On November 27, Handok received the Innovative Pharmaceutical Company Award from the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW).

The MOHW annually recognizes innovative pharmaceutical companies that have contributed to the improvement of public health and advancement of the pharmaceutical industry by developing and distributing high quality medicines. Handok was certified as an innovative pharmaceutical company in 2012 and has since maintained its status through recertification.

Handok was acknowledged as a leading global total healthcare company in Korea, providing high quality medicines and services and focusing on R&D of innovative new drugs. Handok is expanding on its own research areas by connecting its outstanding research capabilities through an open innovation strategy. Its Product Development Center and New Drug Development Center were relocated and integrated into the Handok Future Complex in 2022—a move which has strengthened its R&D capabilities.

Handok is developing innovative new drugs and biopharmaceuticals in the fields of cancer, diabetes, and rare disease treatment, as well as world-class improved drugs and combination products using dual-release drug coating technology, and innovative patch formulations using transdermal drug delivery system technology. Recently, Handok received approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) for a global Phase 2/3 clinical trial of HDB001A for biliary tract cancer. This will provide an opportunity for the company to obtain additional Korean data for HDB001A in the highly under-treated area of biliary tract cancer. Handok is collaborating with Compass Therapeutics to develop HDB001A for the treatment of biliary tract cancer and has initiated a Phase 2 clinical trial in Korean patients with biliary tract cancer to enable expansion to global clinical trials.

In addition, Handok is increasing its areas in open innovation with NB Postech’s liquid biopsy diagnostic kits and Welt’s digital therapeutics. The company has also established a subsidiary, Innocuve, to help develop early-stage bio-healthcare startups and is committed to the creation of a healthy bio-venture ecosystem.