[Edaily Reporter Kim Hyung-il ] Pharmaceutical and cosmetics company JETEMA Co.,Ltd.(216080)announced on the 7th that it has been selected for the “2026 Second Biohealth R&D Project,” organized by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and will begin developing human collagen-based medical devices.

This project aims to “develop a manufacturing process for medium-to-high-molecular-weight medical-grade human collagen and Class 4 medical devices based on AI sequence design and process modeling.” The research period will span approximately five years, from July of this year through December 2030, with a total project budget of 8.12 billion won.

Human collagen is regarded as a next-generation biomaterial with high potential for use in tissue regeneration and medical materials, thanks to its biocompatibility and affinity for the human body. Through its participation in this project, JETEMA Co.,Ltd. aims to expand its business scope from its existing aesthetics-focused portfolio into the field of human collagen-based medical devices and secure new growth engines.

Qutis Bio will participate in this R&D project as the lead research and development institution. Daewoong Bio, JETEMA Co.,Ltd., and Inha University will participate as joint research and development institutions and are scheduled to carry out the entire R&D process—from the design of human collagen and the development of manufacturing processes to medical device development, preclinical evaluation, and regulatory approval.

The core of the project is to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) technology to design human collagen sequences and model manufacturing processes, thereby securing manufacturing technology for medium- and high-molecular-weight human collagen suitable for use as a medical material. Based on the developed human collagen material, the team plans to develop medical devices and establish a foundation for commercialization by linking the process through non-clinical trials and the regulatory approval stages.

In this project, JETEMA Co.,Ltd. is responsible for the development and regulatory approval of Class 4 medical devices based on human collagen. The company will lead the conduct of GLP-compliant nonclinical trials and the submission of applications for approval of clinical trial plans to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), thereby verifying the commercial viability of human collagen materials and laying the groundwork for actual medical device development.

Building on its accumulated expertise in medical device development and regulatory approval, JETEMA Co.,Ltd. intends to solidify the commercialization potential of human collagen-based medical materials and expand this into a new medical device pipeline in the future.

JETEMA Co.,Ltd. official stated, “Being selected for this project is a significant opportunity to enter the new medical device business based on human collagen, a next-generation bio-medical material,” adding, “We will pursue the development of differentiated products based on our accumulated expertise in medical device development and regulatory approval, and we will continue to expand our pipeline of human collagen-based medical devices.”