Kangstem
Founded 2010 Β· 25 employees on LinkedIn Β· Public Β· 2 known investors
Kangstem Biotech is a South Korean biotechnology company developing stem cell-based therapeutics for rare and intractable diseases, including its FURESTEM-OA product for osteoarthritis. It also operates a CDMO (contract development and manufacturing) business and conducts related R&D.
Also known as Kangstem Biotech Β· Kangstem Biotech Co., Ltd. Β· κ°μ€ν λ°μ΄μ€ν
Investors Β· 2
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Kangstem Biotech Co., Ltd. is a South Korean biopharmaceutical company that researches and develops stem cell-based therapeutics, with a focus on allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells for rare and difficult-to-treat diseases. Its clinical-stage pipeline includes FURESTEM-OA Kit Inj. (marketed under the name OSCA), a combination product in which an allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell drug acts together with a cell-free cartilage-derived acellular matrix medical device (CAM Inj.) for knee osteoarthritis patients with cartilage damage; FURESTEM-AD Inj. for moderate-to-severe chronic atopic dermatitis; and FURESTEM-RA Inj. The company also pursues advanced regenerative medicine clinical research.
Beyond therapeutics, Kangstem operates an organoid business built on three-dimensional, self-organizing tissue models (including skin and pancreatic islet organoids) used as human-mimicking evaluation platforms and as a basis for next-generation regenerative technologies. A stem cell culture products line sells USC-CM (umbilical cord blood-derived stem cell conditioned media containing growth factors such as GDF11, EGF, VEGF, KGF, HGF, TGF-beta, FGF-2 and PDGF), serum-free and conditioned culture media kits (StemVie XF Medium Kit, KSB-3 Complete Medium Kit) and CryoSupport cell freezing/storage boxes. A health and beauty arm markets GD-11, a cell-bio derma cosmetic brand based on the company's international patents and the USC1994 human umbilical cord blood cell culture medium. Facilities described by the company include a global R&D center and a stem cell GMP center.
The company additionally offers contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) services, drawing on its SELAF platform, which it describes as a one-stop stem cell platform spanning stem cell isolation and production through clinical stages.
Founding story
Kangstem Biotech was founded in 2010 by Kyung-Sun Kang, a Seoul National University professor, to develop stem cell therapeutic products for rare and incurable diseases, with a stated long-term mission of 'Noble life & Healthy ageing.'
Business model
Kangstem combines proprietary drug development with commercial service and product lines. It develops its own stem cell therapeutics (Furestem franchise) and organoid platforms, while generating business through CDMO services (contract development, contract manufacturing and technical consulting), sale of stem cell culture media and conditioned media, cell freezing/thawing platform products, adipose stem cell business, and cosmetics under the GD-11 brand.
Revenue sources described include CDMO fees for contract development, manufacturing, cell banking, quality testing and filling/cryopreservation services; product sales of culture media kits, conditioned media and CryoSupport cryogenic boxes (priced on inquiry); and consumer sales of GD-11 cosmetics. Therapeutic candidates remain in development.
Traction
The company is listed on KOSDAQ and reports over a decade of GMP cell therapy manufacturing experience with multiple Korean licenses. Reported milestones include clinical efficacy and structural improvement data for OSCA in moderate knee osteoarthritis patients, participation in an approved government-led advanced regenerative medicine knee osteoarthritis clinical study, and an MTEA agreement with a global top-five pharmaceutical company involving hair follicle organoid technology.
Latest developments
Company news items dated 2026 report: research by the CSO's Seoul National University team demonstrating a treatment effect of a vascularized artificial liver in an animal model of liver failure (2026-08-10); approval of a government-led advanced regenerative medicine clinical study in knee osteoarthritis in which Kangstem participates (2026-08-05); the appointment of founder Kyung-Sun Kang as Chief Scientific Officer (2026-08-03); reported efficacy and structural improvement results for OSCA in moderate knee osteoarthritis patients (2026-07-28); an MTEA agreement with a global top-five pharmaceutical company based on hair follicle organoid technology (2026-07-16); and selection of Professor Kyung-Sun Kang among 30 outstanding R&D achievements announced by Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare (2026-07-10).
