Hyalrheuma is a polymer hyaluronic acid injection developed with fermentation technology. It is directly administered to joints. Arthrex is in charge of marketing and sales, while Hanmi supplies finished products. Hanmi said hyalrheuma would be sold under the brand name "Syn 2022-03-07
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  Hanmi partners with domestic company to promote exports of saliva-based rapid antigen kits SEOUL -- Hanmi Pharmaceutical, a major drugmaker in South Korea, has partnered with PHC, a domestic bio company that focuses on in vitro diagnosis and digital healthcare business, to promote exports of COVID-19 self-testing kits, including a rapid antigen kit that use saliva as samples to acquire rapid results. Hanmi is in charge of product planning, sales, marketing, and local licensing for a neutralizing antibody kit using blood samples and two rapid antigen kits based on a naso 2022-03-04
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  KT unveils electric wheekchairs attached with AI and automatic call functions at MWC BARCELONA -- Electric wheelchairs that enhanced user convenience and safety functions with artificial intelligence and internet of things (IoT) technologies were unveiled by South Korea's major telecom company, KT, at MWC, a mobile device exhibition in Barcelona, Spain. They can automatically make emergency calls for help by recognizing collisions and abnormal situations. In collaboration with Hycore, a domestic robot system developer, KT has developed two types of motorized 2022-03-02
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  Researchers use whale genes and protein structures to develop new drug substance for NAFLD SEOUL -- South Korean researchers have used whale genes and protein structures to develop a new drug candidate substance that can treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), an umbrella term for a range of conditions caused by a build-up of fat in the liver. Related technology has been transferred to a private company for commercialization. NAFLD is usually seen in people who are overweight or obese. Early-stage NAFLD does not usually cause any harm, but it can lead to serious 2022-02-23