Several major South Korean pharma companies reported strong earnings in the fourth quarter and for the whole of 2022, led by in-house developed or other key prescription drugs, as well as growing overseas sales.
Korea Q4 Roundup: International Growth A Key Factor For Major Firms
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Aside from record earnings reported by a number of Korean pharma companies, the industry saw a diverse range of headlines in the fourth quarter, including cross-border acquisitions and business diversification.

More from South Korea
Compass' bispecific antibody tovecimig hits primary efficacy endpoint in Phase II/III top-line data in advanced biliary tract cancer, and may have class side-effect advantages. But additional survival data may be needed to support US approval.
South Korea's LigaChem is kickstarting a growth and globalization drive through a potential future acquisition of UK ADC player IKSUDA.
A new report from a domestic institute on South Korea’s biopharma M&A trends shows a pickup in activity, but that this remains relatively weak and small-scale. It calls for broader domestic government support to build expertise, drive innovation and globalization.
Cross-Asian initiative has already brought several South Korean gene and cell therapy startups and Japanese VCs closer, with further hopes for product development and launches in Japan, regulatory harmonization and gliobalization.
More from Focus On Asia
The latest in a long line of restructuring measures will see Sumitomo Pharma making a stepped sale of its pharma operations in Asia to major Japanese trading house Marubeni.
Senior executives from AstraZeneca, BMS, Novo Nordisk, Takeda and Regeneron outline how big pharma's global capability centers (GCCs) in India are evolving beyond cost efficiency, focusing on innovation, “agile experimentation” and new technology including GenAI, virtual & augmented reality, with some positioned as COEs. Will Indian multinationals use the GCC approach?
Plus deals involving GV20/Mitsubishi Tanabe, Kaken/Alumis, AstraZeneca/Alteogen and deal terminations involving Clover/Gavi Alliance and Rhythm/RareStone.