Nine & Company, Ildong Pharmaceutical Group Launch 'IDNINE' Joint Venture... Set to Target Beauty and Healthcare Markets

A New Fusion of Pharma and Biotech with a Fashion Brand: "IDNINE"
Targeting the Beauty and Healthcare Markets with High-Performance Dermacosmetics and More

Yoon Woongseop, co-CEO of Ildong Pharmaceutical (second from left in the front row); Lee Jaejun, co-CEO of Ildong Pharmaceutical (third from left in the back row); Choi Gyuhwan, CEO of Ildong Holdings (second from left in the back row); Lee Giun, CEO of Nine & Company (second from right in the front row); and co-CEO nominees Shin Ajeong (first from left in the front row) and Jeong Mingyu (first from right in the front row) of ID9, along with other key officials from both companies, pose for a commemorative photo at the launch ceremony of their joint venture.

Nine & Company and Ildong Pharmaceutical Group announced the launch of their new joint venture, IDNINE, and said they are moving in earnest to target the beauty and healthcare markets.

The establishment of the joint venture is drawing attention as a strategic alliance that goes beyond the launch of a collaborative brand. It combines the pharmaceutical company's ingredients and core technologies with the consumer goods company's marketing and platform capabilities to develop differentiated business areas.

The launch ceremony was held on October 26 at Nine & Company in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. Attendees included Ildong Pharmaceutical co-CEOs Yoon Woongseop and Lee Jaejun; Ildong Holdings CEO Choi Kyuhwan; Nine & Company CEO Lee Giun; and other representatives from both parties, including Shin Ajeong, an executive vice president at Ildong Holdings, and Jung Mingyu, an executive vice president at Nine & Company, who have been named co-CEO nominees of IDNINE.

IDNINE plans to enter the beauty and healthcare markets, including dermacosmetics, by combining Ildong Pharmaceutical Group's accumulated research and development capabilities in probiotics and the microbiome with Nine & Company's brand management and marketing experience.

According to IDNINE, competition in the global cosmetics market has recently shifted away from products focused solely on beauty toward specialized functional products based on scientific research into areas such as the skin barrier, hydration, and the skin's microbial environment.

The company says that as consumers take a growing interest in skin health and care, product lines applying pharmaceutical and biotechnology innovations, including dermacosmetics and cosmeceuticals, are gaining popularity.

IDNINE highlighted Cera-Glow®, a microbiome-based probiotic cosmetic ingredient developed using Ildong Pharmaceutical Group's proprietary technology, as a key competitive advantage. Cera-Glow is a substance that helps produce ceramides, key lipid components of the skin barrier that reduce moisture loss and protect the skin from external irritants.

Ildong Pharmaceutical Group has researched the potential applications of active skincare ingredients based on around 20 types of active metabolites produced during the fermentation of probiotic strains. It has established a foundation for commercialization, including 2 patents related to Cera-Glow technology and 2 research papers published in SCI-indexed journals.

IDNINE plans to use Cera-Glow to develop products specializing in skin barrier care and begin introducing a line of high-performance derma skincare products in 2027.

The industry is watching to see whether IDNINE, with its new ingredients supported by proprietary patents and academic research, can drive change in the market.

An Ildong Pharmaceutical Group representative said, "We will make active use of Ildong Group's business capabilities and research and development competitiveness in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, while sparing no effort to deliver market results and achieve our shared goals through close cooperation with Nine & Company."

A Nine & Company representative said, "Recent trends in beauty and healthcare show that consumers prefer products with scientific evidence and functionality, as well as a distinctive brand image and identity." The representative added, "We plan to introduce a high-performance skincare line that reflects Nine & Company's marketing network and sophisticated branding techniques."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.