[BioTimes] Council for Advanced Regenerative Medicine Holds General Meeting and New Year Networking Event to Advance the Regenerative Medicine Industry

The Council for Advanced Regenerative Medicine (CARM) held its 2023 General Meeting and New Year Networking Event.
StemExOne CEO Ssang-Goo Cho, Team Leader Geun-Ho Kang, and Team Leader Kwon-Woo Song attended the event.

[BioTimes] The Council for Advanced Regenerative Medicine (CARM), chaired by Kang Kyung-sun, held its 2023 General Meeting and New Year Networking Event on February 2 at the Sapphire Hall of Sono Felice Convention in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

Around 70 participants attended the event, including Eun Seong-ho, Director General for Advanced Medical Support at the Ministry of Health and Welfare; Park So-ra, President of the Korea Regenerative Medicine Promotion Foundation; Cho In-ho, Director of the Korea Regenerative Medicine Fund (KFRM); as well as CARM executives and member companies.

The event was organized to review CARM’s 2022 activities and financial results and to approve its 2023 business plan and budget. It also included the election of vice presidents and provided an opportunity for member companies to network and discuss strategies for growth during the year.

In his opening remarks, CARM Chairman Kang Kyung-sun said, “Despite many challenges last year, CARM achieved several important milestones, including receiving approval from the Ministry of Health and Welfare as an incorporated association and expanding its membership from 25 companies to 116, including 97 full members.”

He added, “In particular, we focused on stimulating investment in the biotechnology sector and providing open innovation opportunities for member companies through initiatives such as the CARM Investment Conference, Corporate and Technology Exchange Meetings, and the Advanced Regenerative Medicine Development Strategy Forum.”

Kang continued, “Building on our approval as an incorporated association, in 2023 we plan to establish stronger channels of communication with regulatory authorities and continue expanding activities that support our members while contributing to the growth of Korea’s regenerative medicine ecosystem.”

In his congratulatory remarks, Eun Seong-ho of the Ministry of Health and Welfare said, “Although economic conditions remain difficult both domestically and internationally and the investment environment is challenging, we believe the outlook for the advanced regenerative medicine market remains promising.”

He added, “The government is ambitiously preparing to foster the advanced regenerative medicine industry as a ‘second semiconductor industry.’ We will continue exploring policy measures, R&D support, and other initiatives to help drive its growth.”

The event also featured the 1st Advanced Regenerative Bio Startup Awards. The awards recognized promising startups selected through CARM’s 2022 Startup Investment Forum, which was established to identify and foster high-potential companies in the advanced regenerative medicine sector. MarkHelz, led by CEO Lee Seung-min, and Acrocell Bioscience, led by CEO Song Byung-ho, were selected as award recipients.

Founded in 2021, MarkHelz develops AAV-based gene therapies. The company is building its digital-biopharmaceutical development business around three core capabilities: vascular-targeted AAV gene therapy, solid-tumor-targeted CAR-T therapy, and automated AI/digital-twin manufacturing technologies.

Acrocell Bioscience, a startup originating from Kyung Hee University, is developing advanced tissue-regenerative therapies based on bio-tissue structure manufacturing technology. The company owns SlabON, a proprietary platform technology for producing biocompatible materials and large-scale tissue-engineered products. The platform has been patented in Korea and is currently the subject of patent applications in six countries.

In addition, Lee Deuk-joo, Senior Advisor at GC, was elected Vice Chairman and President-elect of the Council for Advanced Regenerative Medicine (CARM) at the event. He is scheduled to lead the association as Chairman beginning in 2024.

Lee graduated from Yonsei University College of Medicine, earned a Master of Public Health from the University of Minnesota in the United States, and received a Ph.D. in Medicine (Microbiology) from Korea University. His previous positions include Director of the Aging Health Center and Rheumatism Center at Samsung Cheil Hospital, Senior Researcher at the Drug Delivery Research Center at the University of Utah, and Head of External Affairs at Ajou University Medical Center. He also served as CEO of Green Cross Cell (GC Cell) and Vice Chairman of GC Cell, and currently serves as Senior Advisor at GC Holdings.

Meanwhile, the Council for Advanced Regenerative Medicine (CARM) was established in 2016 as an industry-led organization dedicated to advancing Korea’s regenerative medicine industry and strengthening its leadership in the global regenerative medicine market.

CARM has worked to secure government funding and improve regulations to support the development of Korea’s advanced regenerative medicine industry, while also promoting investment in companies operating in the sector. In particular, the association supported efforts surrounding the introduction and passage of the Advanced Regenerative Medicine and Advanced Biopharmaceuticals Act in 2018.

CARM has also contributed to the development of Korea’s regenerative medicine ecosystem, including efforts that helped secure approval in 2020 for a KRW 600 billion preliminary feasibility study supporting advanced regenerative medicine research and industry development, as well as the launch of a national advanced regenerative medicine initiative in 2021.

[BioTimes, Reporter Kim Soo-jin]

Source: BioTimes