Sep 21, 2026
Collaboration Spanning the Discovery of Fermented Microorganisms and Promising Ingredients to Product Commercialization
Combining Research and Manufacturing Infrastructure to Strengthen Competitiveness in Functional Ingredient Development
Expanding Regional Industry-Academia-Research Collaboration through the Sunchang Microbiome Initiative
ILDONG Bioscience, a health and functional food subsidiary of the ILDONG Pharmaceutical Group, is joining forces with the Fermented Microorganism Industry Promotion Center (FMIPC) to develop next-generation functional ingredients and products utilizing fermented microorganisms and other promising materials.
On September 21, ILDONG Bioscience announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Fermented Microorganism Industry Promotion Center on September 17 at the Center's facility in Sunchang, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea. The agreement aims to promote joint research and technology commercialization in the biotechnology and health functional food sectors.
Under the agreement, the two organizations will collaborate across various areas, including joint research to identify promising fermented microorganisms and functional ingredients, shared utilization of research and manufacturing infrastructure, data analysis and validation, functional ingredient and product development, and commercialization and market entry.
In particular, the partners plan to jointly identify potential functional ingredients by leveraging their respective fermentation technologies and microbial strains, while sharing R&D capabilities and relevant research data. They will also establish specific joint research projects and develop a collaborative framework to translate research outcomes into tangible business opportunities.
This partnership is particularly significant as the health functional food market increasingly emphasizes ingredient differentiation and scientific substantiation. By combining their R&D expertise and infrastructure, the two organizations aim to establish a comprehensive business collaboration platform that extends beyond technology exchange to encompass ingredient discovery, validation, product development, and market commercialization.
ILDONG Bioscience is currently preparing to establish its presence at the Sunchang Public Microbiome Knowledge Industry Center. The company is also participating in Jeollabuk-do's Regulatory Sandbox Special Zone for Functional Foods, where it is conducting validation studies to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of functional ingredients and products.
Through this partnership with the Fermented Microorganism Industry Promotion Center, ILDONG Bioscience expects to further strengthen the research and commercialization ecosystem for microbiome and fermented microorganism technologies, with Sunchang serving as a key regional hub.
Oh-Hyun Ban, CEO of ILDONG Bioscience, stated, "Building on our R&D capabilities, including our extensive collection of microbial strains and research data, we will actively participate in joint initiatives with the Center. We are committed to identifying innovative new ingredients and developing differentiated products that deliver tangible business results."
Do-Yeon Jeong, Director of the Fermented Microorganism Industry Promotion Center, commented, "We look forward to creating innovative synergies by combining the R&D capabilities of both organizations. Through joint research and technology exchange, we hope to establish a successful industry-research collaboration model that contributes to regional industrial development and economic growth."
Founded in 2016, ILDONG Bioscience specializes in health functional foods based on lactic acid bacteria and probiotics. The company has accumulated a database of more than 5,000 microbial strains, along with numerous patents and proprietary technologies.
Leveraging its manufacturing infrastructure, ILDONG Bioscience continues to expand its business across functional ingredient development, raw material supply, and Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) services, strengthening its position in the global health functional food ingredients and raw materials market.