[Edaily Reporter NA EUN-KYUNG ] On the 27th, in the domestic pharmaceutical and biotech stock market, i-SENS, Inc.(099190)saw its stock price surge after reporting second-quarter earnings that significantly exceeded market expectations. Peptron, Inc.(087010)rebounded for the second consecutive day as expectations for a contract with Eli Lilly were reignited following the expansion of its second plant in Osong, North Chungcheong Province, while Cellid Co., Ltd.(299660)hit the daily price limit following news of a decision to register a U.S. patent for an anti-cancer immunotherapy vaccine.

i-SENS, Inc., Operating Profit Forecast Up 7-Fold… CGM Driving Profitability

According to KG Zeroin MP Doctor (MP DOCTOR, formerly Marketpoint) on that day, i-SENS, Inc.(099190)closed regular trading at 17,500 won, up 9.17% from the previous trading day. During the session, the stock rose as high as 19,410 won, a 20.48% increase. This was driven by the company’s second-quarter earnings, announced that day, which significantly exceeded market expectations.

i-SENS, Inc.’s second-quarter consolidated revenue reached 88.5 billion won, a 15.2% increase year-over-year, setting a new quarterly record. Operating profit rose 274.1% to 6.3 billion won, while net income increased 341.9% to 3.5 billion won. This represents an “earnings surprise,” exceeding market expectations of 81.6 billion won in revenue and 900 million won in operating profit by 8% and more than 600%, respectively.

Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) were at the heart of this earnings improvement. Second-quarter CGM revenue on a consolidated basis reached 9.4 billion won, up 162.4% year-over-year and 12.7% quarter-over-quarter. Domestic sales totaled 3.6 billion won, while overseas sales reached 5.8 billion won, with the growth in overseas sales being particularly notable. Cumulative CGM sales for the first half of the year amounted to 17.8 billion won. Considering that revenue recognition for some clients has been deferred to the third quarter, analysts assess that the likelihood of the company achieving its annual CGM sales target of 40 billion won has increased.

It is worth noting that CGM has begun to contribute not only to revenue growth but also to improved profitability. i-SENS, Inc.’s gross profit margin for the second quarter was 43.4%, up 2.4 percentage points year-over-year. Manufacturing costs decreased due to economies of scale resulting from increased CGM sales volume and improvements in the production process, and the CGM gross profit margin exceeded the mid-40% range, outperforming the company-wide average. Profitability in the existing blood glucose meter (BGM) and point-of-care testing (POCT) segments was also better than expected.

However, the company explained that rising clinical trial costs in the second half of the year could limit the extent of profit growth. Since i-SENS, Inc. spent only 30–40% of its annual clinical trial budget in the first half, it expects R&D expenses to increase in the second half. While BGM and POCT sales are expected to remain at first-half levels and CGM sales are projected to grow further, the operating profit margin is likely to remain similar to that of the first half.

Yoon Jong-woo, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of i-SENS, Inc., stated, “The annual CGM sales target of 40 billion won is fully achievable, and we can even expect to slightly exceed it,” adding, “Thanks to increased CGM sales and improvements in the production process, we recorded a higher gross profit margin than expected in the first half of the year.”

Is it a bargain hunt or a restoration of confidence? Peptron, Inc. rebounds for the second day in a row

Peptron, Inc.(087010)closed at 128,900 won, up 13.77% from the previous trading day. Following a rebound on the 24th, the stock has risen for two consecutive days. Consequently, its market capitalization rose to 3.0056 trillion won.

Peptron, Inc. had hit consecutive daily price limits after market expectations collapsed following remarks made by CEO Choi Ho-il on the 9th at the “Shinhan Bio Forum in Daejeon 2026,” in which he implied that the joint research project with Eli Lilly did not involve the diabetes and obesity treatment tirzepatide. Given the magnitude of the decline, the prevailing view is that the recent rise is a technical rebound driven by bargain-hunting.

However, analysts also suggest that the announcement of the expansion of Plant No. 2 at the Osong Bio Park in North Chungcheong Province has reignited expectations regarding a contract with Eli Lilly. Peptron, Inc. announced on the 24th that it had applied for a building modification permit to expand the total floor area of Plant No. 2 by 2.5 times, from approximately 12,000 square meters to about 30,000 square meters. As the company decided to significantly increase both production and support facilities beyond the original plan, the market interpreted this as a sign that Peptron, Inc. views the commercial production of long-acting injectables as highly feasible.

