About Us

Continuing our journey of challenge
and innovation for a healthier world.
History & Awards
History
  • 2023~2024History
    • Establishment of 'Handok-Sobi,' a joint venture between Handok and global biopharmaceutical company Sobi for the rare disease business. Publication of 'Handok Archive 70: Road to Innovation' to commemorate Handok's 70th anniversary. Publication of the 2023 Sustainability Management Report. Hosting of the R&D Symposium on Open Innovation to celebrate Handok's 70th anniversary.
    • Invested in and established a strategic partnership with the digital healthcare startup “Doctor Diary” for chronic disease management.
  • 2022 Opened Handok Future Complex (R&D Center) Opened Handok Future Complex (R&D Center), integrating the existing Product Development Lab and New Drug Development Lab to strengthen R&D capabilities and infrastructure. We are accelerating global new drug development through advanced open innovation and our own drug development efforts.
  • 2021History
    • Invested in the startup “WELT” and established a strategic partnership. Invested in the bioventure “Spark Biopharma” and established a strategic partnership. Established “Innocuve”, a biohealthcare startup accelerator (subsidiary). Established and distributed a Code of Conduct for business partners.
  • 2020 Handok Ranked 1st in Domestic Listed Companies’ ESG Evaluation. Handok, a domestic listed company, has taken the top spot in the ESG evaluation conducted by the Sustainable Development Institute, which targeted 799 domestic listed companies. Handok has internalized sustainable management based on transparent and ethical management that creates a healthy governance structure, co-prosperity management that builds a healthy society, and eco-friendly management that creates a healthy environment, and continues to practice it consistently.
  • 2013 ~ 2019History
    • Invested in the American bioventure “Rezolute”. Invested in “Trigger Therapeutics” (now Compass Therapeutics). Invested in “SCM Life Science” and secured a stem cell therapy pipeline. Established a strategic partnership with “ABL Bio”. Began construction of the R&D Center.
    • The establishment of the anti-bribery management system.
    • Completed the construction of the Plaster production plant.
    • Acquired the Japanese functional ingredient company "Theravalues".
    • Established "Handok Kalos Medical". Reopened the Handok Museum of Medicine and Pharmacy and established the Life Gallery.
    • Acquired the pharmaceutical business division of "Pacific Pharma". Established a dedicated organization for ethical management. The appointment of the representative director as the compliance manager. (The first time in the pharmaceutical industry)
    • Established the joint venture "Teva-Handok."
  • 2013 Handok’s Name Change and Declaration as a Total Healthcare Company Vision Handok has transitioned from a joint venture to an independent company. We have changed our name from Handok Pharmaceuticals to Handok, marking a new beginning as a total healthcare company representing South Korea and a global enterprise with world-class standards. Since then, Handok has been enhancing its business competitiveness through bold mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and investments, expanding into various healthcare sectors including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, health functional foods, and special medical purpose foods. Furthermore, we are securing future growth engines through open innovation-based R&D in 2012
  • 2012 Transitioning from Joint Ventures to Independent Company In the face of a rapidly evolving pharmaceutical environment, Handok has strategically restructured its 48-year joint venture to assert full decision-making authority. This move enables us to venture into new business areas, develop new drugs, and expand into international markets. Despite changes in our collaboration partners due to global pharmaceutical industry trends, Handok’s sustained collaborative efforts are regarded as a model in the domestic pharmaceutical industry.
  • 2010 Excellence in Transparent Management Award Handok, having introduced advanced management techniques early on through collaboration with global companies, established a transparent management infrastructure with the introduction of ERP in 1997, and pioneered the use of corporate cards across all sales divisions in 1998. In 2010, Handok was recognized for its ethical management foundation, transparent operations, labor-management harmony, social contributions, and eco-friendly management practices. This recognition led to Handok being the first in the pharmaceutical industry to receive the Excellence in Transparent Management Award, hosted by the five major economic organizations in Korea.
  • 2009 Amaryl Mex, the Korea New Drug Development Award for Technological Innovation Following the release of Daonil in 1973, the launch of Amaryl in 1998 established Handok as a leading name in diabetes treatment. Notably, Amaryl M, the world’s first combination of immediate-release glimepiride and extended-release metformin, was recognized for its innovation, winning the Korea New Drug Development Award in 2009.
