Yuhan Corporation Joins World Gaucher Disease Day Campaign for Second Consecutive Year

[Financial News] Yuhan Corporation has taken part for the second consecutive year in a global campaign raising awareness of Gaucher disease, a rare condition, and the need to support patients. While highlighting disparities in access to treatment, it is also continuing clinical development of an oral drug candidate it is developing in-house.
Yuhan Corporation said on the 26th that it had joined the 2026 World Gaucher Disease Day campaign, organized by the International Gaucher Alliance (IGA). This year’s theme is “Equity in Action,” reflecting a call to reduce disparities in diagnosis and treatment based on patients’ country of residence and healthcare environment, and to strengthen support throughout the patient journey, from diagnosis and treatment to family care.
Gaucher disease is a rare inherited metabolic disorder in which glucosylceramide (GL1) accumulates because of a deficiency or dysfunction of the enzyme glucocerebrosidase, which breaks down lipids within cells. Major symptoms include enlargement of the spleen and liver, anemia, low platelet counts and bone pain. Some types can also cause neurological symptoms, such as cognitive decline and difficulty walking. The number of patients worldwide is estimated at around 20,000, while fewer than 100 patients are known to live in South Korea.
Yuhan Corporation shared campaign messages through its health-information channel “Health Companion,” employees’ personal social media accounts and email signatures. At this year’s youth talent-development program, the Yu Il-han Academy, university students created informational materials for Gaucher disease patients and caregivers, as well as “Alook,” an anonymous online community. The project was featured on the IGA website and official social media last September.
Drug development is also underway. Yuhan Corporation’s candidate YH35995 is a glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) inhibitor that suppresses GL1 production and is being developed as an orally administered small-molecule treatment. After securing the candidate through joint research with GC Biopharma Corp. in 2018, Yuhan is now developing it independently. The company aims to begin Phase 2 trials in the second half of 2027.
Kim Yeol-hong, Yuhan Corporation’s president overseeing research and development (R&D), said, “The information and treatment available to Gaucher disease patients differ depending on their country of residence and the stage at which they are diagnosed. I hope this will be an opportunity to raise awareness about patients in South Korea who are unable to receive a diagnosis or treatment, and to put patient-centered values into practice.”
[email protected] Sang-hee Jeong Reporter