[Edaily Reporter Kim Seung-kwon ] “We do not make baseless claims, and even when evidence exists, we do not overinterpret it.”

Hugel, Inc.(145020)Centered on its Medical Business Division, the company is focusing its efforts on academic marketing based on research papers and clinical evidence. While successively demonstrating through research papers the rapid onset of action and limited diffusion characteristics of the botulinum toxin “Retivo” (known domestically as “Botulax”), the company is also establishing the principle of “evidence first” in new business areas such as skin boosters, fillers, and collagen.

Shin Seung-jun, Executive Vice President of Hugel, Inc.’s Medical Business Division, said in a recent interview with Edaily, “Since companies need to promote and sell their products, their messaging can tend to lean toward commercial expressions,” adding, “The Medical Division plays a role in maintaining balance.” He also emphasized, “Just because antibodies are not detected in an antibody test does not mean the product is completely free of immunogenicity,” adding, “‘Not detected’ is different from ‘absent.’”

Senior Vice President Shin, a board-certified plastic surgeon, worked as a private practitioner in Suwon for eight years before joining Hugel, Inc. via Allergan Korea. He explained, “I thought that if I were to do the same work, it would be more meaningful to do it for a Korean company.”

Retivo: “Rapid Onset and Limited Diffusion”… Differentiation Through Research Papers

Hugel, Inc.’s Medical Division highlights Retivo’s rapid onset of action and limited diffusion as its key strengths. However, Executive Director Shin began by clarifying the scope of interpretation. “Rapid onset does not mean the effect appears immediately upon injection; it is more accurate to view it as somewhat faster than existing products,” he said.

This claim is supported by the results of a Phase 3 clinical trial published in 2022 in the international academic journal *Aesthetic Surgery Journal (ASJ)*. In this study, which involved 355 participants, 24% of the Retivo group experienced wrinkle improvement within 24 hours, and 74.5% within three days.

The diffusion characteristics were also supported by the study. If the toxin spreads beyond the injection site, side effects such as drooping eyelids can occur. In a hemifacial comparative clinical trial published in *Dermatology and Therapy* in 2025, Retivo showed less diffusion than Botox (by 15.1 cm²) and Dysport (by 25.2 cm²). Executive Director Shin explained, “Just as a fine brush allows for more precise drawing than a thick one, Retivo enables precise treatment limited to the desired areas.”

The company is continuing its evidence-based strategy in the U.S. market as well. Executive Director Shin noted, “U.S. physicians often adopt new products only after a consensus has been reached based on their colleagues’ accumulated experience,” adding, “Retivo is just beginning to be recognized as ‘Korea’s No. 1 innovative product.’” Since the real-world data collected from more than 70 countries is still internal, the company plans to submit it to peer-reviewed journals to support Hugel, Inc. The company is also preparing a dedicated organization similar to AMI, Allergan’s medical education division.

Since 2013, Hugel, Inc. has been hosting the academic symposium “H.E.L.F.” to provide hands-on training. For example, participants are encouraged to use LEGO blocks to physically assemble a model demonstrating the mechanism of action of botulinum toxin. In China as well, the company has continued to hold local symposia and hands-on training sessions, rising to second place in the local market with a 22% market share just six years after entering the market. Executive Director Shin stated, “Ultimately, it is evidence that convinces healthcare professionals.”

“Evidence First” for Skin Boosters, Fillers, and Collagen

The same principle applies to new business ventures. The HA skin booster “ByRezon” is a cross-linked HA that exhibits characteristics similar to non-cross-linked HA, thereby reducing the risk of the “embossed” effect—where the skin becomes uneven after treatment. In a study that tracked patients for 24 weeks after injections of low-crosslinked HA, the score for crow’s feet wrinkles decreased from 3.06 to 1.79. Executive Director Shin noted, “European medical professionals have been using HA products the longest and trust them because there is the most evidence available.”

The new filler product, “The Chaeum Signature,” has reduced the amount of cross-linking agent used by more than half. By extending the washing process from the standard 7–8 days to approximately 14 days, the residual amount of cross-linking byproduct (BDPE) was lowered to 2.5 ppm or less. In a study analyzing 38 fillers from seven manufacturers, Hugel, Inc.’s product was found to have the lowest BDPE levels. Executive Director Shin said, “Although there have been no reports of BDPE causing problems, the fewer residual byproducts there are, the cleaner the product.”

The human-derived collagen secured through a partnership with U.S.-based Gelatech follows the same logic. Executive Director Shin explained, “Products that promote collagen production may have limitations among the elderly, whose cellular functions have declined,” adding, “The method of infusing pre-formed collagen offers more immediate effects and higher reproducibility.” However, Hugel, Inc. is currently only at the stage of securing raw materials, with much of the development process still ahead.

Hugel, Inc. has set a medium- to long-term sales target of 900 billion won by 2028. Executive Director Shin said, “Our core toxin product will remain the most important, and other products must grow alongside it,” adding, “The Medical Division will serve as a pillar, supporting growth through evidence and education.” He continued, “Our goal is to ensure that Hugel, Inc. can confidently declare, wherever we go, ‘We are a company that speaks with evidence.’”