[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] Sejong Medical announced on the 14th that it has launched a business in the field of 'microneedles' as the first signal of its new business and formed an internal TFT on the same day.
Microneedles are a transdermal drug delivery system (TTDS) that delivers drugs through the skin and are emerging as an alternative to injections or oral medications. They enable painless drug delivery for many patients who have difficulty receiving vaccines due to needle phobia. They have advantages such as fewer secondary infection side effects, easier use compared to conventional syringes, and faster recovery at the administration site. Recently, patch forms have gained attention due to research suggesting that thrombosis, a side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine, may be highly related to the use of injectable drugs administered into the bloodstream.
When vaccines are made into patches, mass production of vaccines becomes possible, and there is no need for a cold chain for transportation and storage, nor is specialized medical personnel required for vaccination. It also reduces injection pain and can maintain the efficacy of oral drugs for a certain period, which are additional strengths.
A Sejong Medical official stated, “Manufacturing microneedles requires complex equipment, and appropriate certification and sterilization are necessary before production. Sejong Medical is prepared for all manufacturing processes including design, engineering, mold production, assembly, and sterilization,” adding, “Since these processes can be handled internally rather than outsourced, we plan to proceed with the business at a rapid pace by maximizing our capabilities.”
Additionally, microneedles have various indications in transdermal drug delivery systems, including pain management, hormone therapy, central nervous system diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Sejong Medical expects demand for products incorporating microneedle-based drug delivery systems to increase due to the rise in chronic diseases such as diabetes.
Meanwhile, Sejong Medical is a company leading the domestic laparoscopic surgical instrument market, having succeeded in the first domestic production and commercialization of laparoscopic surgical devices such as trocars and organ extraction bags. Recently, it has added business objectives including ▲ research, development, manufacturing, and sales of pharmaceutical and vaccine patches ▲ vaccine and bio research, development, manufacturing, processing, distribution, import/export, and sales ▲ metaverse virtual world and virtual reality production and service industries.
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