S. Korea's top pharmaceutical firms spend over 100 bln won each in H1 for R&D: data
SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's major pharmaceutical companies spent ar...
South Korea's leading pharmaceutical firms poured over 100 billion won each in the first half of the year into research and development (R&D) for new drugs, according to data released on Sunday. This investment reflects a strategic move to secure future growth engines in the industry.
Yuhan Corp., renowned for its anti-inflammatory ointment Antiphlamine, disclosed a total R&D expenditure of 122.2 billion won in the January-June period, marking a 13.8 percent increase compared to the same period last year. This investment accounted for 10.5 percent of the company's total sales for the first half of the year.
Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corp., recognized for its popular pain reliever Penzal, allocated 113.5 billion won, or 12.3 percent of its first half sales, to new drug development. This represents a significant 36.6 percent rise in R&D spending compared to the first half of 2025.
Hanmi Pharm Co. also doubled down on R&D, investing 125.5 billion won, or 14.6 percent of its half-year sales, on new drug development. The company launched an initiative in 2023 to develop a new pipeline of obesity drugs, reflecting a growing focus on addressing health challenges.
Other mid-sized pharmaceutical companies mirrored this trend, allocating around 10 percent of their first half revenue to R&D. GC Biopharm Co. spent 85.9 billion won, while Daewoong Pharma invested 115.7 billion won in R&D during the first half of the year.
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