[Seungkwon Kim, Edaily Reporter] Korea’s pharmaceutical, biotech, and healthcare sectors saw heavy buying on the 13th, driven by a newly listed medical device company, a global drug theme, and U.S.-originated catalysts. With the KOSDAQ up only about 1%, attention centered on #SkyLabs, #Samik Pharmaceutical, and #L&K Biomed.

◇ Sky Labs: Weak IPO Reversed by Two-Day Rally

Sky Labs closed at the daily limit-up price of 30,550 won, up 30.00% (7,050 won), according to MPDoctor. Volatility halts were triggered twice, and trading volume exceeded 660 billion won before noon. The stock is now trading 205.5% above its 10,000-won offering price, following a 135.0% gain on its September 4 debut.

The rally reversed a lackluster initial public offering (IPO). Institutional demand reached a 63.41-to-1 ratio, and the lock-up commitment rate was just 0.17%, raising concerns about overhang that buying pressure has so far overwhelmed.

The immediate catalyst was clinical data for CART BP pro, the world’s first cuffless blood pressure monitor to secure both medical device certification and national health insurance coverage. Sky Labs disclosed five CART studies presented at the ESC Congress 2026 in Munich, covering patients with atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and sleep apnea. Professor Kim In-chul of Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital reported that the device met the European Society of Hypertension’s accuracy criteria in patients with severe heart failure, while Professor Yoon Jong-chan of Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital observed transient blood pressure spikes immediately following respiratory recovery in patients with sleep apnea. The market interpreted this as evidence that the device can expand beyond hypertension into broader cardiovascular management.

CEO Lee Byung-hwan stated that the company and its technology were not undervalued as such, attributing the low starting price to weak market sentiment toward IPOs at the time of the offering.

◇ Samik Pharm, 30% surge on Wall Street’s hair-loss trade

Samik Pharmaceutical also hit the daily price limit, gaining 30.03% (2,020 won) to 8,780 won, with morning trading volume exceeding 4.19 million shares. The catalyst was a new U.S. investment theme centered on hair-loss drugs, after Bloomberg highlighted developers in the sector as potential successors to Wegovy. Domestically, momentum from a review of expanded insurance coverage further fueled the rally.

Samik’s core asset is a drug delivery platform (Patent No. 2905826) that converts baricitinib—a JAK inhibitor used to treat alopecia areata and rheumatoid arthritis—from a daily oral tablet into a once-monthly long-acting injectable. The technology encapsulates more than 95% of the poorly soluble drug within polymer microspheres and controls its release over a month or longer.

The company itself has taken a more cautious stance. A Samik official stated that commercialization would require considerable time and attributed the recent surge to shifts in supply and demand rather than any specific catalyst. Majority shareholders and related parties hold approximately 63% of the shares, leaving a limited free float that amplifies volatility. A securities industry official noted that most U.S. hair-loss drug candidates remain in clinical trials or under review, and said that both formulation stability and the link between thematic investment flows and actual earnings require verification.

◇ L&K Biomed: FDA Add-On Approval Targets U.S. Surgeon Demand

L&K Biomed traded around 5,100 won, up more than 20%, reaching 5,400 won during the trading session. With no new disclosures that day, the industry attributed the rise to expectations of U.S. revenue growth and progress on a global supply agreement.

Last month, the company received additional FDA clearance expanding the size range for BluEX-C, its expandable cervical cage. In addition to the existing 4mm-to-15mm height adjustment, surgeons can now select the contact area with the vertebral body, addressing the need to reduce subsidence. Separately, its Pectus chest wall implant surpassed 1 billion won in monthly sales and secured referrals at institutions including the Mayo Clinic, with the core business posting a profit for the second consecutive quarter.

The key variable remains the timing of a supply contract with a major global medical device firm, which is now in the final stages of negotiation following the completion of an audit. Analysts have identified prolonged negotiations and the overhang from 32 billion won in convertible bonds as risks to monitor.