KHIDI USA President: “For K-Bio to Succeed in the U.S., Clinical PoC Funding and Global Business Development Talent Are Essential”
- KHIDI USA
- Jul 7
- 2 min read
By Hyun-woong Lee | San Diego(2026-06-27 14:38, The Munhwa Ilbo)
“Global investors are no longer willing to invest based solely on the promise of platform technologies or their future potential.”
Hyunchul Kim, President of the U.S. Office of the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), shared this assessment in an interview with Munhwa Ilbo during the BIO International Convention 2026, held this week in Boston.
According to Kim, while global interest in Korean biotech continues to grow, the expectations of investors and multinational pharmaceutical companies have become significantly more rigorous.
“The key question they are asking is whether a company can generate clinical proof-of-concept (PoC) data demonstrating efficacy in patients within the next 12 months,” he said.
Located within the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) in Boston—one of the world’s leading biotech innovation clusters—KHIDI USA operates the C&D Incubation Center, which currently supports 45 Korean biotech companies seeking to expand into the U.S. market.
The center provides a comprehensive range of services, including support for U.S. entity establishment and business administration, access to local expert networks, facilitation of open innovation partnerships with global pharmaceutical companies and venture capital firms, and strategic consulting on U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory pathways.
Kim identified regulatory science capabilities and global business development (BD) expertise as the two most significant barriers facing Korean biotech startups in the U.S.
“Many Korean companies possess excellent technologies, but they often lack experience navigating FDA regulatory processes. In addition, they are not always prepared to present their data in a way that clearly demonstrates commercial value or aligns with the expectations of global pharmaceutical companies during partnering negotiations. As a result, promising opportunities may fail to materialize, or companies may out-license their technologies prematurely at undervalued terms.”
To address these challenges, Kim emphasized the urgent need to establish dedicated clinical Proof-of-Concept (PoC) funds.
“Global capital markets have become increasingly evidence-driven. Platform technologies alone are no longer sufficient to command full enterprise value. To persuade global partners, companies must be able to demonstrate efficacy with clinical data generated in actual patients.”
Kim also stressed the importance of strengthening local Business Development (BD) capabilities.
Since early-stage startups often lack the resources to recruit experienced BD professionals in the United States, he suggested that public support should help companies access local BD expertise through recruitment subsidies or structured mentoring programs that pair Korean companies with seasoned U.S. industry professionals.
“KHIDI USA is evolving beyond simply providing office space in Boston. We are strengthening customized FDA regulatory mentoring, deal-structure consulting, and strategic support for global partnering negotiations to help Korean biotech companies compete successfully in the international market.”
