As a path has opened for human-derived fat, which had been entirely incinerated as medical waste, to be used in developing pharmaceuticals and medical devices, Korea's regenerative medicine industry is at a turning point. The bio and medical communities say that as the foundation for securing key raw materials for regenerative medicine expands, competition to develop next-generation skin boosters (procedures or products that inject active ingredients into the skin to improve elasticity and hydration) and tissue regeneration products will intensify. According to the National Assembly and the medical community on the 13th, the National Assembly last month passed an amendment to the Wastes Control Act allowing the medical reuse of human-derived fat. Previously, only placentas could be reused for medical purposes, but now, under standards set by presidential decree, there is a legal basis to use human-derived fat for research and development of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The amendment will take effect one year after promulgation. Observers say the legal revision goes beyond merely changing how medical waste is handled. Human-derived fat contains various biological components used in tissue regeneration, such as ECM, collagen, growth factors, and adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC), making it a key raw material in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. This opens the way for fatty tissue, which had been classified as medical waste and mostly incinerated, to be used as a bio material going forward. In particular, the industry is focusing on the potential shift in the raw material landscape of regenerative medicine due to the legal revision. Until now, domestic ECM-based products have mainly been developed using human-derived acellular dermal matrix (hADM). With a legal basis now in place to use adipose-derived ECM, some expect development of next-generation regenerative medicine materials to accelerate. The industry expects the legal change to affect the fast-growing skin booster