SK Biopharmaceuticals CEO Lee Dong-hoon talks with reporters on the sidelines of the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, on Monday. (SK Biopharmaceuticals)
SK Biopharmaceuticals CEO Lee Dong-hoon talks with reporters on the sidelines of the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, on Monday. (SK Biopharmaceuticals)

SAN FRANCISCO -- SK Biopharmaceuticals plans to establish a joint venture with Eurofarma, one of Latin America’s leading pharmaceutical companies, to commercialize a new AI-based epilepsy management platform in North America.

“We first connected with Eurofarma at the AES (American Epilepsy Society) three years ago, and this partnership has come to represent a new chapter in SK Biopharm's global expansion,” said SK Biopharmaceuticals CEO Lee Dong-hoon during a press briefing held in San Francisco on the sidelines of the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, on Monday. "Through this joint venture, we aim to successfully become the 'No. 1' in AI-based epilepsy management solutions, while creating new growth opportunities.”

The global digital health market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 25 percent, with significant investments being directed toward AI-driven diagnostics, prevention and management. The tele-epilepsy market, a key focus of SK Biopharm's venture project, is estimated to reach $1.8 billion by 2032, with North America accounting for some 47 percent of the global market.

Since 2022, SK Biopharm and Eurofarma have collaborated on the launch of Cenobamate, SK Biopharm’s innovative epilepsy medication, in Latin America. Recognizing the potential of combining Cenobamate with the digital health care platform, Eurofarma proposed the joint venture idea to SK Biopharm.

The project will leverage SK Biopharm’s proprietary AI technology for EEG analysis and wearable EEG measurement devices, being developed since 2018.

The technology forms the basis of the AI-powered epilepsy management solution, which will enable real-time monitoring of seizures, support optimal treatment plans through data-driven insights and enhance communication between patients and health care providers.

“While many IT companies venture into the biotech space, they often face limitations due to a lack of clinical data and field experience. We aim to become a pharmaceutical company that offers complete solutions, from medical devices to drugs, covering the entire patient journey. By integrating clinical data into digital platforms, we will develop AI models to predict abrupt epileptic seizures,” Lee explained.

The patient engagement platform will support digitalized health management and enable personalized diagnostics and treatment plans, aligning with the broader mission to expand into chronic disease and neurological disorder management.

The JV headquarters is to be established in the US, with plans to hire local executives, implement localization strategies and leverage the existing US health care network built through direct SK Biopharm's Cenobamate sales. It has secured initial funding for three years to support long-term growth.

“We aim to diversify our epilepsy product line over the next five years to achieve blockbuster status. Meanwhile, by 2029, our goal is to achieve 1 trillion won ($760 million) in revenue from Xcopri alone,” Lee said.