A nine-year patent battle between two South Korean dermal filler manufacturers has escalated onto Chinese soil, drawing in two of China's leading medical aesthetics firms as their respective commercial partners. The dispute centers on "youth needles" — injectable products designed to stimulate collagen production for facial rejuvenation.
On September 20, an investor on an exchange interactive platform questioned Imeik Technology Development Co.,Ltd. (300896) about a Korean product being promoted by another company, suggesting its manufacturer VAIM may have copied REGEN's patented technology. The investor asked whether the relevant product infringes on REGEN's patent rights and how the company intends to protect its own and investors' legal interests. REGEN is a subsidiary of the Chinese-listed medical aesthetics enterprise Imeik Technology Development Co.,Ltd.. In response, Imeik Technology Development Co.,Ltd. stated that REGEN and related parties have already initiated rights-protection actions in both South Korea and China over VAIM's alleged patent infringement.
A week later, on September 16, Bloomage Biotechnology Corporation Limited (688363) replied on the investor platform that VAIM's JUVELOOK product has been sold in over 60 countries and regions worldwide for many years and holds the top market share in multiple markets, including South Korea. The company said it has never heard of JUVELOOK being found to infringe patents by a court or administrative authority.
Public records show REGEN and VAIM are both original developers of "youth needle" products in South Korea, with the two companies locked in disputes over three patents for nine years. On August 26, the Korean Patent Court ruled on REGEN's lawsuit challenging the validity of VAIM's "mesh structure" patent, rejecting VAIM's appeal and upholding the earlier invalidation decision — a milestone victory for REGEN. However, beyond South Korea, REGEN's interested parties have already filed a patent infringement lawsuit against VAIM in a Chinese court, signaling the battle has now reached the Chinese market.
Behind REGEN and VAIM stand two of China's medical aesthetics giants — Imeik Technology Development Co.,Ltd. and Bloomage Biotechnology Corporation Limited, respectively. In March 2025, Imeik Technology Development Co.,Ltd.'s controlling subsidiary Imeik International acquired an 85% stake in REGEN for $190 million in cash. REGEN's approved products include AestheFill and PowerFill; AestheFill, primarily used for facial anti-aging and dermal filling, received Chinese regulatory approval in January 2024, becoming the country's first imported "youth needle."
The acquisition has also brought new risks. In July 2025, REGEN unilaterally terminated the exclusive distribution rights of Datou Medical, a controlling subsidiary of Jiangsu Wuzhong, dragging Imeik Technology Development Co.,Ltd. into an agency dispute with Jiangsu Wuzhong. In August, Jiangsu Wuzhong announced Datou Medical had filed for arbitration with the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration over the dispute, seeking 1.6 billion yuan in compensation. The arbitration outcome remains pending.
In the first half of this year, Imeik International signed a share transfer agreement with REGEN's minority shareholders to acquire the remaining 15% stake in REGEN, with the transaction expected to close in the second half of 2026. Upon completion, Imeik International will hold 100% of REGEN's shares. Separately, on July 28, VAIM's JUVELOOK "youth needle" received Chinese regulatory approval for market entry, with Bloomage Biotechnology Corporation Limited appointed as the exclusive distributor for mainland China. The product is expected to launch commercially in October.
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