LifeStyle

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  Research body sets up venture for beauty products based on maycine extracted from centipede grass SEOUL -- A bio venture with technology and other support from South Korea's government-funded research body was set up to produce beauty products based on maycine extracted from centipede grass, a popular turfgrass for lawns in warm areas. Maysin and derivatives were found to have various biological activities, but research has been carried out limitedly. Maysin is found in the silks and leaves of maize, teosinte and centipede grass. A team led by Chung Byung-yeoup from the 2022-01-17
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  COVID-19 pandemic harms health of men and increases obesity and drinking SEOUL -- A prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has harmed the health of men by increasing the prevalence of obesity, hypercholesterolemia, high blood pressure, and high-risk drinking. Obesity was is more pronounced in men than in women, according to a health survey released by South Korea's state health and anti-epidemic center. In a study to analyze changes in public health behaviors and chronic diseases among those over the age of 19, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (K 2021-12-31
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  Clinical trials of mRNA vaccine candidate to begin in first quarter of 2022 SEOUL -- Clinical trials of a messenger RNA COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by South Korea's government-sponsored consortium will begin in the first quarter of 2022 if approval comes from a state public health body. The consortium aims to develop mRNA vaccines with preventive effects that are more than equal to those commercialized by Pfizer and Moderna. To develop homemade COVID-19 vaccines, South Korea has launched the so-called K-mRNA consortium involving three drug ma 2021-12-24
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  Researchers develop diagnostic technology to detect Omicron variant in 20 minutes SEOUL -- South Korean researchers have developed a diagnostic technology that can detect the Omicron variant in 20 minutes. Researchers were able to acquire results in several days, opening the way for health officials to respond quickly even if a new variant occurs. Diagnostic kits can be easily made because professional equipment is not required. A research team led by Lee Jeong-wook, a professor of chemical engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), sai 2021-12-10
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  GI Innovation works with Medirama for development of cancer drug candidates SEOUL -- South Korea's bio-venture company GI Innovation will cooperate with a domestic clinical development and research organization for the development and commercialization of candidate materials for next-generation immuno-cancer drugs. GI Innovation and Medirama will jointly develop two cases of immune-cancer drugs, including GI Innovations's new dual fusion protein, and share profits after commercialization. "New drug candidates to be jointly developed with M 2021-12-08
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  SK Biopharmaceuticals launches biotech company in China SEOUL -- SK Biopharmaceuticals, affiliated with South Korea's third-largest conglomerate, launched a central nervous system-focused biotech company with investors led by 6 Dimensions Capital, a healthcare investment firm based in Shanghai, to establish a new drug development and commercialization platform in China. SK Biopharmaceuticals said it would receive an upfront payment of $20 million and a milestone payment of $15 million, as well as royalties on net sales, for out-lic 2021-11-11
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  Researchers develop soil conditioner capable of storing water without using chemicals SEOUL -- South Korea's state-run nuclear energy research body has used radiation to develop a soil conditioner capable of absorbing and storing water in the ground for plant growth without using chemicals. Researchers will transfer their technology, which can be applied to hydroponic cultivation and smart farms through upgrades, to a private company for commercialization. A soil conditioner can be used to improve poor soils or to rebuild soils. A wide variety of materials have 2021-10-15
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  Daewoong to release medical injection capable of reducing fat under the chin SEOUL -- Daewoong Pharmaceutical, a bioengineering company in South Korea, will release V-OLET, an injection that reduces excess fat under the chin to meet a high interest in medical treatment that can show quick improvement and have a short procedure time. V-OLET has been approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to improve excessive jaw fat in adults. In a clinical study involving Koreans, Daewoong said the product demonstrated safety and efficacy. At 12 weeks after admin 2021-10-14
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  EOFlow launches clinical study of wearable insulin pump on Type 2 diabetes SEOUL -- EOFlow, a provider of wearable drug delivery solutions, has enrolled the first patient for a clinical study to demonstrate and validate the efficacy of EOPatch for treating people with Type 2 diabetes and expand its user base. EOPatch is the world’s second tubeless, wearable, and disposable insulin pump that enables continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion. The clinical study involves ten leading university hospitals and up to 136 people with Type 2 diabetes. " 2021-10-14
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  France's Vect-Horus works with S. Korea's MDimune for drug delivery system SEOUL -- Vect-Horus, a French biotech company that develops peptide-based vectors facilitating the drug delivery or imaging agents into the brain, will work with MDimune, a South Korean provider of cancer therapeutics, to jointly develop a drug delivery system for central nervous system diseases. Vect-Horus designs and develops vectors that facilitate targeting and delivery of therapeutic or imaging agents to organs. MDimune utilizes a platform that leverages cell-derived vesicles 2021-09-06