    Handok’s proprietary technology, DRM (Dual Release Micro-coating), applied to Amaryl M, is a dual-release drug coating technique that combines both extended-release and immediate-release formulations into one compound. This technology was also incorporated into the DPP-4 inhibitor combination drug Tenelia M SR, launched in 2015.
  • 2006 ~ 2009History
    • Established the Handok Employee Volunteer Initiative. Established the corporate slogan “The Health Innovator”. Introduced the Compliance Program and internal accounting control system.
    • Implemented the Clean Card system.
    • Declared Vision 2016. Completed the “Future Creation Training Center” for Employee Development. Established and implemented the Handok Pharmaceutical Ethical Charter.
    • Established the Handok Jeseok Foundation. Achieved highest rating for good manufacturing practice (GMP) performance from the Korean Food & Drug Administration for all 5 dosage forms manufactured in the Eumseong Plant
  • 2006 Declaration of Independent Operatoin by Handok Pharmaceuticals Handok has maintained a strategic collaboration with Sanofi Aventis while launching an independent management system that separates the management structures. This transformation aims to maximize value and focus capabilities of both Handok and Sanofi Aventis. It marks the beginning of a foundation for high growth through organizational restructuring and the exploration of new business ventures.
  • 1995 ~ 2005History
    • The merger of "Sanofi-Synthélabo" and "Aventis" led to the launch of the Handok Pharmaceuticals-Sanofi Aventis system.
    • The merger of "Hoechst AG" and "Rhône-Poulenc Rorer" led to the launch of the Handok Pharmaceuticals Aventis Pharma system.
    • Implemented corporate cards across all sales divisions for transparent expense management.
    • Introduced ERP for transparent management infrastructure (first in the pharmaceutical industry).
    • Established a new CI.
  • 1995 Completion of Handok’s GMP-Compliant Production Facility Handok completed the construction of a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical production facility in Eumseong, Chungcheongbuk-do, which was designed to meet the stringent standards of the U.S. FDA and the WHO. At the time, it was the largest facility of its kind in Korea. From the initial design to the final completion, Handok’s production facility was developed with technical advice and supervision from German experts. To this day, Handok continues to uphold the highest standards in drug production and quality control, never compromising on quality.
  • 1964 ~ 1992History
    • Relocated the headquarters to Teheran-ro, Gangnam, Seoul.
    • Established "Roussel Korea Co., Ltd."
    • Established the Central Research Institute Designated as a KGMP qualified company.
    • Signed an exclusive sales contract with Eppendorf AG, Germany.
    • Registered as a public company.
    • Signed a technical collaboration agreement with "Roussel-Uclaf", France.
    • Signed a technical collaboration agreement with "Ciba-Geigy", Switzerland.
    • Launched the company magazine Home Doctor.
    • Opened the Handok Museum of Medicine (now Handok Museum of Medicine and Pharmacy) to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Handok’s founding.
  • 1964 Joint Venture Agreement with Hoechst AG, Germany In 1964, Handok established the first joint venture in Korea with Germany’s Hoechst AG, demonstrating an early commitment to global standards across management and business operations.
  • 1957 ~ 1959History
    • Completed the factory and began producing pharmaceuticals at the level of advanced countries.
    • Changed the company name to Handok Pharmaceuticals.
  • 1957 Technical License Agreement with Hoechst AG In 1957, Handok signed a groundbreaking technical license agreement with Hoechst AG, which was renowned for its pharmaceutical expertise worldwide. By 1959, Handok’s state-of-the-art facility began producing advanced pharmaceuticals domestically, playing a pioneering role in advancing Korea’s pharmaceutical industry and contributing significantly to foreign exchange savings.
  • 1954 Founding of Handok’s Predecessor, Union Drugs Company During the Korean War, as the temporary capital shifted from Busan to Seoul after the armistice, Mr. Kim Shin-kwon, the founder who had managed Dongseo Pharmaceuticals in Busan, gathered capital and wisdom from six partners to establish Union(Yeonhap in Korean) Drugs Company in Seoul’s Namdaemun-ro 2-ga.
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