BIX 2023 Concludes Three-Day Grand Journey... K-Bio Steps Up to Overcome Crisis (Comprehensive)

50% Increase in Pre-Registered Visitors
Networking with Healthcare Startups Also Enhanced

The ‘BioPlus-Interphex Korea (BIX 2023)’, co-hosted by the Korea Bio Association and RX Korea, once again confirmed the elevated status of ‘K-Bio’.

On the morning of the opening day of "BioPlus-InterPhex Korea (BIX 2023)" on the 12th, visitors are waiting to enter the event hall at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Myunghwan Lee]

Held over three days from the 12th to the 14th at COEX, the event saw a 50% increase in the number of pre-registered online visitors compared to last year. In particular, global Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMOs) attracted attention by setting up booths. Participants included Lonza from Switzerland, the world’s top CDMO by revenue, Wuxi Biologics from China, and Fujifilm from Japan. Among domestic CDMO companies, STGen Bio and GC Cell also promoted their services. Many bio companies visiting the venue that lack their own production facilities could be potential CDMO clients, so these companies provided detailed explanations of their production facilities, technologies, and CDMO case studies to visitors. The organizers also set up a special CMO/CDMO pavilion to gather CDMO companies in one place.

Many so-called ‘bio materials, parts, and equipment (bio SoBuJang)’ companies manufacturing equipment and consumables necessary for biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes also participated and established a special pavilion. Additionally, logistics companies handling biopharmaceutical cold chains and digital healthcare companies each set up their own special pavilions. Bio companies, including Samsung Bioepis, also set up large booths to welcome visitors.

Booths of participating companies at 'Bio Plus-Interphex 2023 (BIX 2023)'. (Clockwise from the top left) Lonza, Fujifilm Life Science, STGen Bio, Samsung Bioepis.
[Photo by Myunghwan Lee]

Global networking was also actively conducted. At the event’s Open Innovation Lounge, a Korea-China business exchange meeting was held, hosted by the China Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA) under the Ministry of Commerce of China. The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority also held an exchange event related to bio and healthcare startups in collaboration with the Korea Bio Association. During the event, the Korea Bio Association signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Yantai Huangbaihai New Area in China and the Latvian Life Sciences Industry Association, agreeing to cooperate in the future.

The conference sessions on bio industry issues were also very popular with attendees. The keynote session held on the first day alongside the opening ceremony, titled ‘Current Status and Future Direction of the Korean Bio Industry,’ discussed the challenges faced by the bio industry and solutions to overcome them. Kim Yeol-hong, Chief R&D Officer of Yuhan Corporation, who attended the session, mentioned that recently venture biotech companies have been focusing on resolving financial issues such as fundraising, listing, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A), emphasizing the need to concentrate on the core capabilities of bio companies, such as technology development.

Conferences on recently spotlighted major modalities such as Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADC) and Cell and Gene Therapies (CGT) attracted more attendees than the venue capacity, with many participants standing during the sessions. On the second day, a conference on the microbiome saw domestic companies including CJ Bioscience hold the inaugural meeting of the Microbiome New Drug Industry Council. They pledged to join forces to promote the development of microbiome new drugs.

The bio industry vowed to overcome the recent crisis caused by tightening financial markets through technological capabilities, using this event as a turning point. Koh Han-seung, Chairman of the Korea Bio Association and President of Samsung Bioepis, said in his opening remarks on the 12th, “Many bio companies, including startups, are facing difficulties due to the tightening of investment funds. This is an important time when we must unite and solve these challenges together.” He added, “The association will listen carefully to the difficulties faced by bio companies and convey their concerns to relevant parties, doing its best to resolve these issues as soon as possible.”

'Bio Plus-Interphex 2023 (BIX 2023)' opened on the morning of the 12th at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Attendees are listening to a lecture during the antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) specialized session held that morning.
[Photo by Lee Myung-hwan]

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