Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** Humedix is strategically broadening its aesthetic portfolio beyond HA fillers to include skin boosters and other products, aiming to boost profitability. With high hopes for its trio of offerings—Elravie Lituo, Estefil, and Velpien—the company targets revenue exceeding 200 billion.
Humedix (200670), a global subsidiary of Huons (243070), is expanding its aesthetic business portfolio. The company has been diversifying its revenue sources by broadening its business portfolio from a focus on hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers to include skin boosters and other products. In particular, Humedix has high expectations for its aesthetic trio: Elravie Lituo (Lituo), Estefil, and Velpien. Through these products, the company aims to surpass 200 billion won in annual revenue for the first time this year and improve operating profit.
Lituo is a representative skin booster product. Launched at the end of 2024, Humedix secured the domestic sales rights for dermatology and aesthetic clinics from L&C Bio (290650). Lituo is the first aesthetic human tissue product to apply hADM (human Acellular Dermal Matrix), a high-purity biomaterial that removes cells causing immune rejection from donated human skin, leaving only the natural collagen structure.
The company is also developing Velpien, a complex filler combining Polynucleotide (PN) and Hyaluronic Acid (HA). Velpien combines the biocompatibility and skin regeneration properties of salmon-derived PN with Humedix’s high-purity HA and aseptic processing technology. Additionally, Velpien is being developed with the addition of lidocaine, a local anesthetic, to reduce procedural pain compared to existing PN fillers. Humedix aims for a launch in the first half of next year, following approval of the pharmaceutical item permit from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in the second half of this year.
According to the medical device industry on the 15th, Humedix’s revenue last year reached a record high of 170.1 billion won, a 5.1% increase year-on-year. However, operating profit for the same period was 42.3 billion won, a 1.9% decrease year-on-year. The trend has continued into this year. In the first quarter of this year, Humedix reported revenue of 40.5 billion won, up 1.0% year-on-year, while operating profit fell 22% to 8.9 billion won.
Humedix is pursuing profitability improvement by expanding its aesthetic business portfolio. The company is particularly active in selling skin boosters, a segment experiencing rapid revenue growth. In fact, Humedix’s product sales, including skin boosters, increased from 30.4 billion won in 2024 to 35 billion won last year. Skin boosters are considered a new growth engine within Humedix’s aesthetic business division.
Lituo offers differentiated efficacy focused on skin regeneration, including improvement of pores, skin texture, and density. While existing HA fillers primarily focus on volume enhancement, Lituo targets the demand for skin condition improvement, which is expected to expand the specific market segment within aesthetics.
The rapid increase in Lituo sales and the expansion of its product lineup are also expected to be positive for Humedix. Following Lituo in 2024, L&C Bio launched Lituo Fine last year. Lituo Fine is developed with a smaller volume and finer particles compared to the original Lituo.
Lituo V is also scheduled for launch soon. Lituo V is expected to have larger particle sizes and volume compared to Lituo. With the launch of Lituo V, the company will have a complete lineup of Lituo series skin boosters with small, medium, and large particle sizes and volumes. According to L&C Bio, Lituo’s sales are estimated to exceed 20 billion won this year.
Estefil, which began generating new revenue this year, is also considered a promising product. In December last year, Humedix signed an exclusive domestic distribution agreement with Regen Biotech. Through this, Humedix is responsible for the official distribution, marketing, and sales of Estefil.
Estefil is a Poly Lactic Acid (PLA)-based injectable that stimulates collagen production in the body to improve wrinkles and promote skin regeneration. Its strengths include a sponge-like porous spherical particle structure, fast hydration time, and stable biodegradation properties. Humedix recently launched a new Estefil lineup (Lux. 50mg) globally for the first time in the domestic market.
According to Grand View Research, a global market research firm, the domestic skin booster market is expected to grow from $116 million (approximately 170 billion won) last year to $213.3 million (approximately 320 billion won) by 2030. The global skin booster market is also projected to grow from $2.82 billion (approximately 4.2 trillion won) last year to $5.2 billion (approximately 7.7 trillion won) by 2030.
Humedix plans to introduce an in-house developed complex filler to create a breakthrough in the filler market. The company is developing Velpien, a complex filler combining Polynucleotide (PN) and Hyaluronic Acid (HA).
Humedix’s aesthetic business revenue (including fillers, Botox, cosmetics, and product sales) has recently exceeded 100 billion won. Last year, the aesthetic business division recorded revenue of 105.3 billion won. In the first quarter of this year, revenue reached 25.8 billion won.