SK biopharmaceuticals

About SK biopharmaceuticals

SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. operates as a global pharmaceutical company, originating from SK Group's decision in 1993 to explore new drug research and development. The company was officially spun off from SK Group in 2011 to concentrate on developing treatments for central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Donghoon Lee currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and President.

The company's business model is centered on the full cycle of pharmaceutical development, from discovery and clinical trials to securing regulatory approval and commercialization. A landmark achievement was becoming the first Korean company to independently manage the entire process from discovering a compound to gaining U.S. FDA approval. Revenue is primarily generated through the sale of its proprietary drugs and through licensing agreements with partners for development and commercialization in specific regions. For instance, its flagship product, Xcopri, is marketed through its own sales network in the U.S., while partners handle commercialization in other territories like Canada and Europe. In the second quarter of 2025, sales for its epilepsy treatment, Cenobamate, exceeded $100 million in the U.S.

SK Biopharmaceuticals focuses on developing treatments for CNS disorders and is expanding into oncology. Its portfolio includes two FDA-approved drugs. The primary product is Xcopri® (cenobamate), an anti-seizure medication for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in adults. Cenobamate is believed to work through a unique dual mechanism of action, inhibiting voltage-gated sodium currents and acting as a positive allosteric modulator of the GABAA ion channel. The company also developed Sunosi® (solriamfetol), a treatment for excessive daytime sleepiness in adults with narcolepsy or obstructive sleep apnea, which was licensed to another pharmaceutical company for commercialization. The company has a pipeline of eight other compounds in various stages of development for conditions including Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, schizophrenia, and various cancers. To accelerate growth, the firm is pursuing acquisitions of other companies or their approved drug sales rights and is expanding its R&D into next-generation modalities like targeted protein degradation, radiopharmaceutical therapy, and cell and gene therapy.