Aprogen

Aprogen Inc. is a prominent South Korean biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and large-scale manufacturing of biosimilars and novel biologics. Founded in 2000 by researchers from KAIST and KRIBB, it gained significant recognition as the first Korean biotechnology company to achieve 'Unicorn' status (valuation over $1 billion). The company operates through several entities, including Aprogen Biologics and Aprogen Medicines, following a series of strategic mergers to consolidate its R&D and manufacturing capabilities. The company is best known for its proprietary antibody engineering technologies, such as SDR-grafting and CHIMPS bispecific antibody platforms. Aprogen maintains one of the largest cGMP-compliant manufacturing facilities in South Korea, located in Osong, which supports both its internal pipeline and CDMO services. Its lead product, an infliximab biosimilar (GS071), is successfully marketed in Japan and South Korea through partnerships with Nichi-Iko Pharmaceuticals.