엑소스템텍
3 known investors
Exostemtech develops stem cell-derived exosome therapeutics and exosome platforms, including plant-derived exosomes, and offers research-use materials such as research stem cells and exosomes. The company operates in the biotechnology sector with a focus on exosome-based drug development.
Also known as (주)엑소스템텍 · Exostemtech · ExoStemTech
Investors · 3
Also in the syndicate · 2
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Exostemtech (엑소스템텍) is a South Korean biotechnology venture that develops exosome-based therapeutics derived from adult stem cells, including functional exosomes engineered for enhanced therapeutic effect. The company describes platform technologies for exosome production, a proprietary mass-production platform branded mP³EXO™, and internal capabilities for exosome quality and characterization analysis supported by dedicated R&D organizations and external research networks. It also holds original patents on stem cell-derived exosomes and exosome application technologies, and lists its business activities as medical and pharmaceutical R&D, manufacturing of research consumables, and cosmetics wholesale/retail, e-commerce and import/export.
The pipeline comprises more than eight programs, including CARTISOME® for osteoarthritis/degenerative arthritis, BEIGESOME® for obesity, diabetes and fatty liver, EST-T-EXO for tendinopathy, OSTEOSOME® for osteoporosis, HEPATOSOME® for liver fibrosis, HYPOXISOME® for pulmonary fibrosis, EST-SFX-T as an anti-cancer (tumour exosome inhibitor) candidate, and a protein loading and delivery platform. In July 2021 the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved an IND for EST-SFX-T in combination with the immune checkpoint inhibitor Keytruda, a Phase 1/2a study in patients with advanced solid tumours relapsed or refractory to Keytruda, reported as the first domestic combination trial approval pairing a cancer exosome inhibitor with an anti-cancer drug. The company also targeted Phase 1/2a entry for its degenerative arthritis candidate in the first half of 2022 and for its liver fibrosis candidate in the second half of 2022, with GMP manufacturing underway for both.
Business model
The company develops proprietary exosome therapeutic candidates in-house and licenses in academic technology (patents transferred from Hanyang University), while also generating revenue from research consumables manufacturing and cosmetics-related trade and e-commerce activities; reported revenue was KRW 956.7 million in 2025 against an operating loss.
Traction
Reported revenue of KRW 1.38 billion (2022), KRW 670 million (2023), KRW 1.06 billion (2024) and KRW 957 million (2025), with operating losses narrowing from KRW 5.05 billion in 2022 to KRW 50 million in 2025. Staff numbered 26 as of 2021-12-31. Clinically, the company holds a Korean IND for EST-SFX-T plus Keytruda and was pursuing further Phase 1/2a entries for its arthritis and liver fibrosis candidates.
Latest developments
In November 2025 the company announced a joint stem cell and exosome R&D agreement with Medikan, building on a January 2024 MOU on stem cell isolation, culture and exosome production systems, and plans to enter the Saudi Arabian market via Medikan's Saudi joint venture and the Saudi-Korea Industrial Village project, with plans for global centres for intractable disease and anti-aging treatment. On 1 November 2025 it announced selection as lead organization of a KIAT national project to develop a pre-filled needle-free injection device for exosome drugs targeting inflammatory disease, running to December 2028 with a total budget of KRW 5.4 billion, executed with an international consortium including Medikan, Hanyang University, Catholic University Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
A Korean exosome-focused biotech venture classified under medical and pharmaceutical R&D, ranked 217th of its domestic industry peer group by disclosed revenue in 2025 and categorised as a small or medium-sized enterprise.
Company materials emphasise proprietary platforms for stable large-scale exosome manufacturing (mP³EXO™), the ability to produce both naïve and function-enhanced exosomes, in-house exosome quality/characterization analysis, and original patents licensed from Hanyang University.
Technology
Platforms for producing naïve adult stem cell-derived exosomes and functional exosomes with enhanced therapeutic effects; the mP³EXO™ platform for exosome mass production; exosome characterization and quality-analysis capabilities; and a protein loading and delivery platform. Exosomes are described as 30–150 nm extracellular vesicles that transfer information between cells and are applied to anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and tissue-regeneration indications due to drug-delivery and regenerative properties.
