2026 Daejeon Bio Exchange opens, six local biotech firms to present research
In short
The 2026 Daejeon Bio Exchange opened in Daejeon and runs through Oct 8 at the Daejeon Convention Center, linked to the Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology’s regular academic conference, according to the city. Six local companies — Curocell, Tomocube, IVIM Technology, Sobagen, Y-Biologics and IntoCell — are presenting work in cell-based therapeutics, bioimaging and gene, RNA, antibody and cytokine treatments. About 3,000 researchers, company officials and students are expected to take part.
Read the full story 1 min read
The 2026 Daejeon Bio Exchange opened and runs through Oct 8 at the Daejeon Convention Center (DCC), Daejeon city said on Oct 5, bringing local bio companies together with domestic and foreign life-science researchers. [ 1 , 3 ]
The event is held in connection with the regular academic conference of the Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology. Daejeon city hosts it and Daejeon Technopark organises it, and about 3,000 people are expected to take part, including researchers, bio company officials and students, according to the city’s announcement as reported. [ 3 ]
The programme includes 23 academic symposiums, five keynote lectures, four company-linked programmes, three university and research institute programmes, and sessions for early-career researchers. Poster presentations and company and institutional exhibitions are also planned to share recent life-science research results and bio technology and products. [ 3 ]
Six local companies are participating: Curocell, Tomocube, IVIM Technology, Sobagen, Y-Biologics and IntoCell. According to the report, they will present technology and research results in areas including cell-based therapeutics, advanced bioimaging, gene and RNA therapeutics, and antibody and cytokine-based therapeutics. [ 3 ]
After the company presentations, question-and-answer sessions with researchers are to discuss the academic and industrial potential of the technologies. The city said it plans to use the event to raise awareness of local companies’ technology and to build a basis for exchange that leads to joint research and technology cooperation between companies and researchers. [ 3 ]
One outlet framed the event as presenting regional bio companies’ technology to the world. Daejeon city and the Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology signed an agreement in April of last year to hold the society’s regular academic conference in Daejeon and to cooperate on the development of the city’s bio industry through 2030, the report said. [ 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The event is a regional industry-academic meeting intended to connect Daejeon’s bio companies with domestic and foreign life-science researchers and investors, which the city says it hopes will lead to joint research and technology cooperation. A cooperation agreement between the city and the molecular and cellular biology society covers holding the academic conference in Daejeon through 2030, pointing to a recurring local platform for the sector. The documents give no figures on deals or investment results.
Key facts
- The 2026 Daejeon Bio Exchange is being held from Oct 5 to Oct 8 at the Daejeon Convention Center (DCC). [ 3 ]
- The event is held in connection with the Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology’s regular academic conference. [ 3 ]
- It is hosted by Daejeon city and organised by Daejeon Technopark, with about 3,000 researchers, bio company officials and students expected to attend. [ 3 ]
- The programme includes 23 academic symposiums, five keynote lectures, four company-linked programmes, three university and research institute programmes, and sessions for early-career researchers, plus poster presentations and exhibitions. [ 3 ]
- Six local companies are taking part: Curocell, Tomocube, IVIM Technology, Sobagen, Y-Biologics and IntoCell. [ 3 ]
- The companies are to present technology and research results in cell-based therapeutics, advanced bioimaging, gene and RNA therapeutics, and antibody and cytokine-based therapeutics. [ 3 ]
- Daejeon city and the Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology signed an agreement in April of last year to hold the society’s regular academic conference in Daejeon and cooperate on the local bio industry through 2030. [ 3 ]
- One outlet described the event as presenting regional bio companies’ technology to the world. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- The expected scale of the event and the list of participating companies rest on a single report. Only one document gives the figure of about 3,000 participants, the programme counts and the six company names.
- Whether any cooperation agreements, investments or contracts result from the event. The documents describe the event’s purpose and programme but do not report any outcomes.
- The article text carried by one outlet did not match its headline and concerned an unrelated military matter. Because that text is not about this event, no details from it were used; the outlet is cited only for the claim in its headline about the bio exchange.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Kukmin Ilbo reports the opening of the Daejeon Bio Exchange, saying it connects bio companies and researchers. [ 1 ]
- Newsis reports that the Daejeon Bio Exchange is presenting regional bio companies’ technology to the world. [ 2 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reports Daejeon city’s announcement of the event’s dates, venue, programme and participating companies. [ 3 ]