Hee-Mok Won to “strengthen ties with Korean talents in US"

KPBMA Chair Hee-Mok Won visits the US

Emphasizes the need to establish channel to cooperate for K-Bio at the ‘Korea Night’ event

The Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association (KPBMA) announced on the 16th that it will establish a communication and cooperation network with Korean talents that serve key roles in regulatory agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and venture capital (VCs) in the US to support the domestic companies’ entrance into the US market.

 

Hee-Mok Won, Chairman of KPBMA has recently visited the US to attend the 2022 BIO International Convention (2022 BIO USA) and the opening ceremony of the Korea Bio-Innovation Center in Boston.

 

During his visit, Won had also participated in the “Seminar & Dinner Symposium for the Korean Pharma-Bio’s entry into the US market (Korea Night 2022).” The event was organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the US Embassy, and was jointly hosted by the KPBMA, Korea Health Industry Development Institute, KOTRA, and KoreaBIO.

 

At the event, Won said, “Let us bring a successful era of K-Pharm together by creating a diversified, in-depth network that connects Korean talents that work in various fields related to the Pharma-Bio industry in the US.” Won added, “KPBMA has actively been supporting our member companies’ entrance to Boston, the world's largest bio cluster since 2019.

 

We will also actively support cooperation between companies in bio clusters in Maryland, Silicon Valley, and San Diego bio clusters in the future." Before attending the event, Won had met with Korean experts that are serving key roles such as IND, NDA, and BLA reviews at the FDA and NIH in Washington DC on the 10th.

 

Over 250 known Korean experts and 1,000 Korean experts are known to be working in the FDA and NIH..

 

On the same day, Won had also met with Korean-American Professional Association in Life Sciences (KAPAL) executives including its President Byung Ha Lee to discuss ways to support the Korean companies’ entry into the US.

 

The two associations agreed to discuss specific measures for cooperation in the second half of the year.

 

On the 13th, Won met with executives of Korean American Society in Biotech and Pharmaceuticals (KASBP) in San Diego to discuss measures for cooperation in the Life Sciences.

 

As such, the chairman had met with Korean-Americans that are playing key roles in sectors related to the US pharmaceutical and bio-industry during his visit to the US.

 

He also met with Perry L.

 

Fri, Executive Vice President of the US Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA), to work for KPBMA to join the HDA.

 

HDA represents US drug distributors and has 35 distributors and 125 manufacturers as corporate members.

 

KPBMA’s membership in HDA is expected to allow domestic companies to participate in education and training programs in the US distribution market.

 

Won said, “In order for the Korean biopharmaceutical industry to go beyond the domestic market and confidently compete on its own in the global market, it must first actively interact with key US pharmaceutical bio clusters, including those in Boston and San Diego."