In face of the COVID-19 pandemic, South Korea’s biotech companies have risen to the challenge of supplying the world’s vaccines, and the region is on the path to becoming one of the leading biologics manufacturers. The Korean government is actively introducing policies that favor biotech developments, such as supporting businesses to invest up to 65% of their net revenue in pharmaceutical R&Ds.

Besides launching a 2.2 trillion won (approx. $1.9 billion) plan to become one of the five largest COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing bases by 2025, the country also inaugurated 7 “Regulation Free Special Zone” to attract investments and jumpstart its homegrown biopharmaceuticals industry.

Here, GeneOnline curated some innovative and rapidly growing Korean biotechnology players, categorized by the company's core business: vaccines developments and manufacturing, large molecule and small molecule drug, and cell & gene therapy.