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  Genexine changes strategy to test DNA vaccine candidate GX-19N as boost dose SEOUL -- Genexine, a clinical-stage biotechnology company in South Korea, made a strategic change in the development of its recombinant DNA vaccine candidate, GX-19N. Inoculation targets changed from healthy adults to vaccinated adults to verify GX-19N's efficacy as a "booster dose" that refers to another dose of a vaccine that is given to someone who built enough protection after vaccination. Genexine said it has sent an application for changes in second and third-s 2021-08-30
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  UNIST works with LG Uplus to develop smart healthcare solution SEOUL -- A public research and science university teamed up with LG Uplus, a mobile carrier in South Korea, to develop a smart healthcare solution and discover business opportunities. Solutions developed by both sides will be combined with high-tech technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, robots, genomes and 3D bioprinting. In March, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) opened a smart healthcare research center to carry out research o 2021-08-26
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  Celltrion applies for permission to expand use of COVID-19 antibody treatment SEOUL -- Celltrion has applied for state permission to expand the use of its COVID-19 antibody treatment, Regkirona, from a high-risk group of people to those over the age of 12 with mild or moderate symptoms. South Korea's drug safety agency pledged a quick and close examination to approve the biotech company's application as the number of patients increases despite strengthened sanitary steps. Celltrion wants to change the use of its antibody treatment code-named CT-P59 2021-08-11
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  SK Bioscience's vaccine candidate allowed to go ahead with third-stage clinical trials SEOUL -- A COVID-19 vaccine candidate codenamed GBP510 being developed by SK Bioscience was allowed to go ahead with third-stage clinical trials that will be carried out simultaneously in South Korea, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. 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 comparison with licensed vaccines, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said 2021-08-10
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  President Moon designates vaccine as strategic industry to receive full government support SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in designated vaccines as a strategic industry along with semiconductors and batteries, saying South Korea would become one of the world's top five vaccine hubs with an injection of some 2.2 trillion won ($1.92 billion) by 2025. Moon emphasized the importance of securing vaccine sovereignty through the quick development of homemade vaccines and said that domestic vaccine companies will be able to conduct phase 3 clinical trials in August and commerc 2021-08-05
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  Celltrion ties up with U.S. biotech company TriLink to develop new mRNA vaccine platform SEOUL -- Celltrion, a South Korean biotech company known for the world's third COVID-19 antibody treatment, has tied up with TriLink BioTechnologies, a U.S. biotech company that provides gene therapy services to researchers, to develop a next-generation messenger RNA vaccine platform that can be applied to coronavirus variants. The San Diego-based company is a contract development & manufacturing organization (CDMO) helping life science leaders and innovators overcome chal 2021-08-04
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  Kakao's new webtoon service makes successful debut with dynamic teaser videos SEOUL -- A new webtoon service launched by Kakao Entertainment, a content and entertainment subsidiary of South Korea's web service company, made its successful debut in the domestic market, drawing attention by introducing dynamic teaser videos instead of thumbnails which are reduced-size versions of pictures or videos. Since its launch in South Korea on August 1, Kakao Webtoon achieved a turnover of one billion won ($871,339) in two days and positioned itself high in the top 2021-08-03
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  Medipost's clinical trial approved to evaluate efficacy of knee osteoarthritis treatment SEOUL -- Medipost, a South Korean biotech firm know for stem cell-based treatment, has applied for state approval to go ahead with phase 2 clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of its next-generation intra-articular Injectable treatment and prevention of knee osteoarthritis, code-named "SMUP-IA-01" Medipost's SMUP-Cell platform technology for developing next-generation cell therapy products enables the selection of small-sized highly-efficient stem cell 2021-07-30
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  [INTERVIEW] Pharmaceutical industry wants full government support to enhance international competitiveness SEOUL -- A COVID-19 pandemic has activated the consignment production of vaccines developed by multinational pharmaceutical companies in South Korea, elevating the status of domestic pharmaceutical and bio companies that have exhausted efforts over the past decade to innovate quality and develop new drugs, becoming a crucial industry like automobiles and semiconductors. The domestic pharmaceutical market has seen steady growth, promoting itself as a social safety net that enables a 2021-07-28
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  American toddler music entertainer loses legal battle against Korean Baby Shark video SEOUL -- Johnny Only, an American toddler music entertainer known for his rendition of "Baby Shark," lost a legal suit against a Korean YouTube video containing the same song that went viral worldwide, after a South Korean court ruled that children's songs handed down by oral tradition are not copyrighted. Only filed a suit seeking damage compensation in March 2019, accusing South Korea's education and entertainment company, SmartStudy, which owns "Baby Shark& 2021-07-23