Researchers from Samsung Medical Center have published a study that showed proton therapy to be an effective and safe treatment for liver cancer.Proton therapy is a type of radiation treatment that uses positively charged particles called protons to destroy cancer cells.The research team, led by Professors Park Hee-chul and Yu Jeong-il from Samsung Medical Center’s department of radiation
Celltrion recorded sales of 245 billion won ($227 million) in the first quarter of this year, up nearly 25 percent from the same period of last year. Most of the growth came from strong sales of its biosimilars, the firm said. Celltrion's revenue posting brought it to the front of the biopharma pack regarding revenue, surpassing turnover registered by competitor Samsung BioLogics, which posted
Although the stocks of Korean biopharmaceutical companies plummeted following news of Samsung BioLogics’ accounting irregularities, the addition of some bio stocks to Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI)’s index may change their downward trajectory, experts say.The MSCI Monday added the stocks of Celltrion Pharmaceutical, Viromed, and HLB and two non-pharma stocks to its MSCI Global Sta
New research has shown that fine dust raises the risk of getting the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. COPD is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that makes it hard to breathe.The team, led by Professors Shim Jae-jeong and Choi Ju-hwan from the department of internal medicine at Korea University Guro Hospital, published the country's first cohort study on the subject to find fine dust to
H+ Yangji Hospital, located in Gwanakgu, Seoul, will open an international hospital called H+ Yangji International Hospital to treat foreigners and raise cooperative efforts with foreign medical staff."We will do our best to tailor our services to foreign patients with the treatment and operation know-how of H+ Yangji hospital, collaborative treatment center for foreign patients, and one-stop
Researchers at the Xenotransplantation Research Center (XRC) are planning to transplant a pig’s cornea into a person this December.If successful, it will mark the world’s first pig-to-human cornea xenotransplantation completed in step with guidelines by the International Xenotransplantation Association (IXA). “We are the only institution in Korea to fulfill IXA guidelines, and w
Alteogen has wrapped up the pre-clinical trial for ALT-L9 - an Eylea biosimilar – saying it got results showing the biosimilar therapy to have a superior toxicokinetic and safety profile compared to the original.Eylea (aflibercept), developed by Regeneron, is a blockbuster product that recorded $8.26 billion in sales last year, according to Pharma Compass. Eylea is a vascular endothelial growt
The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) will invite around seven members from Ghana’s National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) for a workshop on health insurance policy, the state agency said Monday.The invitational workshop will run from May 14-18, marking the sixth such annual event since 2013. The workshop will focus on issues related to expanding the health insurance system for
American venture capital firms like Mountain Pacific have raised a record amount of funding in the biopharma sector and are looking to invest globally, a U.S. expert said at Bio Korea 2018 Friday.“There’s currently a lot of capital available in the United States, and there are many investors, venture capitalists, and corporate investors looking for deal flow and opportunities to invest glo
Doctors at Korea University Hospital's department of cardiology completed a stent insertion with an angiogram that used carbon dioxide instead of a contrast agent, the hospital said Friday. The team led by Professors Yu Cheol-woong, Jeong Han-saem, and Jang Duck-hyun operated on a patient with May-Thurner syndrome who experienced an anaphylactic shock to a contrast agent-based angio
Three students from Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies took the grand prize in Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI)’s 5th Bio Startup Idea Contest. The awards were handed out at COEX Friday.The Voice Doc team, comprised of 2nd and 3rd-year students from the local high school, won on the idea of a treatment device for Parkinson's disease patients with a speech disability.
The International Vaccine Institute, a nonprofit international organization devoted to new vaccines, said it acquired a $6.46-million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to test the effectiveness of a single-dose of HPV vaccines.IVI said that it is still considering which vaccine to use.Two approved HPV vaccines are administered in two or three doses: Merck’s Gardasil and GSK’
Virtual realities are increasingly used in the field of psychiatry, with the latest 4D VR system being rolled out at Bio Korea 2018.Although VR is commonly used for games or the cinema, a research team from Samsung Medical Center focused on developing a system that helps people medically alleviate tension and bring them psychologically comfort. The system, comprised of a VR gogg
The K-Sunshine Act is leading pharmaceutical and medical device firms to opt for new marketing channels such as digital marketing. A new survey shows that Korean doctors are, for the most part, open to the change.The K-Sunshine Act, enacted in January, outlines that pharmaceutical firms keep a paper trail of all economic benefits given to doctors and pharmacists. Records of financial benefits
GenBody said Wednesday it poured $430,000 into building a two-story diagnostic kit production firm dubbed PT. GenBody Indonesia Sehat in Bandung, Indonesia, to produce locally.With the investment, Genbody will hold a 43 percent stake in the production firm. The remaining 57 percent will be owned by residents and others considering Indonesian law that caps foreign holdings to below 50 percent,
A significant reason for the lack of development in Korea’s medical device sector is the regulatory environment that provides little incentive for people to develop innovative new technology, Professor Kim Nam-kug says.Professor Kim is an engineer in medicine. As an assistant professor of convergence medicine and radiology at Asan Medical Center and member of the New Industry Investment Counci
Korean professors at medical and pharmacy schools were the most satisfied with their jobs in 2016 even though doctors got paid more on average, a Korea Employment Information Service survey showed.According to the survey, professors in the medical field had an average salary of 80.1 million won ($74,400) and ranked number one regarding job satisfaction. The job satisfaction crit
Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) launched an epidemiological investigation into a dermatology clinic in Gangnam where 13 people were infected with sepsis.“We have confirmed the case on the evening of May 7 and started an epidemiological investigation into the clinic on the following morning. We will work closely with investigative authorities and related organizations to
Surgeons at Korea University Medical Center (KUMC) completed 3,000 robotic surgeries this month, the hospital said Tuesday.KUMC opened the robotic surgery center in July 2007 and finished more than 2,000 operations by 2016, becoming a global leader in the field for having not just innovative equipment but also developing and applying the latest surgical methods. “Medically advan
Local psychiatrists say gapjil – an abuse of power by those with high status over subordinates – arise from an incorrectly formed sense of self. The Korean word gained renewed attention because of the behavior of Korean Air heiress Cho Hyun-min.Cho has been accused of screaming profanities, displaying violent behavior and hurling a cup of water in the face of an executive of an advertising age