[Courtesy of SK Biopharmaceuticals] Success stories in global drug development remain relatively rare in South Korea’s biotech industry. Even fewer companies have discovered a drug in-house, secured U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, built a commercial infrastructure and successfully marketed the product in the United States. SK Biopharm is widely regarded as one of the few companies to achieve that milestone through its epilepsy drug Xcopri. Rather than relying on the product’s success, the company is seeking to strengthen its leadership in central nervous system (CNS) disorders while evolving into a platform company that connects Asian innovation with global markets. Speaking with News1 at the 2026 Global Biotech Showcase held at Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Yoo Taek-sang, a team leader at SK Biopharm, said the company’s experience with Xcopri has shaped its long-term strategy. “Xcopri is a case where we experienced the entire lifecycle, from discovery and FDA approval to commercialization,” Yoo said. “Based on that experience, our core strategy is to further strengthen global leadership in the CNS field.” The company’s open innovation strategy is being built around that objective. SK Biopharm recently established an Open Innovation Center and has been actively seeking innovative technologies across Asia. The initiative is designed to serve as an “East-West Bridge,” identifying promising biotech companies in South Korea and China and helping connect them with the U.S. market.
[Courtesy of SK Biopharmaceuticals] “There are many companies in Asia with excellent technologies but limited experience in global development,” Yoo said. “SK Biopharm has experience in U.S. clinical trials, FDA approvals and commercialization, which positions us to help connect them with global markets.” The company is also pursuing a strategy that differs from the traditional licensing-focused model commonly seen in South Korea’s biotech sector. While many domestic biotech firms either develop technologies independently or license them out to larger pharmaceutical companies, SK Biopharm is emphasizing collaborative research and development partnerships. “Rather than simply acquiring licenses and developing assets on our own, we aim to grow together with promising biotech companies through joint research and development,” Yoo said. “Our goal is to create greater value through co-development rather than focusing solely on licensing revenue.” He added, “What we’re looking for are partners with promising assets that we can develop together. We want to create a win-win structure by leveraging SK Biopharm’s development expertise and global network.” SK Biopharm plans to maintain its identity as a global commercial-stage biotech company while expanding beyond reliance on Xcopri. According to Yoo, one of the company’s key strengths is its translational research capability, including validating whether compounds can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and translating efficacy observed in animal models into clinical development. “We have accumulated expertise across the entire CNS drug development process, from target selection to global development strategy,” he said. He added that the company plans to broaden its commercial portfolio through licensing deals involving late-stage clinical assets and already-marketed products rather than depending on a single product to support its sales and marketing infrastructure.
[Courtesy of SK Biopharmaceuticals] “There are many outstanding biotech companies in South Korea, but relatively few have led U.S. clinical trials, negotiated with the FDA, secured approvals and directly commercialized products,” Yoo said. “The experience we gained through Xcopri will be a significant competitive advantage as we expand our open innovation efforts.” The company is also broadening its focus into emerging therapeutic modalities, including radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) and targeted protein degradation (TPD). Yoo said radiopharmaceuticals are strategically attractive because SK Biopharm can leverage the broader SK Group’s infrastructure and capabilities in securing critical materials. “RPT is a rapidly growing field in oncology, and it is an area where we can generate synergies by utilizing the strengths of the SK Group,” he said. “While expanding into RPT and TPD is important, our main focus remains CNS. Our ultimate goal is to become a company with a decisive competitive advantage in the field we know best.”
[Courtesy of SK Biopharmaceuticals]