South Korea has become one of Asia's most interesting autoinjector markets. Its biosimilar makers now ship their medicines in ready-to-use pens, its first home-grown GLP-1 obesity drug is close to launch, and a new wave of device start-ups is digitising the injection itself. This analysis maps nine companies shaping the Korean market, from Celltrion and LG Chem to smart-injector specialist MediHub, and explains what their moves mean for drug makers, device suppliers and investors.

Why autoinjectors matter in South Korea

Three forces are pushing Korean demand. First, Korea is a global biosimilar powerhouse, and biosimilars now compete on device convenience as much as on price. Celltrion's Omlyclo, for example, is offered in both pre-filled syringe and autoinjector presentations so doctors can match the device to the patient (Celltrion 300 mg launch release). Second, patients with arthritis and chronic allergy often struggle with manual syringes, which is why LG Chem released an auto-injector version of Eucept for rheumatoid arthritis patients with limited hand function. Third, digital health is moving into the injection: Korean companies are adding smart cases, apps and electronically controlled injectors that record every dose.

South Korea autoinjector value chain

The Korean market links biosimilar and novel-drug makers with a growing group of device and digital-injection specialists.

Momentum is building: milestone timeline

Counting the dated autoinjector and smart-injection milestones from the companies below shows a clear acceleration. Three milestones arrived between 2018 and 2022; three more landed in just eight months from December 2025.

Company analysis

Celltrion, Inc. (including Celltrion Pharm)

Celltrion is the clear leader in Korean biosimilar autoinjectors. Korea approved the Omlyclo autoinjector in 75 mg and 150 mg strengths in December 2025, giving Celltrion a full line-up of pre-filled syringes and pens. In July 2026 it launched the Omlyclo 150 mg pen in Korea for allergic asthma and chronic idiopathic urticaria, three months after the high-dose 300 mg product. Omlyclo is currently the only omalizumab biosimilar marketed anywhere in the world. Abroad, Celltrion has launched Omlyclo 300 mg in Europe in both syringe and autoinjector form; the product has entered 26 markets since its European launch and holds over 90% share in Spain. Further reading: Celltrion press release, approved biologics portfolio and The Elec coverage. More: about Celltrion, Celltrion home, contact, financials.

Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd.

Samsung Bioepis is Korea's other biosimilar heavyweight. Its etanercept biosimilar Brenzys was approved in Korea in September 2015, the second etanercept biosimilar in the country, and set the benchmark that later entrants such as LG Chem's Eucept tried to beat on device design. The company does not publish a dedicated autoinjector product page in English, so its device strategy is best followed through its partners and regulatory filings. More: about Samsung Bioepis, Samsung Bioepis home, contact, company profile.

LG Chem Ltd.

LG Chem competes on patient comfort. Its Eucept autoinjector (etanercept), approved by the MFDS in March 2018, uses a thinner needle to make self-injection easier and less painful, and a Korea-Japan phase 3 trial found fewer injection-site reactions than with the reference drug. LG Chem launched Eucept in both auto-injector and pre-filled syringe form. In growth hormone, it developed a Smart Case for the Eutropin Pen that records injections automatically, helping families avoid injecting the same spot twice. Other activity includes an injectable solution launch and joint cancer-drug research with Galux. More: about LG Chem, LG Chem home, global network, financial summary.

Hanmi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Hanmi could open Korea's own obesity-pen market. Its once-weekly GLP-1 injection efpeglenatide, described as Korea's first domestically developed GLP-1 obesity treatment, met its primary endpoints in a 448-patient Korean phase 3 study in October 2025. Hanmi filed for MFDS approval in December 2025 and is targeting obesity approval in the second half of 2026, with a diabetes indication planned for 2028. It has already signed an export deal with Mexico's Laboratorios Sanfer. Financial results: latest earnings report and previous earnings report. More: about Hanmi, Hanmi home, contact.

MediHub Co., Ltd.

MediHub is Korea's smart-injector specialist. Founded in 2017 under the slogan of pain-free injections, it developed the i-JECT digital automatic injector with Seoul National University Dental Hospital and launched its first product in May 2019. The device controls injection speed to reduce pain, and MediHub is now expanding into dermatology, hair transplantation and self-injection. Explore its range: product 1, product 2, product 3, product 4, product 5, and AVING news coverage. More: about MediHub, MediHub home, contact.

Huons Meditech Co., Ltd.

Huons Meditech is the medical-device arm of the Huons group, giving the group in-house device engineering alongside its pharmaceutical business. It does not list an autoinjector product in English today, which makes it a player to watch rather than a current competitor. More: about Huons Meditech, Huons Meditech home, contact, Huons group financials.

EM-Tech Co., Ltd.

EM-Tech is a Korean manufacturer tracked here as a potential component supplier. Its English website does not list an autoinjector product, so its role in the market is still emerging. More: company overview, EM-Tech home, contact, financial summary.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Daewoong is one of Korea's largest pharma groups and a strong commercial partner for injectables sold through hospitals and clinics. Recent coverage includes this KED Global report and this Pharmnews article. More: company culture, introduction, Daewoong home, contact, income statement.

Yuhan Corporation

Yuhan brings manufacturing depth and global supply relationships, including an HIV drug API supply contract with Gilead. That supply-chain credibility is relevant as injectable volumes grow. More: about Yuhan, Yuhan USA home, contact, revenue data.

Therapy-area coverage matrix

Where each company plays, based on the products and announcements linked above. A full dot means a marketed product or platform in Korea; a half dot means a pipeline filing or indirect exposure.

SWOT analysis of the South Korea autoinjectors market

Competitive landscape

The map below places each company by how much it owns the drug brand versus the device and digital-injection technology.

Vendor landscape

Korean vendors fall into three tiers, from integrated biosimilar pen makers at the top to emerging device and component suppliers at the base.

Competitive environment: five forces

Rivalry is high among biosimilar makers, while new device entrants are adding digital features that raise the bar for everyone.

Merger, partnership and deal analysis

Korean deal flow is dominated by partnerships and supply agreements rather than outright acquisitions.

Strategy framework

Winning in Korean autoinjectors follows a five-step path. Each step shows which companies are strongest there.

Heat map analysis

Each company is scored from 1 (low) to 5 (high) on six factors, based on the products, filings and deals cited in this article. Darker cells show greater strength.

Scores are an indicative editorial assessment, not market share. Full company benchmarking is in the report.

Five trends to watch

1. Biosimilars go pen-first. Celltrion and LG Chem show that Korean biosimilars now launch with an autoinjector, not just a syringe.
2. One shot instead of two. High-dose presentations like Omlyclo 300 mg cut the number of injections per dose.
3. Injections go digital. Smart Cases and electronically controlled injectors record doses and reduce pain.
4. A Korean GLP-1 pen. Hanmi's efpeglenatide could give Korea its own obesity injection in 2026.
5. Korea as an export base. Omlyclo in 26 markets and Hanmi's Mexico deal show Korean injectables are built for the world.

Frequently asked questions