Bifido
Hongcheon, KR ยท Public ยท 1 known investors
Bifido is a South Korean microbiome company that researches and develops Bifidobacterium strains and pharmabiotics โ human microbiome-derived materials intended for the prevention or treatment of disease. It focuses on immune-related conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and cancer, and produces probiotic strains including FDA-registered ingredients.
Also known as (์ฃผ)๋นํผ๋ ยท BIFIDO Co., Ltd. ยท ๋นํผ๋
Founders & leadership
Investors ยท 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026BIFIDO Co., Ltd. is a South Korean microbiome company that researches human gut microbiota and develops products based on human-derived lactic acid bacteria, with a specialization in Bifidobacterium. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Hongcheon-eup, the company has focused on human intestinal microorganism research since its establishment and positions itself as a specialist in human-derived Bifidobacterium.
Its commercial portfolio consists of probiotics-based products, including Bifidobacterium strain products such as B. bifidum BGN4 (immune modulation), B. longum BORI (associated with rotavirus infection in infants), and B. lactis AD011 (general intestinal health). Beyond probiotics, the company works on pharmabiotics โ human microbiome materials and their constituents intended for the prevention or treatment of disease โ and offers health analysis services based on DTC genetic testing and NGS gut microbiota analysis.
BIFIDO describes an in-house one-stop industrialization platform spanning candidate selection through finished-product manufacturing, supported by fully automated production lines and two plants (the first established in 2003 and a second expanded in 2013). The company is listed on the KOSDAQ exchange under ticker 238200 and reported 83 employees.
Founding story
The company was founded in 1999 on the biotechnology expertise of the research team of Professor Geun-Eog Ji of Seoul National University, with the stated aim of becoming a leader in the human microbiome field; the underlying Bifidobacterium research dates to 1988.
Business model
The company develops and manufactures probiotic and pharmabiotic products in-house, selling strain-based finished products and providing one-stop ODM services to global customers, alongside health analysis services using DTC genetic testing and NGS gut microbiome analysis.
Latest developments
A 2024 review article on the role of Bifidobacterium in longevity and the future of probiotics, published in Food Science and Biotechnology, was co-authored by researchers at BIFIDO's Research Center in Hongcheon.
โธFull profile โ market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
The company presents itself as a specialist in human-derived Bifidobacterium and states it was the first microbiome company to list on KOSDAQ (December 2018). It is classified under pharmaceutical preparations.
Technology
The company's technology base is human-derived Bifidobacterium strain research and a proprietary R&D and industrialization platform covering probiotic and pharmabiotic candidate selection through finished-product manufacturing on automated production lines. It holds patents in Korea, the US and Japan, and multiple strains have US FDA NDI and GRAS filings. Pharmabiotic work includes Bifidobacterium strains selected for improving symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in animal models, with pipeline expansion toward cancer and other immune-related diseases.
Go-to-market
BIFIDO sells its own strain-based probiotic products and serves global brand customers through one-stop ODM services covering product development and manufacturing.
Consumers of probiotic products in South Korea and internationally, and global brand owners seeking ODM development and manufacturing of probiotic products.
Geography
Headquartered at 23-16 Nonggongdanji-gil, Hongcheon-eup, South Korea, with domestic and overseas operations including a Chinese subsidiary established in Shanghai in 2019 and products sold internationally.
History
Bifidobacterium research by Professor Geun-Eog Ji began in 1988. (์ฃผ)๋นํผ๋ was established in October 1999. It was designated a national probiotics research laboratory in March 2003 and built its first plant in September 2003, obtained GMP facility designation from the Korean food and drug authority in March 2006, and expanded a second plant in March 2013. The company received awards for health industry technology research in 2007 and 2008 and a Presidential Commendation on Trade Day in December 2017. US FDA New Dietary Ingredient notifications were recorded for B. bifidum BGN4 (August 2018), B. longum BORI (September 2018) and B. lactis AD011 (September 2019), with GRAS listings for BGN4 and BORI in June 2019. The company listed on KOSDAQ in December 2018 and established a Chinese subsidiary in Shanghai in July 2019.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources โ announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed โ not independently audited.
Timeline ยท 14
launches, deals, and filingsDated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
โธResearch sources ยท 8
primary sources listed
- Bifidobifido.com ยท web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Bifido do?
- South Korean microbiome company developing and manufacturing human-derived Bifidobacterium probiotics and pharmabiotics.
- Who founded Bifido?
- Bifido was founded by Geun-Eog Ji.
- Who are Bifido's investors?
- Bifido's investors include Atinum Investment Co. Ltd..
- Where is Bifido headquartered?
- Bifido is headquartered in Hongcheon, KR.