S.Korea's microneedle maker Raphas to enter US market

South Korea's microneedle maker Raphas Co. is expediting its entry into the American pharmaceutical market after entering the country's cosmetics sector, with its US-based sales company to start activity in June to expand the company's acne patch business. 

Raphas will also build as early as late this year an R&D facility there to develop vaccines.

"We will release early next month in the US the world's first acne treatment patch using microneedles," Raphas CEO Jeong Do-hyeon told reporters Sunday. "The newly established sales company under our American corporation will begin marketing activities from June."

Raphas technology allows injection of drugs into the skin using microneedles with a third of the thickness of a human hair. The attachment of the company's patch allows injection of a drug without pain, a method deemed especially effective for people and children averse to needles.

The company last year released functional cosmetics using this technology through large distribution chains in the US, exporting its pharmaceutical patch there early this month.

Conventional acne treatments are eaten or applied to the skin, and oral medications affect the entire body and incur a high risk of side effects. Lotions applied to the skin are deficient in absorption. The company said its patch system can overcome these limitations.

Raphas is also developing microneedle-using drugs such as vaccines, teaming up with a university in the eastern US to develop a method of putting vaccine candidates in microneedles. "To promote brisk cooperation, we will build an R&D facility near the school as early as this year or as late as early next year," the company said.

Raphas is also developing vaccine patches for influenza and hepatitis B, with its CEO Jeong saying it has submitted a clinical trial plan to the US Food and Drug Administration.

Write to Jeong Min Nam at peux@hankyung.com