South Korea legalizes recycling human fat for new injectable volume treatments

South Korean biotech company L&C Bio is preparing to launch MegaAdipoECM, an injectable treatment made from donated human fat, after South Korean lawmakers legalized recycling the material in 2026. For medical-aesthetic clinics, this marks the entry of a new biological competitor to existing soft-tissue fillers like Renuva. The product processes donated fat into an extracellular matrix scaffold, designed to help patients naturally repopulate facial volume lost to GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic. Previously, South Korean law classified donated fat as medical waste, which forced L&C Bio to consider manufacturing in Singapore or the United States. With the domestic legal hurdles cleared, the company now expects to launch the product in late 2027. L&C Bio aims to generate over 1 trillion won (about $700 million) in revenue across its human tissue platform by 2030. Clinicians should monitor this space as the regulatory landscape for human-derived injectables matures, offering a biocompatible alternative to traditional synthetic fillers for patients seeking long-term volume correction.

Source: The Japan Times, https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/08/06/companies/k-beauty-ozempic-face/