Virus Fears Lift GeneOne, K-Bio Diagnostic Stocks

This article was released as Pharm Edaily Premium Content on May 20, 2026, at 8:00 AM.[Kim Saemi, Edaily Reporter] Infectious disease-related stocks rallied across South Korea’s biotech and healthcare sector on May 19 amid growing concerns over the spread of Ebola and hantavirus. The spillover effect from AriBio’s major Alzheimer’s drug licensing deal also continued, while Huons and Huons Global moved in opposite directions on news of Huons Lab’s planned merger.Ebola, Hantavirus Fears Lift Infectious Disease Theme StocksTop Kospi Gainers on May 19 (Source: KG Zeroin’s MP DOCTOR)According to KG Zeroin’s MP DOCTOR, formerly MarketPoint, GeneOne Life Science surged by the daily limit of 315 won, or 29.97%, to close at 1,366 won. Bioneer also jumped more than 10% during intraday trading before paring gains to finish up 770 won, or 8.42%, at 9,910 won.The World Health Organization declared the Ebola virus disease outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, or PHEIC, on May 17. The virus identified in the latest outbreak is the Bundibugyo strain, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments. However, the WHO said the outbreak does not meet the criteria for a global pandemic.The Ebola outbreak concerns appear to have driven gains in GeneOne Life Science and Bioneer. GeneOne Life Science has a history of jointly developing an Ebola DNA vaccine with Inovio Pharmaceuticals. Bioneer previously discussed supplying Ebola molecular diagnostic kits to Nigeria in 2014.Concerns over the spread of hantavirus also fueled gains in infectious disease theme stocks, lifting Covid-19 vaccine, diagnostic kit and quarantine-related names. GC MS rose 18.97%, CHA Vaccine Institute gained 11.33% and EyeGene advanced 10.31%.Recently, a hantavirus cluster was reported on a cruise ship that departed South America, with fatalities prompting health authorities in multiple countries to quarantine and monitor contacts. Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, or HCPS, is a potentially fatal disease with a mortality rate approaching 50%. The WHO immediately raised the risk level to “moderate.”In South Korea, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency is pursuing a hantavirus vaccine development project. Investor interest in domestic messenger RNA, or mRNA, vaccine technology grew after EyeGene was reported on May 18 to have been selected as a partner for the government project.“As concerns over infectious disease outbreaks grow, so-called ‘old memory stocks’ that surged during the Covid-19 pandemic are once again drawing attention in rotation,” a biotech industry official said. “However, as the current situation has not spread as widely as Covid-19, the rally is more likely to remain a short-lived theme-driven move rather than a sustained trend.” AR1001 Deal Glow Lifts Samjin Pharm, CHA Vaccine InstituteAriBio Co-CEO Jeong Jae-jun gives a presentation at a press conference held at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul hotel in Yeouido, Seoul, on May 18. (Source: Edaily reporter Song Young-doo)Samjin Pharm and CHA Vaccine Institute also rallied, apparently supported by the halo effect from AriBio’s major deal for its Alzheimer’s disease candidate AR1001.Samjin Pharm closed at 24,700 won, up 4,760 won, or 23.87%, from the previous session. CHA Vaccine Institute ended at 3,735 won, up 380 won, or 11.33%.The two companies share a link to AriBio. AriBio announced on May 14 that it signed a global exclusive licensing deal with China’s Fosun Pharma for its oral Alzheimer’s disease treatment AR1001, worth up to $4.7 billion, or about 7 trillion won. Following the announcement, Sorux, a Kosdaq-listed company pursuing a merger with AriBio, hit the daily upper limit for two consecutive sessions on May 14 and 15 and continued its uptrend through May 19. Sorux is a lighting company whose management control was acquired by AriBio CEO Jeong Jae-jun in 2023. After the acquisition, Sorux purchased shares in AriBio, creating a governance stru