Hanmi Pharmaceutical

Founded in 1973, Hanmi Pharmaceutical is an R&D-focused South Korean pharmaceutical company that represents the domestic pharmaceutical industry through improved new drugs and out-licensing of new dru

Hanmi Pharmaceutical

Overview

Hanmi Pharmaceutical is a leading R&D-centered South Korean pharmaceutical company founded in 1973 by Chairman Lim Sung-ki (임성기). It holds top-tier domestic prescription performance in chronic disease treatments such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes, as well as in improved new drugs, and has continued global technology exports based on new drug pipelines in obesity, diabetes, and oncology. Its headquarters are in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, and the holding company Hanmi Science (한미사이언스) oversees its affiliates.

Key Details

Company Overview and History

After Chairman Lim Sung-ki founded it as "Hanmi Pharmaceutical Industry" (한미약품공업사) in 1973, it grew by converting into a corporation in 1976. In the 1980s and 1990s, it launched numerous new drugs and improved new drugs for the first time in Korea, establishing its position in the prescription drug market. Entering the 2010s, it greatly increased R&D investment and transformed its constitution into a "new drug development company," and in 2015 it out-licensed diabetes and obesity treatment candidates to Sanofi for approximately KRW 3.9 trillion, recording the largest license contract in the domestic pharmaceutical industry.

Major Products

Amosartan (아모잘탄): A hypertension combination drug and a representative brand that has long maintained the No. 1 prescription position in the domestic hypertension treatment market.
Rosuzet (로수젯): A dyslipidemia (hyperlipidemia) combination drug that rapidly increased prescriptions and rose to blockbuster status.
Palpaljeong (팔팔정)·Gugujeong (구구정): A series of erectile dysfunction and prostate treatments with high consumer awareness.
Esomezol (에소메졸): A gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment.
Hanmi Tams (한미탐스): A series of treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia and hair loss.

R&D and Technology Exports

Hanmi Pharmaceutical conducts R&D with "improved new drugs" and "biotherapeutics" as its two main pillars. In 2015, in addition to Sanofi, it signed technology export contracts with Janssen, Boehringer Ingelheim, and others, announcing contract volume of about KRW 8 trillion for the year and receiving global attention. However, some pipelines saw contracts returned or development halted at the clinical stage, sometimes causing large stock price volatility. Since then, it has been reorganizing pipelines in obesity and diabetes treatments (GLP-1 class), anticancer new drugs, and immuno-oncology agents.

Governance Structure

The holding company Hanmi Science controls affiliates including Hanmi Pharmaceutical. After Chairman Lim Sung-ki's death in 2020, his sons Lim Jong-yoon and Lim Jong-hoon participated in management, but conflicts over governance and management control later surfaced.

Latest Trends

Management Control Dispute: In 2024, an attempted integration between Hanmi Science and OCI Group was aborted after a vote showdown at the shareholders' meeting, and the conflict between former inside director Lim Jong-yoon's side and Hanmi Science management became prolonged. Lim Jong-yoon's side attempted to expand its influence by additionally purchasing Hanmi Pharmaceutical shares, and the company responded with legal action and governance reorganization.
Performance and New Drugs: In 2024–2025 as well, solid prescription trends for flagship products such as Amosartan and Rosuzet continued to maintain sales growth, and the clinical progress of obesity and metabolic disease new drug candidates stood out as a major point of interest.
Global Partnering: Technology export and joint development discussions with Chinese, U.S., and European pharmaceutical companies continue, and it is evaluated as a key company in the domestic pharmaceutical industry's "K-Bio technology export" trend.
Organizational and Strategic Changes: It is adjusting its strategy toward strengthening its research organization and overseas partnering functions to develop new drugs and expand its global business.