Medipost

What Medipost does

Medipost (KOSDAQ: 078160), founded in 2000 and headquartered in Seongnam, South Korea, is a clinical-stage and commercial biotechnology company specializing in stem cell therapeutics and cord blood banking, with US operations conducted through its wholly owned subsidiary MEDIPOST, Inc. in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company's flagship product is CARTISTEM, an allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell (hUCB-MSC) therapy for knee osteoarthritis that became the world's first regulatory-approved allogeneic stem cell therapy product when launched in South Korea in 2012 and has since been administered to over 36,000 patients domestically. The underlying platform leverages immune-privileged MSCs that are isolated, expanded under GMP standards, cryopreserved at drug substance stage, and validated through potency assays confirming cell viability for up to 72 hours at 2–10°C, enabling off-the-shelf administration without patient matching.

Medipost operates a vertically integrated regenerative medicine ecosystem spanning cord blood collection, processing, cryopreservation, and therapeutic development, which underpins both its cord blood banking services and the CARTISTEM therapeutic pipeline. The company is currently advancing CARTISTEM through Phase 3 trials in the United States and Japan, with patient enrollment in the US expected in the first half of 2026 following an FDA-agreed confirmatory evidence BLA pathway that leverages existing Korean and Japanese Phase 3 data plus real-world evidence from approximately 550 patients; US market approval is targeted by 2031. Manufacturing capacity for global clinical and commercial supply is being built through partnerships with OmniaBio (Toronto) and Charles River Laboratories (Asia-Pacific and North America), while a partnership with RMDC Co., Ltd. is developing Physical AI autonomous cell culture robots to standardize quality and minimize contamination risk.

The business model combines direct hospital and clinic sales in South Korea (one-time treatment pricing managed through the healthcare system), licensing and milestone-based revenue from the exclusive Japanese commercialization partnership with Teikoku Seiyaku ($8M upfront and $10M short-term regulatory milestone already secured plus undisclosed sales milestones), and planned US commercialization contingent on FDA approval. Strategic investors include Skylake Equity Partners, Crescendo Equity Partners, Woori Private Equity Asset Management, and NH Private Equity, which together provided $140 million in growth capital via convertible bonds in January 2026. The leadership team is anchored by founder Dr. Yang Yoon-Sun (Forbes Asia Women Powerlist honoree) and CEO Ed Ahn of MEDIPOST Inc.

Name

Medipost

Legal name

MEDIPOST, Inc.

Website

https://medi-post.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Medipost is a South Korean clinical-stage biotech that develops and commercializes allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapies, anchored by CARTISTEM — the world's first approved allogeneic stem cell therapy — for knee osteoarthritis patients, with over 36,000 treated in Korea since 2012 and Phase 3 trials underway in the US and Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cell Therapy / Regenerative Medicine

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Cell Therapy Developers (Allogeneic/Off-the-shelf) (HLAAABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Stem Cell Therapies (MSC/iPSC/HSC-derived) (HLAAABAE), Cartilage, Bone & Musculoskeletal Regeneration (HLAAAGAH), Cell Therapy Manufacturing Services (GMP, autologous/allogeneic) (HLAAAKAC)

Keywords

• Stem cell therapy
• Regenerative medicine
• Cell therapy products
• Cord blood banking
• Mesenchymal stem cells

Headquarters

HQ city

Seongnam

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. CARTISTEM Product Sales (Korea): Commercial sales of CARTISTEM in South Korea where the product has been approved since 2012, treating over 36,000 patients. Revenue generated from direct hospital/clinic sales to healthcare providers treating knee osteoarthritis patients.
2. Japan Commercialization Licensing: Multi-year partnership with Teikoku Seiyaku for exclusive commercialization of CARTISTEM in Japan. MEDIPOST receives upfront payment ($8M), regulatory milestones ($10M short-term), and additional undisclosed sales-based milestones. MEDIPOST supplies drug substance and retains manufacturing rights.
3. US Market Entry (Future): Planned US commercialization following FDA approval of CARTISTEM for knee osteoarthritis. Phase 3 trials ongoing with patient enrollment expected in first half of 2026 and market approval targeted by 2031.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Medipost develops, manufactures, and commercializes allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell (hUCB-MSC) therapies. Its flagship product CARTISTEM is the world's first regulatory-approved allogeneic stem cell therapy, indicated for knee osteoarthritis and commercialized in South Korea since 2012 with over 36,000 patients treated. The company also operates cord blood banking and a vertically integrated pipeline for inflammation-driven degenerative diseases.

