hy, Joint Development of 'Pharmabiotics' with Immunobiome

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Distribution specialist company hy announced on the 6th that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Immunobiome to develop probiotic-based functional foods and LBP (live biotherapeutic products).

With this agreement, hy will actively pursue the development of 'pharmabiotics.' Through this, the company plans to expand the application of probiotics, which had been limited to foods and health functional foods, into the category of therapeutics. Pharmabiotics are live microorganisms intended for disease treatment.

hy expects the related market size to have reached 160 billion KRW in 2019 and to grow significantly to 10 trillion KRW by 2024.

hy has been researching probiotics for nearly 50 years. In 1996, it succeeded in developing the first Korean-type lactic acid bacteria domestically. It currently holds a library of over 5,000 strains isolated from humans, breast milk, fermented foods, and more. Recently, the company has focused on expanding its business by entering the B2B sector centered on strains for skin health and body fat reduction.

Immunobiome is a microbiome-based new drug development research company. It specializes not only in confirming the functionality of materials but also in elucidating the mechanisms of beneficial bacteria within the human body. Its proprietary humanized microbiome model, 'Abatium,' is a key strength. By injecting bacteria into germ-free mice, experiments can be conducted in environments closest to the human body. This is a unique technology held by only about ten places worldwide, including the US and Europe.

hy will provide its strain library to Immunobiome. The two companies will conduct various joint research projects utilizing this, including strain selection, cultivation, and functionality evaluation. While hy will lead the discovery of new materials and development of functional foods, Immunobiome will pursue LBP development.

Lee Jung-yeol, head of hy Central Research Institute, said, “Immunobiome is a specialized company that has secured candidate substances for cancer treatments using microorganisms, as well as treatments for inflammatory bowel disease and lupus. We will concentrate our research capabilities to ensure that probiotics can be utilized as therapeutic agents.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.