Korea’s pipeline share reaches 14.2% Holds 14.2% in 2026 behind US and China as biologics overtake chemical drugs globally for the first time,
South Korea’s pharmaceutical pipeline share stands at 14.2% as of 2026. (Image source: Shutterstock)
South Korea has established itself as a global force in new drug development, securing third place worldwide behind the United States and China. Among domestic pharmaceutical companies, Daewoong Pharmaceutical has emerged as the clear leader in new drug pipelines, driving the innovative growth of Korean Bio (K-bio).
According to industry sources on April 24, the Korea Bioindustry Association’s Bio-Economy Research Center recently analyzed a report by Citeline, a global pharmaceutical data analytics firm. The report revealed that South Korea’s pharmaceutical pipeline share stands at 14.2% as of 2026. This figure trails only the United States at first place (50.8%) and China at second (31.1%), making it all the more significant that Korea has surpassed Japan and major European nations — traditionally recognized as pharmaceutical powerhouses.
The report stated, “Korea has long been known as a country focused on improved new drugs, but in reality, a substantial amount of new drug research and development is underway,” adding, “With a larger pipeline than Japan, Korea is more than deserving of attention.”
Among domestic companies, Daewoong Pharmaceutical leads the field with a total of 58 pipeline candidates, reflecting the most active research activity in the sector. It is followed by Dong-A ST (51), Hanmi Pharmaceutical (45), Celltrion (44), and Chong Kun Dang (44), all ranking among the top tier.
Daewoong Pharmaceutical invested 219.9 billion won (approximately $148.5 million), equivalent to 15.8% of last year’s revenue, into research and development, which is the highest investment ratio among the domestic “Big 5” pharmaceutical companies. The company is establishing an “R&D virtuous cycle” model, leveraging its already market-established drugs such as Fexuclue, a novel treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease, and Enbloc, a novel drug for diabetes, as cash cows to accelerate the development of next-generation innovative medicines.
Meanwhile, the global new drug development market has entered what analysts describe as a phase of “selection and concentration.” The total number of pipeline candidates declined by approximately 3.9% compared to the previous year, marking the first decrease since the mid-1990s. However, drugs in later-stage development, including Phase 1 through Phase 3 clinical trials, actually increased. This suggests that companies are concentrating resources on later-stage clinical candidates with higher success probabilities, rather than refining preclinical candidates.
This year also marks a significant turning point in the history of global pharmaceutical development. Biologics have accounted for 50% of the overall share, surpassing chemical (synthetically produced) drugs for the first time ever. As the development of biologics-based therapies including antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) continues to accelerate, the paradigm of new drug development is undergoing a fundamental shift.
Choi Mun-hee
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