Product overview

MEDIPOST operates as a vertically integrated stem cell therapeutics company offering two interconnected product lines: (1) CARTISTEM, the company's flagship allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived MSC therapy for knee osteoarthritis, which received regulatory approval in South Korea in 2012 and has treated over 36,000 patients, with ongoing Phase 3 trials in the US and Japan; and (2) cord blood banking services that form the foundational raw material source for the therapeutic pipeline. The company functions as a total solution provider for regenerative medicine, encompassing collection, processing, cryopreservation, and therapeutic development within a unified ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CARTISTEM Allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell (hUCB-MSC) therapy for adult patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. Administered off-the-shelf without patient matching, leveraging immune-privileged cells to reduce inflammation and promote cartilage repair. Sold to hospitals and clinics via direct sales in South Korea and through Teikoku Seiyaku in Japan.
• Cord Blood Banking Collection, processing, and cryopreservation of umbilical cord blood as the raw material feedstock for Medipost's allogeneic stem cell therapeutic pipeline and as a banking service for families.
• Degenerative Disease Stem Cell Pipeline Investigational stem cell therapy pipeline applying the hUCB-MSC platform to inflammation-driven degenerative diseases beyond osteoarthritis, including neurological, cardiovascular, and pulmonary indications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 36,000 patients treated with CARTISTEM in South Korea since 2012
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Charles River LaboratoriescoreTechnology or Integration · 13 May 2026Non-exclusive Memorandum of Understanding for collaboration on GMP-compliant testing and commercial efforts for cell therapy development. Partnership leverages Charles River's biologics and cell therapy GMP testing expertise to support MEDIPOST's global pipeline, beginning with Asia-Pacific and North America markets.
• RMDC Co., Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Business partnership to jointly develop 'Physical AI' autonomous cell culture robots. RMDC's automated stem cell culture device serves as foundation for collaborative innovation project aimed at accelerating sales cooperation in overseas markets. The device features closed-system automation to minimize contamination risk and standardize quality through algorithm-based management.
• Teikoku SeiyakucoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 December 2025Multi-year partnership for exclusive commercialization of CARTISTEM in Japan. MEDIPOST receives $8M upfront payment, $10M short-term regulatory milestone, and additional sales-based milestones. MEDIPOST supplies drug substance and retains manufacturing rights. Teikoku Seiyaku manages exclusive market rights and sales through its orthopedic hospital and clinic network with dedicated medical representatives.
• OmniaBiocoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with cell and gene therapy CDMO based in Toronto, Canada. Expands manufacturing capacity and strengthens delivery to North American clinical trial sites. Ensures manufacturing continuity and cost visibility ahead of US Phase III trial.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mesoblast: Mesoblast develops allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell therapies (remestemcel-L) for inflammatory and degenerative diseases, including a Phase 3 program for chronic low back pain and acute graft-versus-host disease. Direct competitor in the allogeneic MSC space with comparable regulatory pathway and manufacturing model.
• Vericel: Vericel markets MACI (autologous cultured chondrocytes on porcine collagen membrane) for cartilage repair of the knee — a direct disease-modifying competitor to CARTISTEM in knee osteoarthritis/cartilage defects, also targeting orthopedic surgeons in the US.
• BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics: BrainStorm develops NurOwn, an autologous MSC-based cell therapy for neurodegenerative diseases (ALS, MS). Comparable stem cell platform with similar regulatory pathway and target indications in the broader MSC regenerative medicine space.
• Capricor Therapeutics: Capricor develops CAP-1002, an allogeneic cardiosphere-derived cell therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other inflammatory diseases. Comparable allogeneic cell therapy developer with similar manufacturing complexity and regulatory pathway.
• Athersys: Athersys developed MultiStem, an allogeneic bone marrow-derived multipotent adult progenitor cell therapy for stroke, ARDS, and trauma, with partner Helios (now Athersys KK) in Japan. Direct competitor in allogeneic off-the-shelf cell therapy with parallel Japan commercialization pathway.
• Corestemchemon: Corestemchemon is a South Korean clinical-stage biotech developing autologous bone marrow-derived MSCs (NeuroNata-R) for ALS, with KOSDAQ listing. Comparable Korean MSC developer in the regenerative medicine space targeting the same investor base and regulatory pathway.

Emerging players

• Stempeutics Research: Stempeutics commercializes Stempeucel, a pooled allogeneic bone marrow-derived MSC therapy approved in India for critical limb ischemia, with development in osteoarthritis. Comparable MSC platform addressing similar regenerative indications in emerging markets.
• Holostem Terapie Avanzate: Holostem commercializes Holoclar, the first EMA-approved stem cell therapy (autologous limbal stem cells for corneal regeneration). Comparable stem cell therapeutic developer with EU regulatory approval and similar first-in-class positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Smith+Nephew (Regenerative Medicine portfolio): Smith+Nephew acquired Osiris Therapeutics' cartilage and wound care portfolio (including Cartiform and Grafix) and competes in sports medicine and regenerative medicine broadly. Incumbent competitor in orthopedic regenerative medicine with established hospital sales channels.
• Takeda Pharmaceutical (TiGenix heritage): Takeda acquired TiGenix and its allogeneic adipose-derived stem cell therapy Cx601 (darvadstrocel) for complex perianal fistulas in Crohn's disease. Incumbent competitor in allogeneic stem cell therapy with global commercialization capability.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/medipost-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Medipost