Peptron, Inc.
Peptron, Inc. is a Korean biopharmaceutical company that develops sustained-release injectable drug formulations using its proprietary SmartDepot™ ultrasonic spray drying technology. It licenses its platform and pipeline products—including LEUPONE™, PT320, and GLP-1 therapies—to global pharmaceutical partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersDaejeon, South Korea
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Peptron, Inc. does
Peptron, Inc. is a Korean biopharmaceutical company founded in 1997 and headquartered in Daejeon, Republic of Korea. The company is built around SmartDepot™, a proprietary ultrasonic spray drying technology that produces uniformly sized sustained-release (SR) injectable microsphere formulations of peptide and small molecule drugs. The platform enables release profiles ranging from one week to six months without chemical modification of the active pharmaceutical ingredient, avoids toxic organic solvents (methylene chloride, N-methylpyrrolidone, methanol), and produces microspheres small enough for 27–30G needles with sub-10-second reconstitution. Over 90 international patents protect the platform, and an in-house GMP manufacturing facility at Osong Bio Park produces more than 48,000 vials of SR-exenatide per month across 16,378 square meters.
The company's pipeline spans endocrine, metabolic, neurological, and oncology indications. Commercial-stage and near-commercial assets include LEUPONE™ (leuprorelin acetate 3.75 mg depot), which received Korean MFDS approval in July 2025 and was launched in October 2025, and Luphere® Depot (SR-leuprolide), licensed to Daewoong Pharmaceuticals. Clinical assets include PT320 (SR-exenatide for Parkinson's disease with IND-approved Phase 2), PT302 (SR-exenatide for Type 2 diabetes, Phase 2 completed), PT403 (SR-semaglutide) and PT404 (SR-tirzepatide) for diabetes/obesity, PT201 (SR-octreotide for acromegaly with completed Canadian bioequivalence study), and PAb 001, a first-in-class OT-MUC1 targeting antibody for multiple MUC1+ cancers. Peptron also operates a custom peptide synthesis service, supplying over 500 research organizations across more than 30 countries.
Peptron's business model rests on three revenue streams: (1) product licensing and royalties from partners such as Daewoong, LG Chem, Yuhan Corporation, and Penmix; (2) co-development partnerships where pharmaceutical companies fund clinical development and provide market access; and (3) contract peptide synthesis services sold directly to universities, hospitals, and research institutes, with US customer service handled through CRM Consulting Group in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The company has been publicly listed on KOSDAQ since July 2015 and maintains approximately 15 employees across its headquarters, manufacturing, Seoul, and US offices.
Peptron, Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Peptron, Inc.
- Legal name
- Peptron, Inc.
- Website
- https://peptron.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Peptron, Inc. is a Korean biopharmaceutical company that develops sustained-release injectable drug formulations using its proprietary SmartDepot™ ultrasonic spray drying technology. It licenses its platform and pipeline products—including LEUPONE™, PT320, and GLP-1 therapies—to global pharmaceutical partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Peptron, Inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pharmaceutical Drug Delivery & Sustained-Release Injectables
- NAICS
- Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Therapeutic Peptides & Protein/Peptide Biologics (HLAAAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Neurology & Psychiatry (CNS) Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAF), Endocrinology & Reproductive Health Pharmaceuticals (incl. Women’s Health) (HLAIAAAJ), Antibody Discovery & Engineering Platforms (display tech, bispecifics, Fc engineering) (HLAAAIAB)
Keywords
Where Peptron, Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Daejeon
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices4 records
Markets served
Peptron, Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Contract Peptide Synthesis Services: Custom peptide synthesis services provided to universities, hospitals, and research institutes globally. Services include various modifications, purities, and quantities with quality control (ISO 9001 certified).
- Product Licensing and Royalties: Licensing out proprietary formulations and technologies to pharmaceutical partners. Includes technology transfer, joint commercialization agreements, and royalty streams from marketed products (Luphere® Depot, LEUPONE™).
- Co-development Partnerships: Joint development agreements with pharmaceutical partners for clinical development and commercialization of sustained-release formulations. Partners provide development funding and market access.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Peptide Synthesis - Quotation-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Peptron, Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Peptron develops and manufactures sustained-release injectable drug formulations using its proprietary SmartDepot™ ultrasonic spray drying platform, with marketed and clinical-stage products targeting neurodegenerative diseases (PT320 for Parkinson's), metabolic disorders (PT302, PT403, PT404 for diabetes/obesity), oncology (PAb 001), endocrine disorders (LEUPONE™, Luphere® Depot, PT201), and provides custom peptide synthesis services to research institutions worldwide. The company monetizes through pharmaceutical product licensing, co-development partnerships with major pharma companies, and contract research/manufacturing services.
