“It shouldn’t end with a single product. We need a structure that allows one technology to branch out into multiple products.”
That is how Kim Geun-poong, founder and manufacturing division CEO of Vaim, the company behind its flagship product Juvelook, describes his vision. Kim’s focus is not simply on expanding Juvelook sales. Instead, he is focused on the technology itself: designing biodegradable polymers and microparticles and turning them into actual medical products.
In a recent interview with News1 in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Kim said, “From the beginning, our goal was to use biocompatible and biodegradable polymers to create a range of products that can be used in the human body. I believe we can continue developing new products based on Juvelook.”
Vaim currently focuses on aesthetic medicine, but in the long term, the company plans to expand its technology beyond medical devices into pharmaceuticals by combining drugs with polymer microparticles.
Kim majored in chemistry and earned a doctorate in chemistry from Sogang University before completing postdoctoral research at the University of Utah. After researching biodegradable polymer materials at Samyang and Regen Biotech, among others, he served as CEO of Innotek Medical before founding Vaim in 2014.
Focusing on Particle Structure Rather Than Materials Leads to Juvelook
The material that drew Kim’s attention was PDLLA, a type of PLA. It is a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer that can break down in the body and has potential applications in medicine.
Based on the material, he developed Esthefill, obtained approval for its development and launched it on the market. He later focused on the internal structure of PLA particles in his existing research. Continuing his work, he developed technology to create a sponge-like, interconnected network structure inside the particles and secured related patents. This research led to the development of Juvelook.
After developing Esthefill, Kim’s biggest concern was that the inside of the particles was hollow. Although he could create spherical particles, he believed they could break down rapidly after a certain period if they remained hollow.
While developing Juvelook, Kim researched a structure in which the inside of the particles was filled not solidly, but with a network structure that remained porous while being interconnected like a mesh. This provided a basis for more consistent degradation.
He also changed the carrier used to deliver the particles into the body. Instead of conventional CMC, Vaim uses non-crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA) to uniformly disperse PDLLA particles.
Kim explained, “Using the same PDLLA does not mean that all products have the same characteristics. What matters is how you design the particle size and distribution, internal structure, carrier and final formulation.”
Juvelook, too, is not the result of using a particular raw material alone, Kim said. Rather, it is the result of designing particle structure, manufacturing processes and the physical properties of the final formulation as a single system.
“Technology Alone Can’t Build a Business” — Expanding Beyond Products
Creating technology in a laboratory and turning it into an actual product were two different processes. After developing the product and securing patents, the company had to go through preclinical and clinical trials and regulatory procedures, while also establishing GMP facilities and manufacturing processes for production.
Vaim initially began production by leasing a GMP facility in a medical device industrial complex in Okcheon, North Chungcheong province, and later expanded its production base to Daejeon. The company is now expanding its business not only in South Korea but also into Southeast Asia, Europe and South America, and has obtained product approval in China.
Drawing on his years of experience researching biodegradable polymers, Kim has developed the technology step by step, from particle structure and manufacturing processes to its combination with HA and the physical properties of the final product. He said, “It is personally very meaningful to me that Juvelook, the result of many years of research and technology development, has entered the Chinese market.”
Kim said, “Even if you complete the technology to a certain degree and make a product, you ultimately need to generate sales to run a business. To establish a product in the market, you also need other capabilities, including sales, marketing and quality management.”
This is also why Kim emphasizes what comes after Juvelook. His goal is to connect the technology and business experience gained from one product to the development of the next, while reinvesting profits into research and development.
In the long term, the goal is to expand into pharmaceuticals by combining drugs with polymer microparticles.
Kim said, “We are currently focused on the aesthetic medicine sector, but I believe we can expand the areas where the technology is applied. In the long term, I want to combine drugs with our technology and expand beyond medical devices into pharmaceuticals.”
Turning the technology into actual pharmaceuticals will require additional research, clinical trials and regulatory procedures. Kim views this not as a goal to achieve in the short term, but as a long-term technological challenge.
He emphasized, “I hope Vaim will be remembered not simply as a company that makes aesthetic products, but as a technology-driven global company that researches biodegradable polymers and microparticles and connects them to actual medical products.”
