Although merger and acquisition activity in the South Korean biopharma sector is viewed as relatively timid compared to the global market, it seems to have increased notably since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, with more keen interest in the field from domestic non-biopharma conglomerates as well as financial investors.
Korean Vs Global Biopharma M&A Trends: How Different Are They?
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A number of recent significant transactions in the South Korean biopharma space indicate some emerging trends as the sector develops and expands internationally. Scrip takes a look at the over-arching themes in M&A activity over the past few years and how these may differ from those being observed globally.

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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.
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