South Korea’s Yuyu Pharma Establishes U.S. Subsidiary to Target Fast-Growing Cat Health Market

News | 2025-11-19 18:49:47
[mediK / HEALTH IN NEWS] South Korean drugmaker Yuyu Pharma announced Wednesday that it has set up a U.S. holding company as part of an aggressive push into the American pet pharmaceuticals and nutraceutical markets, with an initial focus on feline health products.

The move marks the company’s second major step in pet care this year, following an April investment in a U.S. startup.

The newly formed Delaware-based holding entity, Yuyu Venture, oversees two wholly owned subsidiaries: Yuyu Bio and Mervyns Petcare.

Yuyu Bio is developing long-acting recombinant protein therapeutics and has identified a clinical candidate for the treatment of feline psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin condition in cats.

Yuyu Pharma's U.S. entity establishment for its pet healthcare business – screenshot from the Magnify website (Photo courtesy of Yuyu Pharma)
Yuyu Pharma's U.S. entity establishment for its pet healthcare business – screenshot from the Magnify website (Photo courtesy of Yuyu Pharma)

Mervyns Petcare is working on cat-specific dietary supplements targeting joint health, skin and coat, gastrointestinal function, and multivitamin support. The company aims to launch its first product in the U.S. market in the first half of 2026.

Both subsidiaries have been accepted into UCLA’s selective Magnify incubator program, allowing them to validate their business models while keeping early-stage costs low.

Yu Won-sang, chief executive of Yuyu Pharma, emphasized the untapped potential in cat-specific products. “The growth outlook for feline health is particularly strong,” he said. “By operating directly in the U.S. and bringing on experienced local partners, we intend to scale the business rapidly.”

According to the American Pet Products Association, 94 million U.S. households are projected to own a pet in 2025, including 49 million with cats. The global animal health market is forecast to expand from $47 billion in 2022 to $99.5 billion by 2032, while South Korea’s domestic pet market—valued at approximately 1.3 trillion won ($950 million) in 2023—is expected to grow at an annual rate of around 5%.

Lim Hye Jung medi·K TEAM press@themedik.kr
Copyright © 2020 mediK. All rights reserved.

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