Company Overview#
BICHEDAM is a biotech company that makes medicines from natural plant ingredients. Its drugs are taken by mouth (as pills) and are designed to treat conditions that come with aging. The company blends traditional Korean medicine with modern drug development. BICHEDAM is based in Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, and also has a branch office in Seoul.
Technology & Product#
The company’s main drug works as a ROCK inhibitor. In plain terms, it blocks a specific enzyme pathway in the body (the RhoA-ROCK pathway) that plays a role in muscle cramping. The active ingredient comes from a natural plant compound, so the drug is plant-based rather than fully synthetic.
The lead drug, BCD101, is a first-in-class medicine, meaning it is the first drug of its kind. Its key active ingredient is puerarin, a natural compound found in kudzu root. On its own, puerarin is hard for the body to absorb when swallowed. BICHEDAM has formulated the pill to fix this, so more of the drug reaches the bloodstream and stays there at a steady level.
Market & Use Cases#
BCD101 is aimed at Nocturnal Leg Cramps (NLC), the painful leg cramps that strike at night. Right now there is no approved drug made specifically for this condition, in Korea or anywhere else. BICHEDAM sees this gap as a clear unmet need. The company notes that these cramps are common among adults over 40. Looking further ahead, its pipeline also aims at high blood pressure linked to aging and other age-related conditions.
Traction & References#
In 2024, BICHEDAM was chosen for TIPS, a Korean government startup support program, which came with KRW 500 million in research funding over two years(Venture Square). In 2025, it raised KRW 1 billion in an early (Pre-A) funding round from the Korea Technology Finance Corporation (KIBO)(Venture Square). BCD101 won Phase 1 IND approval from Korea’s MFDS, the country’s drug regulator. Phase 1 is the first stage of human testing, and IND approval is the go-ahead to begin it. The trial was run in healthy adults at Chungbuk National University Hospital(BioTimes). BICHEDAM finished this Phase 1 study in 2026, and the results showed that the body absorbed the drug better(K-Job News). The company also licensed know-how from Yeungnam University on how to keep BCD101 high-quality and stable(Yeungnam University). Its patents include a granted US patent (12,329,798 B2) and registered Korean patents(BICHEDAM).
Collaboration Relevance#
BICHEDAM is looking for partners in Europe to run the next stage of testing (Phase 2), along with scientific advisors and pharmaceutical companies interested in developing the drug together or licensing it. Its lead drug is a good fit for these deals: it is a pill that has already cleared Phase 1 testing, works in a new way, and addresses a real need with no current treatment. The company’s strong backers and its active network of hospitals, including a Phase 2 lead doctor at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, show it is ready for international clinical and licensing partnerships.