Emmaus Life Sciences Secures $1.7M Investment from Korean Institute to Advance Sickle Cell Disease Therapy

Recently, Emmaus Life Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company based in California, USA, announced that it had raised approximately $1.7 million. The company focuses on the research, development, and commercialization of innovative therapies for rare diseases and orphan conditions. Emmaus achieved this fundraising by selling common shares to the Korea Bio Medical Science Institute (KBMSI), thereby establishing a partial collaborative agreement between the two companies.


Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc. completed a private placement by selling a total of 377,778 shares of common stock to KBMSI, a South Korean biomedical company. Private placement refers to raising capital through private negotiations with specific investors or creditors, rather than through public offerings, utilizing various methods such as tender offers, bank loans, or venture capital, depending on the agreed terms. The Korea Biomedical Science Institute focuses on developing all-natural pharmaceuticals for preventive medicine and chronic incurable diseases. The funds invested in this transaction will be used to advance Emmaus’s research on glutamine therapy (PGLG). In its current clinical development program, Phase 3 trials have been successfully completed, paving the way for regulatory approval for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD) and subsequent commercialization.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder. In human hemoglobin, the glutamic acid at the sixth position of the beta-globin chain of HbA is replaced by valine, causing an abnormality that results in red blood cells becoming sickle-shaped rather than soft and round, hence the name. These sickle cells are rigid and poorly deformable, making it difficult for them to pass through capillaries. This impedes capillary blood flow, and the resulting stasis can lead to microthrombi, causing muscle pain in the extremities, pain in large joints, and lower back pain. Other symptoms may include severe abdominal pain, headache, and even coma and limb paralysis. Insufficient oxygen supply to tissues and organs triggers anemia, which exacerbates the sickling process, creating a vicious cycle. The condition manifests as acute hemolysis and rapid splenomegaly, which can be fatal within a short period. Over time, these factors can lead to adverse outcomes such as organ damage, stroke, pulmonary complications, skin ulcers, and infections. Sickle cell disease is prevalent among Black populations in Africa and the Americas. In the United States, it is considered a rare orphan disease, and there is currently no cure. There are approximately 100,000 patients in the U.S. and millions worldwide, representing a significant unmet medical need.

“We sincerely appreciate the investment from the Korea Biomedical Science Institute (KBMSI), which unites the strength of our shareholders and helps us further advance the treatment of sickle cell disease,” said Yutaka Niihara, M.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Emmaus. “We look forward to collaborating with KBMSI to explore commercially viable products in Korea and continue to uncover other potential opportunities.”

The scientific research on sickle cell disease conducted by Emmaus Life Sciences was initiated by Dr. Yutaka Niihara at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, a medical center affiliated with The Lancet, an internationally renowned academic journal. Emmaus’s therapy for sickle cell disease is the only designated product qualified for orphan drug designation in Europe and the United States and has been granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. FDA. The company has completed Phase III clinical trials using samples from 230 patients.

On February 1, 2016, three new members joined the Board of Directors of Emmaus Life Sciences: Ian Zwicker, Founder and CEO of Zweig Consulting; Jon Kuwahara, an executive at the pharmaceutical company Avanir; and Masaharu Osato, M.D., an independent shareholder. Commenting on the expansion of the Board, Yutaka Niihara, CEO of Emmaus, stated, “Our new partners will bring a diverse array of fresh ideas, innovative approaches, and new channels from the investment, banking, and accounting sectors to the pharmaceutical industry. We thank them for joining us. Let us work together and collaborate closely as we look forward to new advances in sickle cell disease, bringing hope to patients worldwide.”

By | Chen Kun

Editor: Zhang Nan