DuChemBio Co., Ltd. (두켐바이오) was founded in 2002 and is headquartered at 6–7F, 81 Wausan-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea. The company is publicly listed on the Korea Stock Exchange (KRX: 176750) and employs approximately 136 staff, with a trailing twelve-month revenue of approximately USD 25.5 million and a market capitalisation of approximately USD 213 million as of mid-2025.

DuChemBio is established as the undisputed market leader in South Korea’s radiopharmaceutical sector, operating as the country’s largest manufacturer and commercialiser of PET imaging tracers. The company operates seven radio-pharmacy facilities across South Korea and collaborates closely with leading hospitals and research centres in Seoul to advance clinical nuclear medicine. Its business model spans proprietary product development, contract manufacturing for international radiopharmaceutical sponsors, and import and distribution of nuclear medicine-related medical equipment.

The company has successfully launched multiple proprietary radiopharmaceutical products — developed both in-house and via international licensing partnerships — including imaging agents for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, brain tumours, and neuroendocrine tumours. Under contract, DuChemBio currently manufactures 18F-MK-6240 (an Alzheimer’s PET imaging agent) for US-based Lantheus and 18F-PI-2620 (a tau PET imaging agent) for Germany’s Life Molecular Imaging, demonstrating an active and growing CDMO offering.

In a significant strategic development, DuChemBio signed a 34.3 billion won (approximately USD 25.5 million) investment agreement with North Jeolla Province and the city of Jeongeup to build South Korea’s first dedicated radiopharmaceutical CDMO plant. The Jeongeup facility will integrate radioisotope production, drug manufacturing, R&D, and export infrastructure, with the first commercial production line targeted for the second half of 2029. The company aims to position the Jeongeup site as a radioligand therapy (RPT) manufacturing hub serving China, Japan, and Taiwan, with projected annual revenues exceeding 20 billion won from the site after 2032. CEO Kim Sang-woo has articulated a strategic ambition to establish one-stop capabilities spanning drug development through regulatory approval in the radioligand therapy space.

Key Products and Services

Proprietary Radiopharmaceutical Products

• Alzheimer’s Disease Imaging — PET imaging tracers for amyloid and tau pathology in Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and disease monitoring
• Parkinson’s Disease Imaging — 18F-labelled radiopharmaceutical measuring dopamine transporter density in the brain’s striatum for diagnosing Parkinson’s disease and related syndromes
• Brain Tumour and Neuroendocrine Tumour Imaging — radiopharmaceuticals for imaging dopamine nerve terminals and assessing neuroendocrine tumour burden
• Additional oncology and neurology PET tracers — a portfolio of 18F and other short-lived radioisotope-labelled agents across PET/CT and PET/MRI hybrid imaging indications

Contract Development and Manufacturing (CDMO)

• Current contracted manufacturing services for international radiopharmaceutical sponsors, with active programmes for Lantheus (18F-MK-6240) and Life Molecular Imaging (18F-PI-2620)
• Planned expansion of CDMO capacity through the Jeongeup facility (target: commercial operation from H2 2029), encompassing radioisotope production, GMP drug substance and drug product manufacturing, R&D, and export capability
• Intended scope: full one-stop CDMO services spanning preclinical and clinical development through to commercial manufacturing and regulatory approval for radioligand therapy programmes targeting the Asia-Pacific regional market

Nuclear Medicine Equipment

• Import and distribution of medical imaging equipment related to nuclear medicine, including PET/CT and PET/MRI systems and related diagnostic infrastructure

Radio-Pharmacy Network

• Seven radio-pharmacy production and dispensing facilities across South Korea providing regional supply of PET imaging agents to clinical nuclear medicine departments and hospitals

DuChemBio occupies a structurally advantaged position in South Korea’s radiopharmaceutical sector as the market’s largest and most operationally mature player, with over two decades of experience in radiopharmaceutical manufacturing, a national radio-pharmacy network, and established international CDMO relationships with leading Western radiopharmaceutical companies. The decision to build South Korea’s first dedicated radiopharmaceutical CDMO plant at Jeongeup is a strategically timely one: the global radioligand therapy market is experiencing significant growth driven by the commercial success of lutetium-based therapeutics and a substantial pipeline of next-generation alpha and beta emitting radioligand therapies, yet manufacturing capacity — particularly in Asia — remains a material constraint for sponsors seeking to serve regional markets. DuChemBio’s intent to position Jeongeup as an RPT manufacturing hub for China, Japan, and Taiwan reflects an understanding of this regional capacity gap and a credible ambition to capture a share of the growing demand for Asia-Pacific-based radiopharmaceutical CDMO infrastructure.