Expanding production capacity could serve as a positive factor in negotiations with global pharmaceutical companies. Even if a technology transfer agreement is signed, insufficient commercial production capacity would require a separate transfer of production technology and the securing of contract manufacturing partners. Having in-house commercial production facilities demonstrates the potential for mass production and process reproducibility, which helps enhance platform credibility and bargaining power.

However, caution is warranted, as the expansion of the plant does not necessarily mean a contract with Lilly will be signed. In the biotech industry, there are numerous cases where companies made preemptive investments in production and research facilities to anticipate future demand, only to face delays in commercialization, resulting in low facility utilization rates and increased burdens from depreciation expenses and debt.

Genene Bio is a prime example of this: the company invested approximately 50 billion won to build the Genene Core Center, a non-clinical testing facility for non-human primates, but failed to achieve the expected business results. Subsequently, as the debt burden grew, the facility entered auction proceedings, and the company ultimately went through the process of delisting.

Quratis Inc.(348080) Inventage Lab Inc.(389470)also proactively built the Osong Bio Plant to commercialize a tuberculosis vaccine and pursue contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) operations, but the pace of commercialization could not keep up with the pace of facility investment. As the large-scale facility became a financial burden, the company repeatedly sought funding, and ultimately, management control was transferred to .

Whether the second plant will prove to be a successful preemptive investment ultimately depends on securing actual contracts and production volumes. E-Daily inquired with Peptron, Inc. regarding the purpose of the plant expansion and the specific configuration of the production facilities, but the company did not respond.

Cellid Co., Ltd. Hits Daily Price Limit on U.S. Patent… Escapes Penny Stock Crisis for Now

Cellid Co., Ltd.(299660)The stock closed at 1,367 won, up 29.94% from the previous trading day, hitting the daily price limit. A press release announcing that a natural killer (NK) cell-based technology applied to an anti-cancer immunotherapy vaccine had received a patent registration decision in the U.S. drove the stock price higher. Based on the closing price, the company’s market capitalization stands at 40.3 billion won.

This patent pertains to vaccine technology that includes NK cells loaded with natural killer T-cell ligands and cancer antigens. The company has already secured patent registration in South Korea and Russia, and a registration decision has also been issued in Vietnam. Based on this U.S. patent, Cellid Co., Ltd. plans to pursue technology exports or joint clinical trials for its Celivax platform and BVAC pipeline.

Thanks to the sharp rise in its stock price, Cellid Co., Ltd. has escaped the immediate threat of being classified as a “penny stock.” On the 21st, Cellid Co., Ltd.’s stock price fell to 973 won during trading, breaking below the 1,000-won mark. Starting this month, a company becomes subject to designation as a “monitored stock” if its share price remains below 1,000 won or its market capitalization stays below 20 billion won for 30 or more trading days.

However, it is difficult to view the patent registration alone as a sustainable driver of continued stock price growth. Cellid Co., Ltd.’s investor confidence was significantly eroded late last month when its COVID-19 vaccine failed to meet approval criteria in Phase 3 clinical trials.

For Cellid Co., Ltd., whether its anti-cancer immunotherapy vaccine can achieve a soft landing as a next-generation growth engine is expected to determine the company’s future value. The company confirmed an objective response rate of 37.9% and a median duration of response of 20 months in a clinical trial combining BVAC-C with the immune checkpoint inhibitor durvalumab, and is also conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial for BVAC-E6E7, a vaccine for head and neck cancer. In addition, the decision to grant a U.S. patent for the NK cell-based technology of the Celivax platform has broadened the company’s rights base for technology exports. However, as the programs are still in the investigator-initiated and early clinical trial stages, the company must replicate efficacy in subsequent clinical trials and translate these results into actual technology exports or joint development partnerships to restore market confidence eroded by the failure of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Kang Chang-yul, CEO of Cellid Co., Ltd., stated, “The decision to grant a U.S. patent is significant in that it secures a foundation for the long-term protection of the core technology of the CeliVax platform,” adding, “Based on this, we will actively pursue technology exports and joint clinical trials for the BVAC pipeline.”