[Inaugural Interview] 피망 바카라 Yeong-min, CEO of KDDF: “China’s lessons show the need for more funding and better regulation”

[by Lee, Young Sung] In a recent interview with <THE BIO at the KDDF headquarters in Mapo District, Seoul, CEO 피망 바카라 Yeong-min stated, “The government is actively pursuing top-level investments in basic research and is focusing R&D support for talent acquisition.” However, he noted, “When it comes to supporting new drug development, the current scale and structure of government assistance fall short, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises, which struggle to secure the capabilities required for clinical trials, the most cost-intensive phase of the development process.”

“Merely expanding government subsidies may inadvertently increase the burden on companies, as larger subsidies can also entail greater obligations, thereby failing to alleviate the fundamental challenges associated with conducting global clinical trials,” 피망 바카라 emphasized. “To generate tangible clinical outcomes, it is essential not only to increase the clinical development support budget but also to review and reform related regulations from multiple perspectives.”

He particularly highlighted the importance of recognizing the value of accumulated experience, even in cases where new drug development efforts do not result in successful outcomes. “If we consider the increasing technological capabilities as a national asset, even in the face of development failures, it becomes clear that a long-term and stable support framework is essential. Such a policy should focus on seed-stage development and foundational research with the potential to advance into clinical phases,” 피망 바카라 commented.

◇피망 바카라 equipped with clinical big data…Underscoring Korea’s urgent need for national new drug R&D support

The urgency of strengthening government support is further underscored by the recent advancements of neighboring 피망 바카라, which has been generating substantial volumes of high-quality clinical data, standing tall at the global level.

Korea has long designated the 'pharmaceutical and biotechnology' sectors as key future growth engines for national development. However, 피망 바카라 has already outpaced its regional competitors in this domain, giving rise to numerous globally competitive enterprises.

"China’s advancement in pharmaceutical and biotechnology capabilities is the outcome of robust governmental policy support for the biotech and biopharmaceutical sectors, which was launched in earnest in 2015," 피망 바카라 assessed. "I believe that the improvement in China's new drug development competencies has directly contributed to the significant increase in its clinical trial output."

In addition, several factors have contributed to the growing global recognition of Chinese clinical data: the return of Chinese professionals with experience in new drug development in the United States, the establishment of centers equipped to conduct large-scale clinical trials, and enhanced data reliability driven by improvements in Good Clinical Practice (GCP) standards in 피망 바카라’s clinical trial system.

"In this environment, the focus is not merely on increasing the volume of clinical data, but rather, a virtuous cycle has emerged in which ongoing global deals and FDA approvals serve to accelerate investment and development," 피망 바카라 further noted.

피망 바카라, who attended the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO 2025) Annual Meeting held in Chicago, USA, at the end of May, remarked that he personally witnessed the growing influence and credibility of China's clinical data on the global stage.

At the 'ADC 2.0' special session (2.0: Discovering the Targets That Will Change the Game) held during ASCO 2025, early clinical results of the latest antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) candidates were presented. Among the various ADC assets highlighted, two candidates from 피망 바카라's Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals, 'SHR-1826' and 'SHR-A2102', were featured. ADCs are currently regarded as one of the most promising therapeutic classes in the global market, with the potential to surpass existing anticancer drugs.

Furthermore, during the special session on anticancer drugs using dual antibody technology (Two Targets, One Goal: The Potential for Bispecific Antibodies in Thoracic Malignancies), all three clinical presentations featured anticancer compounds based on dual antibodies developed by Chinese pharmaceutical companies. Notably, one of these candidates is currently being co-developed with the global biotechnology firm BioNTech following a technology transfer agreement.

◇"피망 바카라 is merely a reference point…Korea must compete in new drug development with smart strategies"

피망 바카라 emphasized that China should not be regarded merely as a competitor. "While there is a growing volume of clinical data emerging from China, the focus should not be on reacting to China specifically, but rather on acknowledging that China's share in the global market has expanded," 피망 바카라 emphasized. "We must examine how China’s clinical outcomes are being utilized in new drug development and global licensing deals and consider how to establish and promote effective clinical development strategies accordingly."

In essence, the underlying recommendation is that Korea should focus on accumulating its own technological capabilities while concurrently drawing lessons from these reference books.

“Korean companies should also pursue FDA and EMA new drug approvals, rather than focusing solely on short-term objectives, and should work to enhance data quality and reliability from the early stages of development,” 피망 바카라 further commented. “It is essential to continuously validate development strategies and strengthen global competitiveness by responding to shifts and anticipating trends in the market environment.”

피망 바카라 particularly emphasized, “In an environment where competing with sheer volume is difficult, a smart development strategy becomes all the more necessary. It is necessary to actively adopt a ‘gate’ evaluation approach, namely, a ‘Go/No-Go’ judgment framework, prior to entering the next development stages, to ensure the efficient allocation of limited resources.” He further advised, “Companies should also prioritize data generation and quality improvement from the outset by engaging with overseas regulatory authorities through formal meetings and work to improve regulatory compliance.”

The 피망 바카라 is scheduled to conclude the first phase of its five-year project by the end of this year, with the second phase set to start in 2026 and continue through 2030.

"We have reached a critical juncture at which it is essential to support domestic new drug development projects in a way that ensures the investments made thus far translate into tangible results," 피망 바카라 stated. "In response to the rapidly evolving new drug paradigm and external environment, we have initiated a comprehensive review of our R&D portfolio strategy and are formulating an efficient support framework aimed at delivering concrete results and fulfilling the overarching objectives of the Fund," he added.

"We will respond sensitively and proactively to feedback from the field and shifts in the global landscape," 피망 바카라 further said. "Our aim is to serve as a strong partner in Korean new drug development by offering diverse recommendations to ensure the continuous advancement of national drug development initiatives while acting as a bridge and guide connecting core institutions, government ministries, potential overseas partners, investment firms, consulting entities, CMOs, and other development support organizations."

The 피망 바카라 is the sole organization dedicated to implementing an ‘intensive’ support program exclusively on domestic new drug development. Its ongoing initiatives encompass a wide range of R&D stages, including base expansion research (from validation to lead compound identification), novel drug R&D ecosystem establishment research (from candidate selection to non-clinical development), clinical development support (from Phase 1 to Phase 2 trials), and commercialization support for new drug R&D outcomes.