Hugel, a South Korean botulinum toxin manufacturer, has completed the patent registration for its technology to develop patch-type BTX here, taking an innovative approach for an alternative to the conventional injection-type BTX.

The biopharmaceutical firm announced Wednesday that it has secured and patented the technology to develop adhesive BTX patches with micro-needles coated with botulinum toxin. Although they may prickle, the company says they won’t hurt as much as a BTX injection. 

The scope of Hugel’s patented technology involves formulating botulinum toxin that can be used with micro-needles, micro-blades and micro-knives to be applied to the skin in patch form. Hugel plans to apply the patented technology in clinical trials of patch-type botulinum toxin and potentially commercialize it. 

Patch-type BTX can give users the option to make minute adjustments to the concentration of BTX, and the option to apply it more precisely. Its biggest advantage, of course, is the significantly lower level of pain to the patient, the firm said.

“This patented technology will greatly contribute to Hugel’s future global market sales expansion and the safe and convenient use of BTX across the cosmetic and therapeutic field,” Hugel’s CEO Sohn Ji-hoon said.

“Hugel will establish itself as a leading global research and development firm through continued development of various types of BTX,” he said.

Hugel is mulling an international patent of the technology.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)