▲ Skincare products manufactured by drugmakers are displayed in retail stores. Photo taken by Park Sang-hyun. (Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, May 20 (Yonhap) -- As the global K-beauty boom continues, South Korean pharmaceutical companies are expanding into the cosmetics market by launching functional skincare products incorporating their research achievements.

 

Dongkook Pharmaceutical, Daewoong Pharmaceutical, Hanmi Science and Dongwha Pharm are accelerating efforts to target distribution channels such as Daiso by leveraging wound treatment ingredients and cell regeneration technologies.

 

◇ Functional cosmetics featuring treatment ingredients

 

A visit to a Daiso store in Seoul's Jongno district on May 19 showed products from Dongkook Pharmaceutical's "Madeca21" and Chong Kun Dang Health's "Cleaderm" displayed in one section.

 

Madeca21 is a cosmetics brand utilizing the key ingredient of the wound ointment "Madecassol." Chong Kun Dang Health introduces Cleaderm as a cosmetics brand focused on ingredients and efficacy.

 

Functional cosmetics refer to products designed to provide effects such as skin brightening, wrinkle improvement and ultraviolet protection.

 

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, domestic production of functional cosmetics reached 7.3515 trillion won (US$5.4 billion) in 2024, up 35 percent from a year earlier. Functional cosmetics accounted for 41.9 percent of the overall cosmetics market.

 

As the market for functional cosmetics expands and consumer interest grows, pharmaceutical companies are responding more aggressively.

 

Daewoong Pharmaceutical recently launched three types of "EGFx Downtime Ampoule." Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is known as a protein in the body that promotes skin cell proliferation and growth.

 

The company previously developed a diabetes-related ulcer treatment through EGF research and is now applying the ingredient to functional cosmetics.

 

◇ Expanding consumer contact through Daiso and derma brands

 

Hanmi Science plans to target the cosmetics market with its derma cosmetic brand "Adessi."

 

CMG Pharmaceutical, an affiliate of CHA Biotech, renamed CMG Health Institute to CHA Bio Health and plans to launch products utilizing its biotechnology and cell science research capabilities.

 

As CHA Bio Health's first product, CMG Pharmaceutical released "PDRN Active." PDRN refers to DNA fragments extracted from salmon and trout milt that are considered effective for cell regeneration.

 

Dongwha Pharm, widely known for the skin treatment ointment "Fucidin," has also begun selling its skincare brand "Fusiderm" at Daiso.

 

An official from the pharmaceutical industry said, "Each pharmaceutical company has its own distinctive ingredient combinations," adding, "Companies are expected to continue improving their functional cosmetics lineups in line with the expanding cosmetics market."

 

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[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]