Korea’s Clinical Trial Approvals Up 10%, But Still Below Pandemic Peak

Gaining Favor As Study Location

South Korea’s clinical trial approvals rebounded in 2023, but remained lower than the peak levels in 2020-21 amid then robust R&D activity related to COVID-19. Last year's tally showed a mix of single-country and multinational trials and reflected the ongoing dominance of oncology in industry pipelines.

clinical trial
Four Major APAC Countries See Higher Than Average Rise In Clinical Study Approvals • Source: Shutterstock

South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) issued approvals for the conduct of 783 clinical trials over the course of 2023, up 10.1% from the previous year, led by an increase in work in oncology, CNS and gastrointestinal disorders.

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