Bio Korea 2021 introduces innovative bio-health technologies

An international conference on the bio-health industry has kicked off in Seoul, where innovative technologies will show their leading roles in the post-Covid-19 era.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said it would hold Bio Korea 2021 at the COEX C Hall in southern Seoul from Wednesday to Friday.

For the past 15 years, the annual convention has contributed to promoting Korea’s technological power in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries and reinforcing international trade and exchanges.

Korea 2021 that showcases innovative technologies in the bio-health sector will be held at the COEX C Hall in southern Seoul from Wednesday to Friday.

Bio Korea 2021 will offer simultaneous online and offline programs, including academic events, exhibitions, business forums, investor relations meetings, and a job fair. The event gathers over 680 companies from 53 countries and over 20,000 visitors.

The prolonged Covid-19 pandemic slashed the nation’s total export by 5.5 percent year-on-year in 2020. However, export in the healthcare sector jumped 38.3 percent last year, the fastest growth in history.

In the wake of Covid-19, infectious disease response capabilities and competitiveness in the bio-health sector, including vaccine development/production technologies, have become crucial in maintaining public health and economic stability.

With an ever-growing interest in the healthcare industry, Bio Korea 2021 will look at innovative changes in bio-health technologies and directions to respond to the “New Normal” era.

Over 230 local and overseas experts from 18 countries in the bio-health sector will be speakers at academic events to discuss various topics -- immuno-oncology, dementia, vaccines, data convergence technologies such as digital therapeutics and artificial intelligence, and industry information.

More specifically, in the session for digital therapeutics, speakers will present issues of local digital therapeutics, approval review plans, and solutions for the globalization of digital therapeutics.

As pharmaceutical firms worldwide are speeding up the development of Covid-19 vaccines and treatments, participants will also discuss issues such as safe and effective vaccine development and securing vaccine production technology, next-generation rapid diagnostics, development cases of domestic and overseas Covid-19 treatments by stage, and measures to respond to future infectious diseases.

Exhibitions and business forums will be held online and offline simultaneously for lively exchanges of technologies and business opportunities between healthcare companies.

Exhibitions will be run according to each topic, including innovation startup, digital healthcare, and Covid-19 prevention and control so that participants can see the current state of innovation in the domestic bio-health sector and efforts to overcome the national infectious disease crisis at a glance.

Multinational firms such as Lonza, Merch, and Boehringer Ingelheim will participate in business presentations to introduce business cooperation models and offer opportunities to exchange technologies for domestic companies.

An investment fair and a job fair will also take place to develop new lucrative items, seek business opportunities, and create jobs.

At Invest Fair, CEOs of 20 companies, including Cellid, Bioneer, Lunit, and Biot Korea, will present their latest trends, corporate strategies, and visions in seven sectors such as Covid-19 vaccine and treatment, AI, and antibody platform.

At the job fair to nurture healthcare workers, 50 domestic companies will hire about 250 new and experienced employees.

“The government is aggressively supporting the healthcare industry as one of Korea's three major growth engines along with future cars and system semiconductors. In addition, the industry is expected to become more important with the nation’s recent push to become a global vaccine hub,” Health and Welfare Minister Kwon Deok-chul said.

Kwon Soon-man, president of the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), the event organizer, said he would make sure that the 16th Bio Korea convention will provide a platform for innovative technology deals and contribute to the growth of the bio-health industry.