Company to locate in the Regenerative Medicine Engine, receives BioNest grant from Greater Winston-Salem Inc.
Winston-Salem, NC – February 10, 2026 – CorestemChemon, a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in South Korea, has selected Winston-Salem as the location for its U.S. base of operations. The company will be located within the Regenerative Medicine (RegenMed) Engine’s Innovation Accelerator, based in the Innovation Quarter.
With about 350 employees worldwide, CorestemChemon is recognized for its leadership in stem cell–based therapies. In South Korea, the company has successfully completed clinical trials for Neuronata-R, a stem cell therapy for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), making it one of only a small number of stem cell therapies approved for use globally. From its U.S. base in Winston-Salem, CorestemChemon plans to advance its therapies through U.S. regulatory pathways while building research, clinical and business partnerships.
“Establishing our U.S. operations in Winston-Salem represents an important milestone in CorestemChemon’s global strategy,” said Seung Beom Yang, director of CorestemChemon. “The opportunity to work within the RegenMed Engine and alongside the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), the world’s leading translational regenerative medicine institution, provides a strong foundation for expanding our therapies into the U.S. market and increasing our impact for patients worldwide.”
WFIRM is part of Wake Forest University’s School of Medicine – the academic core of Advocate Health – and is internationally recognized for translating regenerative medicine research into patient-focused solutions, collaborating with more than 500 academic, government, and industry partners.
WFIRM leads the Regenerative Medicine (RegenMed) Engine, an initiative funded by the National Science Foundation to help move new regenerative medicine technologies from research into real-world use. Through the RegenMed Engine, the institute houses the Innovation Accelerator, which offers office and laboratory space to industry partners.
“WFIRM and the Regenerative Medicine Engine are focused on accelerating the delivery of promising regenerative medicine innovations to patients in need,” said Dr. Anthony Atala, director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine and chief innovation officer of the RegenMed Engine. “Welcoming CorestemChemon to Winston-Salem reflects our role as a trusted partner for companies advancing therapies on a global scale.”
“CorestemChemon’s cellular-based technology represents a significant advance for a severe condition. Their technology is deeply aligned with the RegenMed Engine’s mission and goals. We welcome this company to our ecosystem and look forward to a successful partnership,” said Dr. Tim Bertram, CEO of the RegenMed Engine.
To support the company’s U.S. market entry, Greater Winston-Salem Inc. has awarded CorestemChemon a BioNest Grant, providing assistance for office space, business development, and engagement with regional institutions and companies. The BioNest Fund supports the growth of life sciences firms relocating to or expanding in Winston-Salem and is made possible through support from the Whitaker Park Development Authority.
“International companies are choosing Winston-Salem because of our highly regarded life sciences ecosystem,” said Ellis Keifer, vice president of Economic Development for Greater Winston-Salem Inc. “CorestemChemon’s decision reflects confidence in this community as a long-term U.S. launch pad for globally impactful science.”
“CorestemChemon’s decision to locate here shows why Winston-Salem is a top location choice for life sciences companies. International firms are choosing the Innovation Quarter not just for its world-class facilities, but for the connectivity, talent, and momentum that exist here,” says Isaac Perry, head of Biotech and Life Sciences Ecosystem Development for the Innovation Quarter.
Beyond ALS, CorestemChemon is developing therapies for diseases such as lupus, Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO), and multiple system atrophy (MSA). Driven by the needs of patients, the company is focused on expanding treatment options for rare and currently incurable neurological and autoimmune diseases. By expanding into the U.S. market through its Winston-Salem location, the company can advance efforts to bring those therapies to more patients around the world.
The Regenerative Medicine Engine, funded by the National Science Foundation and based in North Carolina, is a dynamic innovation ecosystem focused on economic growth in the regenerative medicine industry. By supporting use-inspired research, workforce development, technology translation, and manufacturing, the Regenerative Medicine Engine is fostering the development of new technologies, the creation of new jobs, and the attraction of investment. This initiative unites different sectors to accelerate commercialization for regenerative medicine technologies, thereby cementing North Carolina and the United States as a leader in the rapidly growing regenerative medicine industry. Learn more about the RegenMed Engine at regenmedengine.com.
Greater Winston-Salem Inc., the 2024 ACCE Chamber of the Year, supports Winston-Salem and Forsyth County’s economic growth through initiatives in economic recruitment and retention, talent and workforce development, advocacy, and entrepreneurial programming. We are committed to bringing an innovative mindset and collaborative efforts to initiatives that develop a vibrant community that’s good for business growth and sustainability. Our efforts are informed by our 2030 Vision: to be a top mid-sized city for economic growth, to be a more equitable community, and to be the best place to raise a family. Learn more at winstonsalem.com.
CorestemChemon Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that operates two distinct business pillars: advanced cell therapy development and South Korea’s leading non-clinical Contract Research Organization (CRO) services. In its therapeutics division, the company achieved a significant milestone in 2014 by receiving conditional approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) for Neuronata-R, a stem cell therapy for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Following this successful commercialization, the therapy has remained on the market to date. In 2020, CorestemChemon received Investigational New Drug (IND) approvals for Phase 3 clinical trials from both the MFDS and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Phase 3 clinical trial was concluded in 2024, and the MFDS is currently conducting a final data review as of 2026. Independently, CorestemChemon’s non-clinical division is recognized as a premier CRO in South Korea, providing sophisticated research and testing services. By leveraging its specialized expertise in both independent sectors, CorestemChemon continues to advance research for rare and incurable diseases while expanding its presence in the global regenerative medicine market. Learn more about CorestemChemon here.
The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine is recognized as an international leader in translating scientific discovery into clinical therapies, with many world firsts, including the development and implantation of the first engineered organ in a patient. Over 500 people at the institute, the largest in the world, work on more than 40 different tissues and organs. A number of the basic principles of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine were first developed at the institute. WFIRM researchers have successfully engineered replacement tissues and organs in all four categories – flat structures, tubular tissues, hollow organs and solid organs – and 18 different applications of cell/tissue therapy technologies, such as skin, urethras, cartilage, bladders, muscle, kidney, and vaginal organs, have been successfully used in human patients. The institute, which is part of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, is located in the Innovation Quarter in downtown Winston-Salem, NC, and is driven by the urgent needs of patients. The institute is making a global different in regenerative medicine through collaborations with over 500 entities and institutions worldwide, through its government, academic and industry partnerships, its startup entities, and through major initiatives in breakthrough technologies, such as tissue engineering, cell therapies, diagnostics, drug discovery, biomanufacturing, nanotechnology, gene editing and 3D printing. Learn more about WFIRM here.
Innovation Quarter is a vibrant, mixed-use innovation district located in downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Anchored by Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Innovation Quarter is home to a thriving ecosystem of more than 4,500 workers, 115 companies and nearly 2,000 students. The district blends state-of-the-art research facilities, academic institutions, residential space and community amenities—earning global recognition for its place-based approach to innovation and economic development. Learn more at innovationquarter.com.