Daewoong Group Advances Two Drug Delivery Platforms Targeting Injectable Biologics and Microneedle Applications

The Financial News in Korea is reporting that Daewoong Pharmaceutical is partnering with affiliates Daewoong Therapeutics and Daewoong Bio to accelerate development of two drug delivery technologies designed to expand administration options for a range of therapeutics, including biologics, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), small molecules and peptides.

The programs center on Thermicra, a high-concentration subcutaneous injection formulation platform, and CLOPAM, a dissolvable microneedle delivery system. The companies plan to combine their respective formulation, development and manufacturing capabilities to advance both technologies toward commercialization.

Thermicra is being jointly developed by all three companies and is designed to enable subcutaneous formulations at concentrations of at least 400 mg/mL without the use of hyaluronidase. The technology is intended to address challenges associated with intravenous administration of certain antibody-based drugs and ADCs by enabling their delivery through subcutaneous injection.

Moving appropriate therapies from intravenous to subcutaneous administration could reduce administration time and simplify treatment procedures for patients and healthcare providers. The high-concentration formulation approach is intended to make this transition possible while eliminating the need for hyaluronidase, an enzyme commonly used to facilitate the subcutaneous delivery of larger volumes of medication.

The second platform, CLOPAM, is being developed by Daewoong Pharmaceutical and Daewoong Therapeutics. It uses dissolvable microneedles incorporated into a skin-applied patch to deliver active pharmaceutical ingredients. The companies are evaluating its potential across multiple drug categories, including small-molecule compounds and peptide-based therapies.

Alongside the technology development programs, Daewoong Pharmaceutical is investing in dedicated manufacturing infrastructure to support future production. A specialized Thermicra manufacturing facility in Seongnam is targeted for completion in December 2027. For CLOPAM, the company plans to obtain Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) approval in the first half of 2027 for a dedicated sterile manufacturing facility located within Daewoong Bio’s Plant 3 in Hyangnam, Hwaseong.

The collaboration is structured around the complementary capabilities of the three organizations. Daewoong Therapeutics will contribute its proprietary drug delivery technologies, while Daewoong Pharmaceutical will provide clinical development, regulatory and commercialization expertise. Daewoong Bio will contribute manufacturing infrastructure to support production as the platforms advance.

With development and manufacturing activities progressing in parallel, the companies are positioning Thermicra and CLOPAM as potential additions to their broader drug delivery technology portfolio, with applications spanning injectable biologics and alternative routes of administration.

Visit www.daewoong.co.kr/en for more information.