Product overview
Peptron, Inc. is a pharmaceutical company developing sustained-release drug delivery technologies and therapeutics. The company's core platform is SmartDepot™, an ultrasonic spray drying technology for preparing sustained-release injectable microsphere formulations. The product portfolio includes: LEUPONE™ (leuprorelin depot for precocious puberty, launched 2025), PT320 (SR-exenatide for Parkinson's disease in Phase 2), PT403/PT404 (long-acting GLP-1 therapies for diabetes and obesity), PT302 (SR-exenatide for Type 2 diabetes, Phase 2 completed), PAb 001 (novel cancer therapeutic antibody), and PT201 (SR-octreotide for acromegaly). The company also offers contract peptide synthesis services. Business model combines proprietary technology licensing with partnered development and manufacturing under GMP facilities in Osong, Korea.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SmartDepot™: Proprietary ultrasonic spray drying technology for the preparation of sustained release (SR) injectable microsphere formulation of drug
- LEUPONE™
- Luphere® Depot
- PT201
Products and services
- SmartDepot™ Technology Platform Proprietary ultrasonic spray drying technology for the preparation of sustained-release injectable microsphere formulations of peptide and small molecule drugs. Enables release profiles from 1 week to 6 months, uses no toxic organic solvents, supports smaller needle sizes, and reconstitutes in under 10 seconds. Available for licensing and co-development with pharmaceutical partners.
- LEUPONE™ (Leuprorelin Acetate 3.75 mg Depot) Once-monthly leuprorelin acetate depot injection for the treatment of precocious puberty and prostate cancer. Distributed in Korea by LG Chem under an exclusive commercialization agreement. First and only leuprorelin acetate 3.75 mg depot in South Korea with proven bioequivalence to the reference product.
- PT320 (SR-Exenatide for Parkinson's Disease) Sustained-release exenatide formulation developed as a potential disease-modifying treatment for Parkinson's Disease via GLP-1 receptor agonist mechanism. IND approval received for Phase 2 clinical trial in South Korea. Developed under exclusive worldwide license to NIH patents for exenatide in neurodegenerative disorders.
- PT403 (SR-Semaglutide for Type 2 Diabetes) Long-acting once-monthly injectable formulation of semaglutide for Type 2 Diabetes using SmartDepot™ sustained-release technology. Designed to improve patient compliance through reduced dosing frequency and stable efficacy.
- PT404 (SR-Tirzepatide for Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity) Long-acting once-monthly injectable formulation of tirzepatide for Type 2 Diabetes and obesity using SmartDepot™ sustained-release technology, offering stable efficacy with reduced dosing frequency.
- PT302 (SR-Exenatide for Type 2 Diabetes) Sustained-release exenatide formulation for Type 2 Diabetes. Phase 1 completed in 2011 and Phase 2 completed in 2015 in Korea under collaboration with Yuhan Corporation. Uses glacial acetic acid (non-toxic class 3 solvent), supports smaller gauged needles for reduced injection pain, and is patent-protected through 2028 (or 2027 for South Korea).
- PAb 001 (OT-MUC1 Targeting Monoclonal Antibody) First-in-class novel therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting OT-MUC1 for cancer therapy. Designed for MUC1+ cancers including triple-negative breast cancer, non-small cell lung, ovarian, prostate, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers with limited targeted therapy options.
- PT201 (SR-Octreotide for Acromegaly) Sustained-release octreotide formulation for acromegaly treatment, using a new PLGA-glucose formulation. Bioequivalence study completed in Canada. Penmix serves as commercial manufacturing partner for global markets.
- Luphere® Depot (SR-Leuprolide) SR-Leuprolide injectable formulation (1-month and 3-month) for prostate cancer treatment. Licensed to Daewoong Pharmaceuticals in 2003 and marketed as a generic product in Korea with proven bioequivalence. Represents Peptron's first SmartDepot™ technology product successfully commercialized from R&D to market.
- Custom Peptide Synthesis Service Custom peptide synthesis service for universities, hospitals, national research institutes, and pharmaceutical companies. Uses automatic peptide synthesizer (PeptrEX) with various modifications including terminal modification, disulfide bonding, labeling, and special amino acids. Purity options include crude, >70%, >80%, >90%, and >95%. Supplies over 500 organizations in 30+ countries.
Companies that use Peptron, Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Peptron, Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Peptron, Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- LG ChemcoreDomestic distribution agreement for 'LeupONE' (Leuprorelin Acetate 3.75mg), a treatment for precocious puberty and prostate cancer. LG Chem has exclusive rights for marketing and sales in South Korea. LEUPONE™ received Korean MFDS approval in July 2025 and launched in October 2025.
- PenmixmajorCommercial manufacturing partner for PT201 (SR-Octreotide for acromegaly) in global markets. Peptron is also looking for sales partners in interested markets. Pilot bioequivalence study completed in Canada.
- NIH/NIA (National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging)coreCooperative Research And Development Agreement (CRADA) for neurodegenerative drug development. Peptron exclusively licensed NIH patents for exenatide in neurodegenerative diseases. Both NIH and Peptron collaborate on additional research to enhance exenatide's ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and deliver neuroprotective effects. Partnership has been ongoing since 2014.
