Daehong EL&S Co., a platform company specializing in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and biopharmaceutical materials, has been awarded the Minister of Education's Prize in the technology cooperation category at the "2026 Industrial-Academic Cooperation Excellent Case Contest." This recognition stems from their collaborative research achievements in exosomes derived from red cabbage, conducted alongside Professor Lee Won-jong's research team at Incheon National University.
The contest, organized by the Ministry of Education and hosted by the National Research Foundation of Korea, aims to identify outstanding examples of industry-academic cooperation and to disseminate the results of technology transfer and commercialization.
The award underscores Daehong EL&S's ability to combine university-originated technologies with its own research and commercialization capabilities, leading to tangible product development and industry applications.
Building on the foundational technology of red cabbage-derived exosomes, Daehong EL&S established a platform for producing, purifying, and analyzing plant-derived exosomes. This innovation has been implemented in their production infrastructure, scaling up to meet industrial demands and ensuring quality management standards.
The research led to the development of 'RedCabbage ExoSkin,' a cosmetic ingredient utilizing extracellular vesicles derived from red cabbage. The collaborative research findings have been published in the SCI-level international journal 'Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry,' and domestic patents alongside PCT international applications have been filed. Furthermore, a global commercialization foundation was set with INCI registration and 'Ecocert COSMOS Approved' certification.
Commercialization efforts are gaining momentum as Daehong EL&S has signed an exclusive supply contract for RedCabbage ExoSkin with a domestic pharmaceutical company, expanding the application of the product. The company is also pursuing overseas market entry through global distribution channels while developing two additional plant-derived exosome ingredients to enhance its material portfolio.
With these achievements, Daehong EL&S plans to expand its platform for plant-derived extracellular vesicles into next-generation biobased materials. By fostering collaborations with universities and research institutions, the company aims to create a robust model for discovering new materials and translating research results into products for both domestic and international markets.
A representative from Daehong EL&S stated, "This award signifies the convergence of excellent university-originated technology and Daehong EL&S’s material development and commercialization capabilities, which have led to actual industry outcomes. We will continue to differentiate our plant-derived biobased materials and expand commercialization efforts to connect research results with client products and the global market."
