Moa Life Plus Partners with Pepjin for Joint Development of GLP-1 Biosimilars

Yoon Sangho, General Manager of Moa Life Plus, and Noh Changseok, CEO of Pepzin. Provided by Moa Life Plus

KOSDAQ-listed Moa Life Plus announced on the 25th that it has signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Pepjin, a company specializing in peptide pharmaceutical biosimilars, for the joint development of semaglutide (GLP-1) class biosimilars and collaboration in global obesity and beauty businesses.

The two companies aim to secure comprehensive synergies across technology, products, and distribution in the rapidly growing GLP-1-based market through this partnership.

This agreement encompasses joint development of semaglutide (GLP-1)-based biosimilars and peptide pharmaceuticals, co-planning of cosmetics, health functional foods, and sports nutrition products, collaboration on advanced technology for obesity and beauty products, global distribution and marketing cooperation in regions such as Japan and Southeast Asia, and joint research and development (R&D) initiatives, all based on the core technologies and business capabilities of both companies.

Pepjin, the key partner in this collaboration, specializes in the development of peptide biosimilars for high-growth therapeutic areas such as obesity and osteoporosis. The company has secured proprietary technology that enables highly efficient production of complex peptides through its own RPC (Repeated Peptides Cleavage) platform.

The main pipeline, PG004 (semaglutide biosimilar), is being developed using the same manufacturing process as Wegovy and Ozempic. The platform is drawing attention for its competitiveness, as it can be expanded to oral formulations depending on the application of formulation technology, in addition to injectable forms. In June of this year, Pepjin was officially recognized for its technology and marketability when it was selected as the lead company for a national project (worth 8.4 billion KRW) aimed at commercializing obesity treatments based on semaglutide manufacturing technology.

The GLP-1 class pharmaceutical market has recently shown explosive global growth. According to GlobalData, the GLP-1 therapeutic market is expected to expand from approximately 30 billion USD (about 40 trillion KRW) in 2023 to around 125 billion USD (about 170 trillion KRW) by 2033.

Indications are expanding beyond obesity and diabetes to include cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and fatty liver disease. With ongoing supply shortages, the role of biosimilars has become increasingly important. In particular, demand for semaglutide-based therapies has surged to the extent that even global pharmaceutical companies cannot keep up with production, and companies capable of providing high-quality and stable supply are expected to secure market leadership.

In this context, Pepjin's semaglutide (GLP-1) manufacturing technology is highly competitive in terms of global supply chain stability. When combined with Moa Life Plus's global K-beauty network, OEM/ODM capabilities, and product and distribution infrastructure, a structure is formed that can expand into all areas of health, bio, and beauty.

In particular, if Moa Life Plus's core raw material technology, PGA (Poly-gamma-Glutamic Acid), is integrated with Pepjin's peptide technology, it is expected to enable the development of next-generation premium skincare ingredients as well as functional diet and metabolic improvement products, allowing both companies to target a variety of new markets.

Moa Life Plus highly values Pepjin's technological capabilities and growth potential. The company has decided to form a working group with Pepjin to review specific development timelines, market feasibility, and business implementation plans for joint commercialization, and is also actively considering phased direct investment to promote joint commercialization.

A representative from Moa Life Plus stated, "Pepjin's RPC-based peptide manufacturing technology and semaglutide biosimilar production capabilities are highly competitive as the global GLP-1 market expands. By combining the technologies and networks of both companies, we will create meaningful synergies across the healthcare, bio, and beauty industries."

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