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Three Korean biopharma deals named in APAC top 10 for 2026
En breve
The Korea Bio Association said three deals involving Korean companies were included in Biopharma APAC’s list of the 10 most influential Asia-Pacific biopharma deals of 2026. Samsung Biologics’ acquisition of Swiss peptide CDMO PolyPeptide ranked sixth, SK Biopharm’s licensing of epilepsy candidate Opakalim seventh and Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s technology export of obesity candidate HM17321 ninth. India’s Sun Pharma acquisition of US-based Organon topped the list at $11.75 billion.
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The Korea Bio Association said three deals involving Korean companies were included in a list of the 10 most influential Asia-Pacific pharmaceutical and biotech deals of 2026 compiled by the trade publication Biopharma APAC. The association said the selection covered M&A and licensing contracts involving Asia-Pacific-headquartered companies between January 1 and September 23, and weighed deal size, symbolic significance, strategic meaning, confirmed payments and market impact. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
Samsung Biologics’ acquisition of the Swiss peptide contract development and manufacturing organisation PolyPeptide ranked sixth. Maeil Business and Seoul Economic Daily put the deal at about $1.8 billion and said Biopharma APAC described it as a purchase of an obesity-treatment supply chain, securing production capacity and raw material supply amid rising demand for obesity and diabetes drugs. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
SK Biopharm’s licensing of the epilepsy drug candidate Opakalim from US-based Biohaven ranked seventh. According to Maeil Business and Seoul Economic Daily, the confirmed payment is $400 million and the total contract value up to $795 million; Yonhap said the company paid a large upfront sum at the level of Western pharmaceutical firms to secure a US asset before key clinical results were announced. The coverage noted the company could use its existing US sales network for XCOPRI, while adding that clinical results in the second half of the year will determine whether the investment was foresight. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s technology export of the muscle-preserving obesity candidate HM17321 to Genentech, a Roche Group subsidiary, ranked ninth. Yonhap reported the upfront payment alone is $190 million, and Maeil Business and Seoul Economic Daily put the maximum contract value at about $2.3 billion. The deal was described as recognition of Korean metabolic disease research as competition in obesity drugs moves beyond weight loss to muscle preservation. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
Maeil Business reported that Alteogen’s subcutaneous formulation development deal with Novartis, worth up to $3.223 billion, drew attention but did not make the top 10 because no upfront payment was disclosed and conditional payments tied to options and development milestones made the confirmed investment hard to judge. The top-ranked deal was India’s Sun Pharma acquiring US-based Organon for $11.75 billion in cash including debt, and the coverage said four of the ten deals were ones in which an Asia-Pacific company paid. Across the seven licensing deals selected, Maeil Business reported a combined contract value of $54.4 billion against about $4.5 billion in confirmed payments, roughly 8 percent. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
Por qué importa
The list is an industry tally by a trade publication, not a regulatory or financial milestone, so its direct impact is limited. Still, it places Korean pharmaceutical and biotech companies alongside larger regional peers, and the coverage notes that four of the ten deals were ones in which an Asia-Pacific company paid, which the outlets present as a sign of the region’s firms buying overseas assets rather than only selling technology.
Datos clave
- The Korea Bio Association said Biopharma APAC selected the 10 most influential Asia-Pacific biopharma deals of 2026, covering M&A and licensing contracts involving Asia-Pacific companies between January 1 and September 23. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Samsung Biologics’ acquisition of Swiss peptide CDMO PolyPeptide ranked sixth; Maeil Business and Seoul Economic Daily put the deal at about $1.8 billion. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- SK Biopharm’s licensing of the epilepsy drug candidate Opakalim from US-based Biohaven ranked seventh, with a confirmed payment of $400 million and a total contract value of up to $795 million. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s technology export of the muscle-preserving obesity candidate HM17321 to Genentech, a Roche Group subsidiary, ranked ninth, with an upfront payment of $190 million and a maximum contract value of about $2.3 billion. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- The top-ranked deal was India’s Sun Pharma acquiring US-based Organon for $11.75 billion in cash, including debt. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- Maeil Business and Seoul Economic Daily reported that four of the ten deals were transactions in which an Asia-Pacific company paid the money. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Maeil Business reported that across the seven selected licensing deals the combined contract value was $54.4 billion while confirmed payments were about $4.5 billion, roughly 8 percent. [ 3 ]
Confirmado por varias fuentes
- Samsung Biologics, SK Biopharm and Hanmi Pharmaceutical each had a deal included in Biopharma APAC’s 10-deal list, according to the Korea Bio Association. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
- Samsung Biologics was ranked sixth, SK Biopharm seventh and Hanmi Pharmaceutical ninth. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- The India-based Sun Pharma acquisition of US-based Organon was ranked first at $11.75 billion. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- The selection covered M&A and licensing contracts involving Asia-Pacific companies and weighed deal size and symbolic significance, according to the association. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
Aún sin aclarar
- Whether SK Biopharm’s payment for Opakalim before key clinical results was well judged. Biopharma APAC said the answer depends on clinical results due in the second half of the year; that outcome is not yet known.
- The reason Alteogen’s license agreement with Novartis, worth up to $3.223 billion, was not included in the top 10. Only Maeil Business gives a reason — no upfront payment was disclosed and conditional payments tied to options and development milestones make the confirmed investment hard to judge — so the explanation rests on a single outlet.
- The confirmed payment amounts for individual deals beyond those stated for the SK Biopharm and Hanmi contracts. Only some figures are given in the documents; the rest of the totals are milestone-based and not itemised.
- Any further detail from Kukmin Ilbo’s report of October 6. The document carries only a headline and no article text or feed summary, so it adds no specifics.
Qué dicen los medios locales
Cronología, hora local
- Yonhap reports the Korea Bio Association’s account of the Biopharma APAC list, including the sixth, seventh and ninth placings. [ 1 ]
- Chosun Ilbo publishes a summary saying three Korean deals made the 10-deal list, citing the association. [ 2 ]
- Maeil Business reports the selection period, contract values, upfront payments and the gap between total and confirmed amounts. [ 3 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reports the same rankings and figures, including the Sun Pharma–Organon deal in first place. [ 4 ]
- Maeil Business publishes a second summary of the list. [ 5 ]
- Asia Economy reports the three Korean deals, the Alteogen–Novartis mention and the first-ranked Sun Pharma–Organon transaction. [ 6 ]
- Kukmin Ilbo publishes a headline saying three Korean deals were selected, with no article text available. [ 7 ]