- UCL (University College London)majorResearch collaboration on exenatide for Parkinson's disease. Dr. Thomas Foltynie at UCL conducted investigator-initiated trials showing exenatide's clinical efficacy in Parkinson's patients. UCL findings validate Peptron's approach with sustained-release exenatide formulation (PT320).
- Yuhan CorporationmajorCollaboration during PT302 Phase 1 and 2 clinical studies for Type 2 Diabetes. Yuhan Corporation has sales exclusivity for Korean market during the studies. PT302 showed ideal PK profile, outstanding injectability, and high bioavailability in clinical trials.
- Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd.coreLicensing Agreement on Technology Transfer and Joint commercialization of 1 and 3 month SR-Leuprolide injectable formulations for prostate cancer treatment. Daewoong markets Luphere® Depot as a generic product in Korea with proven bioequivalence. First experience from R&D to commercialization of SmartDepot technology.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Peptron, Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tolmar Pharmaceuticals: Specialty pharma known for long-acting injectables (e.g., ELIGARD® leuprolide) and SR polymer-based drug delivery, directly comparable to Peptron's microsphere-based SR injectable technology.
- Foresee Pharmaceuticals: Taiwan-based specialty pharma developing long-acting injectable formulations (including leuprolide depot and SR peptide products), comparable to Peptron's sustained-release platform and SERM/depot pipeline.
- Camurus: Swedish specialty pharma developing sustained-release injectable formulations using its FluidCrystal® technology, directly comparable to Peptron's SmartDepot™ platform for long-acting peptide and small molecule injectables.
Others
- Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD): Global medical device/injectable delivery company providing injection systems and drug delivery devices, comparable as a downstream ecosystem participant for Peptron's SR injectable products.
Emerging players
- Entera Bio: Focused on oral and peptide drug delivery, with a complementary long-acting peptide approach (teriparatide), comparable to Peptron's peptide formulation expertise.
- PeptiDream: Japanese peptide discovery platform using non-standard amino acids and constrained peptides, comparable to Peptron's peptide chemistry capabilities and custom synthesis service.
- Midatech Pharma: UK-based company developing sustained-release formulations using polymer-based drug delivery, comparable to Peptron's microsphere SR technology approach.
Regional players
- Hanmi Pharmaceutical: Korean specialty pharma with sustained-release GLP-1 (efpegerglucagon) and long-acting biologic programs, comparable regional peer with similar sustained-release technology focus.
Broad incumbents
- Ipsen: French specialty pharma with Decapeptyl®/Trelstar® (long-acting leuprorelin/triptorelin) franchises, directly comparable to Peptron's LEUPONE™ and Luphere® Depot products.
- AstraZeneca (Bydureon franchise): Marketed Bydureon (SR-exenatide) for T2D, the only commercial SR-exenatide product, directly comparable to Peptron's PT302 and PT320 exenatide assets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Peptron, Inc. social profiles
Digital presencePeptron, Inc. compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Peptron, Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Peptron, Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Peptron, Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Peptron, Inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Peptron, Inc.
What does Peptron, Inc. do?
Peptron develops and manufactures sustained-release injectable drug formulations using its proprietary SmartDepot™ ultrasonic spray drying platform, with marketed and clinical-stage products targeting neurodegenerative diseases (PT320 for Parkinson's), metabolic disorders (PT302, PT403, PT404 for diabetes/obesity), oncology (PAb 001), endocrine disorders (LEUPONE™, Luphere® Depot, PT201), and provides custom peptide synthesis services to research institutions worldwide. The company monetizes through pharmaceutical product licensing, co-development partnerships with major pharma companies, and contract research/manufacturing services.
Is Peptron, Inc. a public or private company?
Peptron, Inc. is a private company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Peptron, Inc. founded?
Peptron, Inc. was founded in 1997. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Peptron, Inc. based?
Peptron, Inc. is headquartered in Daejeon, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does Peptron, Inc. make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Contract Peptide Synthesis Services are the primary driver. The others are product Licensing and Royalties and co-development Partnerships.
Who are Peptron, Inc.'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tolmar Pharmaceuticals, Foresee Pharmaceuticals and Camurus. Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) is listed as an others. Emerging players are Entera Bio, PeptiDream and Midatech Pharma. Hanmi Pharmaceutical is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Ipsen and AstraZeneca (Bydureon franchise).
Does Peptron, Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Peptron, Inc..
What industry is Peptron, Inc. in?
Peptron, Inc.'s product category is Pharmaceutical Drug Delivery & Sustained-Release Injectables. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAAAH, Therapeutic Peptides & Protein/Peptide Biologics, with a secondary code of HLAIAAAF, Neurology & Psychiatry (CNS) Pharmaceuticals. Its NAICS code is 3254 and its SIC code is 2834.