MASSTIGE TIME

HemoHIM is a unique plant complex made from three types of herbal ingredients native to Korea: Angelica Gigas, Cnidium Officinale, and Paeonia Japonica. Developed by the Food Science Biotechnology Team at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), HemoHIM underwent an extensive process before being recognized as an individually certified health functional food that can help improve immune function. Let's explore the journey of developing HemoHIM's raw materials with a commitment to enhancing people's health.

recalls Dr. Byun Myung-woo, who was part of the HemoHIM development team. KAERI conducts research on the use of radiation in various fields, from everyday life to numerous industries. However, a significant challenge arose when workers’ immunity and hematopoietic function weakened due to exposure to radioactive materials. Therefore, finding a solution to improve weakened immunity became a priority. Protecting the health of workers in radiation-exposed environments was as crucial as KAERI's mission to enhance citizens' overall health. Dr. Seong-gi Cho, who led the development of HemoHIM, emphasized that the project was not optional but essential. “I was convinced that developing a plant complex that could boost reduced immunity and hematopoietic function would benefit many people, including radiation workers,” he said.
In the summer of 1997, KAERI’s Food Science Biotechnology Team embarked on the HemoHIM development project. Their goal was to create a product that could help improve immunity using natural ingredients, and the project took off in full swing.

During the first three years of development, the team focused on studying how to regenerate cells and restore a compromised immune system. They concluded that promoting immune hematopoiesis and tissue regeneration was paramount, and began searching for plant complex materials to meet these needs.

Thus, a research team led by Dr. Cho committed to finding immune-boosting ingredients among various medicinal herbs in Korea. They ultimately proved that Angelica Gigas, Cnidium Officinale, and Paeonia Japonica formed an effective combination for improving immune function. This led to the development of a plant complex composition to support immunity, resulting in the creation of HemoHIM in April 2002. Although the project was initially expected to take at least seven years, it was completed in four and a half years thanks to the team’s dedication and passion, often working through nights and weekends.

However, the developers knew that this was only half the battle.
They believed that if their technology couldn't contribute to public health, it would be meaningless. Therefore, they advocated for establishing a company to commercialize the technology.

Dr. Jang In-soon, who was the director of KAERI at the time, recalls that launching a research institue company was a matter of pride for the researchers. There were many moments when he felt discouraged, seeing hard-developed technology in a research institute fail to gain market recognition. However, the research team persevered.
As the saying goes, persistence pays off. After considerable time and effort, SunBioTech (now Kolma BNH) was established in February 2004. This company was jointly funded by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and Kolma Korea, a company specializing in cosmetics research and development. The launch of SunBioTech drew global attention because it was the first company established by a government-funded research institute through technology investment rather than a simple technology transfer. In August 2006, two years after SunBioTech was founded and had acquired several patented technologies from KAERI, HemoHIM passed a functional and safety assessment by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. It was approved as an individually certified raw material (No. 2006-17) that can help improve immune function.