CellIcon Lab, a biomembrane penetration platform company, is expanding from cosmetics into medical devices and new drugs. The company aims to evolve into a bio-healthcare firm by extending its drug delivery technology, validated on skin membranes, to cell membranes, mucous membranes, tumor membranes, and the blood-brain barrier.
Founded in 2012, CellIcon Lab is a bio-company that sequentially targets cosmetics, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals based on its biomembrane-penetrating drug delivery system (DDS) platform. The core technology enables active ingredients to cross human biomembranes, which normally act as protective barriers but also hinder therapeutic substances from reaching target sites.
Currently, the business foundation is cosmetics. CellIcon Lab has commercialized its transdermal delivery technology 'DermiShuttle,' which delivers active ingredients to the dermis layer, unlike conventional cosmetics that remain on the skin surface. The company operates its own brands Judy Mer and Meloskin and is pursuing ODM (Original Design Manufacturing) for domestic and international brands. The cosmetics business served as the first market to validate the commercial viability of the biomembrane penetration technology.
International expansion is underway. In 2024, CellIcon Lab signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Cheongdam Global for China and Hong Kong, valued at KRW 55.5 billion over three years. The company currently trades with 12 overseas partners across eight countries and plans to enter new markets in Japan and the Middle East this year.
CellIcon Lab views the cosmetics business as a technology validation phase and is positioning medical devices as the next growth driver. It is preparing a 'Cell-Penetrating Skin Booster' that combines its proprietary ST peptide with biomembrane penetration technology. This anti-aging solution aims to restore aging cells to normal cells, with a first launch targeted for this year. The company is also pursuing export permits and European CE certification, targeting KRW 10 billion in sales by 2027.
New drugs are a long-term goal. CellIcon Lab is exploring treatments for macular degeneration using mucosal penetration technology, solid tumor therapies using tumor membrane penetration technology, and age-related diseases using blood-brain barrier penetration technology. The company aims for a technology-specialized listing on the stock market by 2028.
CEO Seong Min-gyu stated, "The human body has impregnable barriers like Mont-Saint-Michel, and those are biomembranes. Starting from cosmetics and moving to medical devices and new drugs, we will grow into a technology-driven global bio-healthcare company through the phased expansion of our biomembrane penetration platform."
Source: Read the original report | Published: May 25, 2026