Large Korean pharma firms’ first-quarter earnings were mostly mixed on a range of diverse factors such as solid prescription sales and impacts from acquisitions, with some even looking to space for new business opportunities.

Aside from record earnings reported by a number of Korean pharma companies, the industry saw a diverse range of headlines in the fourth quarter, including cross-border acquisitions and business diversification.

Shoreline picks up technology platform rights and access from Editas, which recently reduced staff. Hyloris out-licenses commercial rights to Maxigesic in nine EU markets to Salus.

South Korea's breakthrough therapy system, Global Innovative Products Fast Track, kicks off with Roche’s follicular lymphoma drug becoming the first to test the new system. Meanwhile, a state-run group is linking with pharma firms to rapidly bring in global new drugs.