βΈFull profile β market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
The company positions itself as a global cell therapy developer, citing more than ten years of GMP-compliant operating and manufacturing experience in cell therapy, including clinical trials and regulatory inspections, and holding licenses for advanced biopharmaceutical manufacturing, human cells and tissues management, a licensed cell processing facility under Korea's Act on Advanced Regenerative Medicine and Advanced Biopharmaceuticals, and specified cell-processed product manufacturing.
Kangstem differentiates on its allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell platform and the integrated SELAF one-stop platform spanning isolation, production and clinical supply, combined with in-house GMP facilities licensed for advanced biopharmaceuticals and cell processing. Its media products are claimed to deliver faster proliferation and higher CFU-F activity for human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells than DMEM, and its CryoSupport box is claimed to cut handling time and avoid transferring vials from controlled-rate freezer racks to cell boxes.
Technology
Core technology centers on allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells and the SELAF platform covering stem cell isolation, production and clinical supply. Capabilities cited include isolation from various human-derived tissues, large-scale cell expansion, proprietary freeze formulation, CRF-based cryopreservation and M1 Filling Station-based pharmaceutical filling. The company has also developed a method for generating patient-specific induced neural stem cells (iNSCs) directly from skin fibroblasts, which can be further differentiated into neural cell types for therapies and drug screening. Additional platforms include organoid technology (skin, pancreatic islet, hair follicle organoids), serum-free mesenchymal stem cell media (StemVie XF, KSB-3 Complete Medium) and USC-CM conditioned media.
Go-to-market
Patients with rare and intractable conditions such as knee osteoarthritis, atopic dermatitis and rheumatoid arthritis are the end users of the therapeutic pipeline. Business-to-business customers include pharmaceutical and biotech developers seeking cell therapy contract development and manufacturing, laboratories and cell therapy manufacturers buying culture media, conditioned media and cryopreservation consumables, and cosmetics consumers for the GD-11 brand.
Geography
Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, with a global R&D center and a stem cell GMP center; it has collaborated with a US-based partner (Boston-based ORIG3N) and reports a licensing-type agreement with a global top-five large pharmaceutical company.
History
Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Seoul, the company listed on the KOSDAQ market on 21 December 2015. In 2016 it entered a scientific collaboration with Boston-based ORIG3N to study induced neural stem cells in disease modeling, supplying iNSCs for ORIG3N's platform. In 2026 the company reported an MTEA agreement with a global top-five pharmaceutical company based on hair follicle organoid technology, clinical efficacy findings for its OSCA knee osteoarthritis product, approval of a government-led advanced regenerative medicine clinical study in knee osteoarthritis, and the appointment of founder Kyung-Sun Kang as Chief Scientific Officer.
Compiled by commissioned research from 6 cited public sources β 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 β not independently audited.
Timeline Β· 7
launches, deals, and filingsA government-led advanced regenerative medicine clinical study in knee osteoarthritis, in which Kangstem Biotech participates, received approval.
Kangstem Biotech appointed its founder, Seoul National University professor Kyung-Sun Kang, as Chief Scientific Officer.
Company news reports that its knee osteoarthritis treatment OSCA showed efficacy and structural improvement in patients with moderate disease.
Company news reports the signing of an MTEA agreement with a global top-five large pharmaceutical company based on hair follicle organoid technology.
Kangstem Biotech and Boston-based ORIG3N announced a scientific collaboration to study the utility of induced neural stem cells (iNSC) in disease modeling, with Kangstem supplying iNSCs for ORIG3N's disease-modeling platform.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
βΈResearch sources Β· 6
primary sources listed
- Kangstemkangstem.com Β· web
6 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Kangstem do?
- South Korean cell therapy developer working on umbilical cord blood stem cell drugs, organoids and CDMO services.
- Who are Kangstem's investors?
- Kangstem's investors include Atinum Investment Co. Ltd., Kiwoom Investment.