Supine Therapeutics Wins Top Prize at Global Event Attended by Over 5,500 Participants from 100 Countries
'Supinegel' Achieves Breakthrough in Spinal Cord Injury Treatment... Plans for FDA Clinical Trials and GMP Facility in the U.S.
Supine Therapeutics, a startup founded by Professor Jungbum Kim from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at UNIST (President Jongrae Park), won the top prize in the World Finals Pitching competition at the '2025 SelectUSA Investment Summit' held in Washington, DC, on May 13.
Professor Jungbum Kim is delivering the world final pitching at the SelectUSA Investment Summit. Photo by UNIST
More than 300 companies from all over the world participated in the IR (investment attraction) pitching competition across various fields, and Supine Therapeutics was recognized for its innovation and market potential with its hydrogel technology for spinal cord injury treatment, earning the top spot.
The 'SelectUSA Investment Summit' is organized by the International Trade Administration (ITA) under the U.S. Department of Commerce, and was attended by over 5,500 investors, U.S. government officials, economic development organizations (EDOs), and industry experts from more than 100 countries.
Key U.S. figures in attendance included Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. Notably, President Donald Trump added significance to the event with a keynote speech delivered via video.
SelectUSA is an investment attraction program that has led to more than $270 billion in investment and the creation of over 240,000 jobs in the United States since its inception. In the summit's highlight pitching competition, global startups presented advanced technologies and business models aimed at entering the U.S. market.
Supine Therapeutics has achieved innovation in spinal cord injury treatment. Its implantable hydrogel 'Supinegel', developed for the first time in the world, has been proven to inhibit scar formation in neural tissue and promote nerve regeneration.
Professor Jungbum Kim said, "It is an honor to win as a Korean startup," and added, "With this award as a starting point, we will actively pursue entry into overseas markets, including the United States. We aim to improve the quality of life for patients worldwide with this innovative therapy."
Professor Jungbum Kim (right) is being congratulated on his victory by Ashok Pinto, SelectUSA representative. Photo by UNIST
Supine Therapeutics is a bio-venture founded based on hydrogel technology for spinal cord injury treatment, which was transferred from UNIST.
Last year, the company received manufacturing and product approval for veterinary medical devices from the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency. Currently, it is expanding this technology as a platform to verify therapeutic efficacy for various indications, including inflammatory diseases and regenerative medicine.
The company plans to accelerate the development of human spinal cord injury treatments and strengthen its new drug pipeline, leveraging its experience in commercializing veterinary therapeutics.
Additionally, Supine Therapeutics will collaborate with the U.S. Economic Development Administration and accelerators to establish an R&D center equipped with GMP manufacturing facilities, hire local personnel, and pursue FDA clinical trials.
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