SK Plasma Conducts 110 Billion KRW Capital Increase... "Entering Rare and Intractable Disease Treatment Market"

Parent Company SK Discovery, Tium Bio, and Others Participate

Kim Yoon-ho, CEO of SK Plasma (second from the left), is taking a commemorative photo after signing an investment contract with Hwang Man-soon, CEO of Korea Investment Partners, Kim Hoon-taek, CEO of Tium Bio, and Park Chan-joong, President of SK Discovery, who participated in the paid-in capital increase. (Photo by SK Plasma)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] SK Plasma announced on the 28th that it will conduct a paid-in capital increase worth 110 billion KRW to enter the new bio market, including treatments for rare and intractable diseases.

SK Plasma's parent company SK Discovery, bio R&D specialist company Tium Bio, and Korea Investment Partners, which has extensive investment experience in the bio sector, will participate in this paid-in capital increase.

An SK Plasma official explained, "We decided on the paid-in capital increase to accelerate the growth of the existing blood product business and to horizontally expand into new bio sectors," adding, "Through this, we plan to maximize corporate value." They also plan to jointly conduct research and development in the bio sector with Tium Bio, which possesses specialized R&D capabilities for rare and intractable diseases.

The rare and intractable disease treatment market that SK Plasma is entering is considered a blue ocean area in the field of new drug development. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are reported to be between 5,000 and 8,000 types of rare and intractable diseases. However, it is known that most diseases lack accurate treatment methods or have only a limited number of approved treatments. In contrast, the market has high growth potential, shorter clinical trial periods for new drug development, and a higher success rate compared to other fields, making global market entry relatively easier.

Kim Yun-ho, CEO of SK Plasma, stated, "Through this capital increase, we will continue the sustainable growth of our existing business while achieving a second leap forward by entering the new bio sector together with our partners."