Sobi and Handok will establish a joint venture for the rare disease business in South Korea.
The joint venture, due for incorporation in the first half of this year, is expected to enhance the Sobi and Handok collaboration. Strengthening their position in the rare disease business, Handok and Sobi aim to develop, commercialise and distribute Sobi's innovative medicines in South Korea.
Serving patients in South Korea will be an important contributor to Sobi's geographical expansion. 'Our medicines fill a medical need in this important and highly developed market,' said Guido Oelkers, Chief Executive Officer of Sobi. 'With Handok, we found a partner who combines rare disease experience with deep knowledge of the local market. We look forward to working with Handok to introduce our innovative medicines in South Korea, starting with Empaveli and Doptelet.'
Young-Jin Kim, Chairman and CEO of Handok, said 'Sobi is a biopharmaceutical company that has achieved remarkable growth through innovative rare disease treatments. The joint venture with Sobi enables us to establish a long-term strategic cooperative model, expanding treatment opportunities for rare disease patients through the synergies of Handok's competitive rare disease business and Sobi's innovative pipeline.'
About Aspaveli/ Empaveli
Aspaveli/Empaveli (pegcetacoplan) is a targeted C3 therapy designed to regulate excessive activation of the complement cascade, part of the body's immune system, which can lead to the onset and progression of many serious diseases. Pegcetacoplan is approved for the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) as EMPAVELI/ASPAVELI in the United States, European Union, and other countries globally. Aspaveli/Empaveli is also under investigation for several other rare diseases across haematology and nephrology.
About Doptelet
Doptelet (avatrombopag) is an orally administered thrombopoietin receptor agonist (TPO-RA) that mimics the biologic effects of TPO in stimulating the development and maturation of megakaryocytes, resulting in increased platelet count. It is approved in over 30 countries worldwide, including the EU and the US, for the treatment of severe thrombocytopenia in adult patients with chronic liver disease who are scheduled to undergo an invasive procedure, and for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in adult patients with primary chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) who have had an insufficient response to a previous treatment. Chronic ITP is a rare autoimmune bleeding disorder characterised by low number of platelets. The incidence of primary ITP in adults is 3.3/100,000 adults per year with a prevalence of 9.5 per 100,000 adults1.
About Handok
HANDOK, a leading innovation-driven pharmaceutical/healthcare company in Korea, develops and distributes healthcare solutions to improve health and quality of life for all. Handok has a core business focus on diabetes, rare diseases, cardiovascular, oncology, medical devices, diagnostics, and consumer health. Handok is intensifying its collaborations with innovative global companies specialising in rare diseases, aiming to elevate its competitiveness in the rare disease business. With a wealth of experience accumulated over nearly two decades, Handok is resolutely dedicated to strengthening its leadership in the rare disease business. Handok, founded in 1954, grew as a joint venture with Hoechst/Aventis/Sanofi from 1964 to 2012.
Sobi
Sobi is a specialised international biopharmaceutical company transforming the lives of people with rare and debilitating diseases. Providing sustainable access to innovative medicines in the areas of haematology, immunology and specialty care, Sobi has approximately 1,800 employees across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia. In 2022, revenue amounted to SEK 22.1 billion. Sobi's share (STO:SOBI) is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.
Contact:
Gerard Tobin
Email: gerard.tobin@sobi.com
Tel: +41 79 286 28 83
Jen Kretzmann
Email: jennifer.kretzmann@sobi.com
Tel: +44 7423 031 070
HANDOK INC. 
