AstraZeneca Korea said it signed a strategic partnership agreement with Severance Hospital aimed at strengthening collaboration in clinical trial operations.

The partnership seeks to establish a high-quality, efficient clinical research environment that ensures timely study execution and accelerates patient access to innovative therapies, and enables AstraZeneca Korea to share development plans for both its existing and future drug portfolio with Severance Hospital, which is widely recognized for its world-class research capabilities and clinical trial expertise.

The two sides will co-design optimized trial implementation strategies to enhance operational efficiency and responsiveness.

Notably, the collaboration is expected to facilitate advanced, high-difficulty clinical studies in Korea, particularly for cutting-edge therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) treatments.

By conducting complex trials in Korea, the partnership aims to expand access to innovative treatments for Korean patients with chronic diseases, rare conditions, and various forms of cancer, many of whom currently have limited therapeutic options.

“AstraZeneca Korea is committed to building a patient-centered healthcare ecosystem under our core value, ‘We Put Patients First,’” AstraZeneca Korea Country President Chon Se-whan said. “Our collaboration with Severance Hospital is part of that mission. We will continue working with Korean healthcare institutions to accelerate delivery of innovative therapies to patients.”

Chon also stressed the evolving landscape for global clinical trials, noting that Korea’s historical reputation as a clinical trial hub is now being challenged.

“As competition for global clinical trial sites intensifies, investment is increasingly flowing to countries that not only offer strong research capabilities but also provide reimbursement support for innovative therapies,” he said. “For Korea to maintain its global competitiveness, a strategic review of its clinical trial and reimbursement policies is needed.”

Severance Hospital General Director Lee Kang-young also said, “We are delighted that our hospital’s outstanding research personnel and medical infrastructure will work in synergy with AstraZeneca’s global clinical expertise.”

This partnership represents a critical step toward expanding early access to innovative treatments for Korean patients and enhancing the country’s clinical trial capabilities, Lee added.