Scrip takes a look at how the South Korean pharma/biotech industry's cross-border deals over the past few years compare with global trends, finding that oncology and diabetes have been the dominant therapeutic areas for the out-licensing of assets, but recent activity and value have declined from a peak in 2015.

The pursuit by the industry to find novel combinations that can address more patients and more tumor types has driven overall immuno-oncology deal activity by big pharma and mid pharma companies between 2012 and 2016.

Datamonitor Healthcare's mid pharma peer set, a group that boasts efficiency in R&D but still relies on business development for growth, has signed a significant number of alliances over the past six years to build out the pipeline in innovative areas.