Dongkoo Bio & Pharma is setting its sights on the global medical aesthetic market through a strategic alliance with aesthetic specialist Areum Medics and Philippine partner Adization Inc. The company aims to establish a formidable triple alliance to promote its flagship filler brand, Dermarosa (DERMAROSA).
On Tuesday, Dongkoo Bio & Pharma announced that it had secured a majority stake in Areum Medics, a company boasting one of South Korea’s most advanced filler platform technologies, last year.
In a recent development, Areum Medics finalized a pivotal investment deal last month, acquiring a 35% stake in Adization, a Philippine medical beauty firm.
This equity investment has caught the industry’s attention, as it elevates the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between Dongkoo Bio & Pharma and Adization in August 2023 from a mere partnership to a substantial capital alliance. Industry experts believe this move has forged a robust global business value chain, integrating Dongkoo Bio & Pharma’s strategy and capital, Areum Medics’ products and investments, and Adization’s local distribution network and hub operations.
The three companies are pursuing an aggressive two-track strategy, moving beyond reliance on export permits to directly secure local approvals in target countries.
Their core product, the Dermarosa filler, is currently undergoing the registration process with the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This push aims to establish a strong presence in the Philippines, which serves as a strategic launchpad for further expansion into Southeast Asia.
The alliance is also accelerating its global strategy by designating key regional hubs: Uzbekistan for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Russia for the Eurasian region.
On March 6, Adization celebrated the opening of its dermatology clinic in Makati, Manila, reinforcing its commitment to bringing K-Aesthetics to the Philippine market.
Kim Soo-hyun, who serves as both an executive director at Areum Medics and a board member of Adization, is set to play a crucial role in coordinating strategic decisions among the three companies moving forward.