Leading South Korean Company, J2K Bio, Signs Agreement With U.S. -Based Cassava Pharma To Supply Specialty Tapioca Starch-Based Raw Materials To The Domestic Market

[The Bio Reporter Jin Yu-jeong] J2KBIO announced on the 28th October 2026, that it has signed a ‘Korean agency agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for cooperation on the US distribution network’ with Cassava Pharma, a US company specializing in tapioca starch for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

Cassava Pharma US, is an affiliate of Cassava Pharma Nigeria, LTD., founded by Patrick C. Okoye, PhD., following his 2024 invention of patented technology on partially pregelatinized cassava starch as excipient for pharmaceutical use in medicines.

With this agreement, J2K Bio plans to supply specialty tapioca starch-based raw material products to domestic pharmaceutical, health functional food, and cosmetic manufacturers as Cassava Pharma’s Korean agent, and also pursue cooperation utilizing the U.S. distribution network.

Cassava Pharma holds patented technology that redesigns tapioca starch extracted from cassava roots into pharmaceutical excipients. Its flagship product, ‘Cassava Starch 1580GG,’ is a partially gelatinized tapioca starch that complies with the specifications for gelatinized starch in the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP-NF) and is also listed as a Type IV Drug Master File (DMF) (excipient) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Characterized by a low-moisture design for moisture-sensitive active ingredients, it is used as a binder, disintegrant, and excipient in tablets, capsules, powders, lotions, and creams. An organically certified product (5580GG) is also available.

J2K Bio expects this contract to serve as an opportunity to expand its business scope, which has previously focused on cosmetic raw materials, into excipients for pharmaceuticals and health functional foods. In particular, having secured verified raw materials listed in the FDA DMF, the company plans to broaden its customer base to include pharmaceutical and health functional food manufacturers in addition to its existing clients. Furthermore, the company explained that it intends to explore the entry of its bioactive materials into the U.S. market by leveraging Cassava Pharma’s local network.

Lee Jae-seop, CEO of J2K Bio, stated, “With this agency agreement, we have established a bio-material portfolio that encompasses pharmaceuticals and health functional foods, extending beyond cosmetics,” adding, “We will secure new growth engines in overseas markets through cooperation with U.S. distribution networks.”

Dr. Patrick C. Okoye, CEO of Cassava Pharma, stated, “Korea is a key market with advanced pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries,” adding, “We will cooperate with J2K Bio, which possesses bio-material capabilities, to quickly secure domestic customers and create synergy between the two companies in the U.S. market as well.”

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