Go-to-market
Patients with intractable and degenerative conditions addressed by its clinical pipeline (osteoarthritis, liver and pulmonary fibrosis, osteoporosis, tendinopathy, metabolic disease and solid tumours), plus pharmaceutical and device partners such as Humedix and Pharmgen Science, which participate as demand companies in its national needle-free injector project.
Geography
Headquartered at the Business Incubation Center, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Through its partnership with Medikan the company is pursuing entry into Saudi Arabia, where stem cell and exosome isolation, culture and production facilities are planned inside a bio plant in a Saudi industrial complex linked to the Saudi-Korea Industrial Village project.
History
Exostemtech Co., Ltd. was established on 2016-03-08. In 2016 it obtained certification as a corporate research institute and venture company and received patent technology transfers from Hanyang University covering stem cell exosome-based cosmetics, adipose regeneration and cartilage regeneration technologies. In July 2017 it was selected for a Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy promising bio-IP project for a stem cell exosome liver disease therapeutic (total government research funding of KRW 2 billion), followed by a paid-in capital increase in November 2017. In February 2018 it received a further Hanyang University patent transfer covering stem cell exosome-based obesity/diabetes and lung disease therapeutics. A KRW 10 billion Series B round closed in October 2021, and in 2025 the company announced a joint R&D agreement and Saudi Arabian market expansion with Medikan and selection as lead organization for a KIAT-supervised national project.
Risks & controversies
The company has recorded consecutive annual operating and net losses since at least 2022, and its NICE-based industry indicators place stability and growth in the lower tier with a debt ratio of 180% at end-2025. A stated plan to list on KOSDAQ via the technology special listing track in the second half of 2022, with Daishin Securities as underwriter, is not shown as completed in the material available.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — 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 — not independently audited.
Timeline · 9
launches, deals, and filingsAnnounced entry into the Saudi Arabian stem cell and exosome market alongside Medikan, which has established a Saudi joint venture under the Saudi-Korea Industrial Village project; the partners plan to build stem cell and exosome isolation, culture and production facilities in a bio plant within the Saudi industrial complex, plus centres for intractable disease and anti-aging treatment.
Announced a joint research and development agreement with medical device and stem cell company Medikan in the stem cell and exosome fields.
Selected as lead organization for the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology project 'Advanced Manufacturing Technology for Global Expansion of Convergent Bio-Medical Products', developing a needle-free injection device pre-filled with exosome drugs for inflammatory disease. Total budget KRW 5.4 billion, running to December 2028, with an international consortium including Medikan, Hanyang University (Prof. Hyojong Yoo), Catholic University Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital (Prof. Seokjung Kim) and Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School (Prof. Hyungsoon Im); Humedix and Pharmgen Science participate as demand companies.
Signed a memorandum of understanding with Medikan to develop systems for stem cell isolation, culture and exosome production, followed by joint R&D.
Announced a Series B round of KRW 10 billion with participation from DSC Investment, IMM Investment, We Ventures, Laguna Investment and Hana Financial Investment, to accelerate clinical development.
Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved a Phase 1/2a combination trial of tumour exosome inhibitor EST-SFX-T with pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in patients with advanced solid tumours relapsed or refractory to Keytruda; reported as the first domestic combination trial approval for a cancer exosome inhibitor with an anti-cancer drug.
Received transfer of Hanyang University patent technologies for stem cell exosome-based obesity/diabetes and lung disease therapeutics.
Selected for a Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy promising bio-IP program to develop a stem cell exosome-based liver disease therapeutic, with total government research funding of KRW 2 billion.
Received transfer of Hanyang University patent technologies covering stem cell exosome-based cosmetics, adipose regeneration and cartilage regeneration.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- 엑소스템텍exostemtech.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does 엑소스템텍 do?
- Korean biotech developing stem cell-derived exosome therapeutics with in-house mass-production and characterization platforms.
- Who are 엑소스템텍's investors?
- 엑소스템텍's investors include Laguna Investment.