pharm edaily

[Song Young-doo, Edaily Reporter] QuantaMatrix shares hit the upper price limit after the company was selected for a national R&D project in biotechnology. Telcon RF Pharmaceutical also surged on news of a $54 billion KRW(approx. $39 million) U.S. supply contract extension. Shares of Abion, in which Telcon RF Pharmaceutical holds a major stake, also advanced. Meanwhile, Caregen gained on news of registering the world’s first oral GLP-1-based health supplement and securing an export deal.

QuantaMatrix Share Price Trend (Source=KG Zeroin MP Doctor)

QuantaMatrix Soars on Government R&D Project Selection

According to MP Doctor(formerly MarketPoint) by KG Zeroin on the 14th, QuantaMatrix closed at 4,550 KRW, up 30%(1,050 KRW) from the previous session marking three consecutive days of gains.

The rally follows QuantaMatrix’s announcement on the 11th that it was selected as a lead institution for the 2025 Bio Industry Technology Development R&D Project, organized by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology. The project has a total budget of 7.1 billion KRW, with 5.7 billion KRW funded by the government.

QuantaMatrix will develop a multimodal on-site diagnostic system for rapid pathogen identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing. The AI-powered automated system aims to identify pathogens and assess antibiotic sensitivity within six hours using only 2mL of blood a significant advance over conventional tests that take 3-4 days. The platform is expected to revolutionize early sepsis treatment.

Industry observers see this as recognition of QuantaMatrix’s world-class technology. In July last year, the company published a research article in Nature introducing “uRASR,” an ultra-rapid diagnostic platform integrating blood culture, pathogen identification, and antibiotic susceptibility testing.

A QuantaMatrix official commented, “Being featured in Nature in 2024 showcased our core technology globally, likely contributing to our selection for this government project.”

The company also previously secured national projects from the Korea Health Industry Development Institute for sepsis pathogen identification and resistance diagnostics, as well as from the National Research Foundation for the development of a one-day antibiotic susceptibility testing device eliminating the need for blood culture.

Telcon RF Pharmaceutical, Abion Rally on $54 Billion KRW U.S. Supply Contract Renewal

Telcon RF Pharmaceutical also hit its daily upper limit, closing at 7,290 KRW up 29.95%(1,680 KRW) from the previous session.

On the 11th, the company announced a one-year extension of its supply agreement with U.S.-based Emmaus for pharmaceutical-grade L-glutamine (PGLG), a high-purity amino acid suitable for pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Telcon RF Pharmaceutical acquired exclusive API supply rights from Emmaus in 2017 under a 54 billion KRW deal. L-glutamine is a key ingredient in Emmaus’ sickle cell disease treatment, Endari. The agreement automatically renews annually unless either party declines, for up to 15 years total.

The contract extension secures Telcon RF Pharmaceutical’s revenue from API supply, helping maintain sales at levels comparable to last year. The company posted 37.9 billion KRW in revenue in 2024, with 10 billion KRW already recorded in Q1up 25% from 8 billion KRW a year earlier.

Abion, in which Telcon RF Pharmaceutical is the largest shareholder, also saw its stock surge 17.11%(1,470 KRW) to 10,060 KRW.

Caregen Joins the Rally on Oral GLP-1 Product Export Deal

Caregen also joined the biotech rally after securing overseas markets for its oral weight-loss health supplement. The stock closed at 43,000 KRW, up 16.85%(6,200 KRW), and surged another 29.89%(11,000 KRW) in after-hours trading.

Caregen announced two key developments regarding its GLP-1 peptide-based oral weight management supplement, “Korglutide.”

First, the Lebanese health authority officially registered Korglutide as a health functional food?marking the world’s first oral GLP-1 analogue-based health supplement registration. “This opens the door for oral alternatives in a market traditionally dominated by injectable GLP-1 drugs,” the company stated.

Second, Caregen signed a $42 million(approx. 58 billion KRW) supply contract with Mexican pharmaceutical company IFA Celtics, accelerating its entry into the North and Central American markets.

IFA Celtics, established in 1965, is a leading Mexican drugmaker with nationwide distribution of over 85 brands and 240 products, including metabolic disease treatments such as anti-obesity drugs.

With over 70% of its population classified as overweight or obese, Mexico ranks among the world’s highest obesity rates and is the second-largest market in North and Central America after the U.S. According to Grand View Research, the Mexican weight management market is expected to reach $11.1 billion by 2030.

Korglutide, based on the same mechanism as injectable GLP-1 therapies, offers a convenient, prescription-free oral alternative with fewer side effects especially for consumers with limited access to treatment options.

A Caregen spokesperson commented, “Korglutide has demonstrated significant efficacy in reducing body fat without muscle loss while also improving HbA1c levels. We are finalizing statistical analyses and plan to announce the official clinical results on July 29.” The company also plans to complete FDA New Dietary Ingredient(NDI) registration within the year and is preparing for clinical trials in Italy for the European market.