Hanlim Pharmaceutical is joining forces with a Japanese biotech investment firm to explore new ventures in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.
The company announced on Thursday that it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for strategic cooperation with DCI Partners in Tokyo, Japan, the previous day.
Hanlim Pharmaceutical’s Chairman Kim Jeong-jin and DCI Partners’ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Hiroki Narita were present at the signing ceremony.
This partnership aims to jointly identify promising technologies and businesses in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and healthcare fields while expanding investment and business collaboration opportunities. The key areas of cooperation include sharing investment prospects, evaluating joint ventures, fostering business alliances for technology transfer and co-development, facilitating mutual market entry, and exchanging industry insights.
Hanlim Pharmaceutical plans to tap into DCI Partners’ investment expertise and network to uncover promising technologies and companies. It will also explore commercialization possibilities by leveraging its pharmaceutical capabilities for technology adoption and joint development.
DCI Partners is a biotech-focused venture capital firm under Japan’s Daiwa Securities Group. Since 2015, it has invested in companies specializing in new drug development and regenerative medicine in Japan and Taiwan through its first two funds. The firm recently established a third fund, aiming to increase its total commitment to 25 billion JPY (approximately 159 million USD). DCI Partners is also expanding its investment scope to include South Korea, with plans to support the growth and commercialization of promising local biotech firms.
A spokesperson for Hanlim Pharmaceutical stated that it’s actively seeking new opportunities for future growth by combining DCI Partners’ expertise in East Asian pharmaceutical and biotech investments with the own business capabilities. By leveraging the strengths and networks of both companies, it aims to expand the investment and business horizons and foster a mutually beneficial partnership.
Hanlim Pharmaceutical’s roots trace back to 1974 when it began as Hanlim Trading. The company established Hanlim Pharmaceutical Industry in 1980 and officially incorporated as Hanlim Pharmaceutical in 1989. In 1993, it bolstered its research and development capabilities by establishing a central research institute. The company further expanded its reach into biotechnology with the founding of its subsidiary, HL Genomics, in 2000.
