MEDIPOST Announces the Exclusive Commercialization License Agreement with Teikoku Seiyaku for Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment CARTISTEM® in Japan

- South Korean biotech company secures US$8 million in upfront payment for the joint commercialization of the stem cell therapy CARTISTEM^® targeting the Japanese knee osteoarthritis market.

SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MEDIPOST Co., Ltd. (KOSDAQ 078160), a fully integrated cell therapy biotechnology company, today announced a multi-year partnership with Japan's Teikoku Seiyaku Co., Ltd. for the commercialization of CARTISTEM^®, an innovative treatment for knee osteoarthritis, in the Japanese market.

Under the terms of the agreement, MEDIPOST K.K. (MEDIPOST's wholly-owend Japanese subsidiary) will grant an exclusive sales, distribution and promotion license for CARTISTEM^® in Japan to Teikoku Seiyaku Co. Ltd.. Further, MEDIPOST will supply the drug substance (DS) while retaining all manufacturing rights. Additionally, MEDIPOST will receive an upfront payment of US$8 million, along with a US$10 million short-term regulatory-based milestone and undisclosed sales-based long-term milestones.

In turn, Teikoku Seiyaku Co. Ltd. will leverage its extensive orthopedic hospital and clinic network to promote and distribute CARTISTEM^® in order to accelerate CARTISTEM^®'s adoption among patients with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis. Teikoku Seiyaku Co. Ltd. also plans to expand its medical representative division ahead of CARTISTEM^®'s approval and as it seeks to address the significant unmet medical needs in Japan's knee osteoarthritis treatment landscape.

About CARTISTEM^®

CARTISTEM^® is an allogeneic stem cell therapy designed to treat moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis. Since receiving regulatory approval in South Korea in 2012, CARTISTEM^® has been administered to more than 35,000 patients over the past 13 years. CARTISTEM^® demonstrates the ability to regenerate cartilage in knee osteoarthritis patients and holds the potential to be recognized as a disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD).

About MEDIPOST

Founded in 2000, MEDIPOST is a global stem cell therapy company with integrated capabilities spanning across discovery research with product and clinical development of allogeneic cell therapy pipelines, cord blood banking, and cell and gene therapy contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) business portfolios. MEDIPOST successfully commercialized the world's first regulatory-approved (2012) allogeneic human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (hUCB-MSC) therapy product, CARTISTEM^®, for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis patients across all age groups.

About Teikoku Seiyaku
Founded in 1848, Teikoku Seiyaku is dedicated to its mission "For a World Without Pain." Leveraging its expertise in transdermal drug delivery technology, the company develops, manufactures, and markets pharmaceutical products, including transdermal patches and medical narcotics. For osteoarthritis, Teikoku Seiyaku has entered into a basic sales agreement with ReqMed Company, Ltd. regarding exclusive distribution rights in Japan for a subcutaneous injection containing NaPPS (sodium pentosan polysulfate), which is currently in Phase 3 clinical trials in Japan. Going forward, in orthopedics—one of its priority areas—we will expand its dedicated orthopedic team on the scale of 100 members and further strengthen its efforts to deliver treatments for diseases with high unmet medical needs, including osteoarthritis, to patients.

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MEDIPOST Announces the Exclusive Commercialization License Agreement with Teikoku Seiyaku for Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment CARTISTEM® in Japan

PARIS, April 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Korea Carbon Industry Promotion Agency (Kcarbon), in collaboration with Gyeongsangbuk-do, successfully concluded its participation in JEC World 2026, the world's largest composites exhibition, held from March 10 to 12 in Paris, France. Through the operation of the Korea Pavilion, the agency strengthened the global presence of Korea's carbon materials and advanced application technologies.

The Korea Pavilion featured 12 leading small and medium-sized enterprises specializing in carbon materials and components. The exhibition showcased a wide range of high-value materials, including carbon fiber composites, recycled carbon fiber, carbon nanotubes, and graphene, as well as their applications in thermal management products, electric aircraft batteries, wind turbine blade components, and water treatment systems.

Participating companies—Neomond, Daesung Metal, Daeshin Techgen, VSPACE, Shinsung Materials, CTCM, FRT Robotics, O2NB, Il Sung Composites, Cartech H, and Taerim Industry—demonstrated capabilities spanning from raw materials to finished products for aerospace, medical devices, and environmental systems. Leveraging differentiated manufacturing technologies and stable production capabilities, the companies engaged in extensive business discussions with buyers from Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East, achieving tangible outcomes.

Notably, Daeshin Techgen and O2NB secured export contracts totaling $450,000 with international buyers. Daeshin Techgen signed supply agreements with U.S.-based PBS International and N-Water, valued at $200,000 for electromagnetic shielding composites and $100,000 for CNT nanofilters. O2NB concluded a $150,000 contract with Kayo Partners in Gabon for water purification systems, marking a new entry into the African market.

Other participating companies also leveraged the exhibition to explore global opportunities. VSPACE presented solutions for urban air mobility (UAM), FRT Robotics showcased robotic exoskeleton technologies, and Cartech H introduced innovations in recycled carbon fiber technologies, all aiming to expand partnerships in European and global markets.

During the exhibition, the agency operated a dedicated B2B meeting zone in cooperation with the Korea Carbon and Nano Industry Association

(KCANIA) and the World Federation of Overseas Korean Economic And Trade Associations(OKTA). The initiative provided buyer matching, interpretation support for technical discussions, and on-site assistance for exhibitors, contributing to meaningful business outcomes.

Park Gyu-soon, Acting President of the Korea Carbon Industry Promotion Agency, stated, "JEC World 2026 provided an excellent opportunity to present the innovative technologies of Korean carbon companies to the global market. We will continue to identify global partnership opportunities and support companies in strengthening their export competitiveness."

The successful conclusion of the Korea Pavilion at JEC World 2026 underscores Korea's growing competitiveness in advanced carbon materials and its commitment to expanding its footprint in the global composites market.

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THE KOREA INDUSTRY DAILY: Korea Pavilion Concludes Successful Showcase at JEC World 2026, Secures $450,000 in Export Deals and Expands Global Partnerships