SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. and Eurofarma have announced the establishment of Mentis Care, Inc., a joint venture aimed at commercializing an AI-based epilepsy management platform. The company celebrated its launch with a ceremony on October 20 in Toronto, Canada, marking SK Biopharmaceuticals' expansion into digital healthcare beyond its pharmaceutical portfolio.
AI-Driven Technology Platform
Since 2018, SK Biopharmaceuticals has developed proprietary expertise in AI-driven electroencephalography (EEG) and wearable device technologies with seizure detection and real-time monitoring capabilities. Mentis Care will leverage these technologies to create a comprehensive digital platform that combines real-time seizure detection and prediction algorithms with clinical decision support tools, establishing an integrated system for personalized patient care.
The platform is designed to detect and forecast seizures and other neurological events in real time, combining advanced machine learning with clinical expertise to provide patients and families with greater safety, confidence, and peace of mind.
Strategic Partnership and Leadership
Hassan Kotob, former Chief Executive Officer of Brain Scientific, has been appointed as CEO of Mentis Care. Kotob brings extensive experience as a healthcare and technology executive with a proven track record across high-growth and emerging technology companies.
"Mentis Care is an AI-driven digital health company with the mission to help patients with epilepsy live safer and more independently through AI-powered seizure prediction and monitoring," said Kotob. "By combining the innovation capabilities of our partners, SK Biopharmaceuticals and Eurofarma, we aim to establish a new standard in digital epilepsy management for patients worldwide."
Company Positioning and Operations
Mentis Care is located in the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto, Canada, one of North America's largest innovation hubs bringing together research institutions, startups, and investors in life sciences and healthcare. The company plans to expand its local team, strengthen academic and industry collaborations, and pursue clinical validation of its AI algorithms.
As a pharmaceutical company representing Latin America, Eurofarma leads business strategy planning and AI data learning of the venture. The partnership builds on an existing collaboration between SK Biopharmaceuticals and Eurofarma since 2022 to develop and commercialize cenobamate (U.S. brand name: XCOPRI®) in Latin America.
Market Context and Unmet Need
Epilepsy represents the fourth most common neurological disorder, with approximately 3.4 million people living with epilepsy in the United States and 150,000 new cases diagnosed annually. The condition is characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures that can significantly impact patients' safety, relationships, work, and daily activities.
Despite the availability of many antiepileptic therapies, almost 40 percent of people with epilepsy cannot achieve seizure freedom, meaning they have epilepsy that remains uncontrolled. People with epilepsy face risks for accidents and other health complications, including falling, drowning, depression, and sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP).
Executive Perspectives
Donghoon Lee, CEO of SK Biopharmaceuticals, emphasized the strategic significance of the venture: "SK Biopharmaceuticals is expanding beyond pharmaceuticals into digital healthcare to open new possibilities in patient care. Through Mentis Care, we will advance toward patient-centered innovation by integrating AI and clinical data to improve epilepsy treatment."
Rodrigo Pereira, Global Executive Director of Entrepreneurship and Digital at Eurofarma, highlighted the partnership's alignment with the company's vision: "For Eurofarma, the JV represents the future we envision for healthcare, combining digital technologies and medicines for a transformative and positive leap in patients' lives. We are a reference in central nervous system treatments in Latin America, with a broad portfolio of medicines and close relationships with psychiatrists and neurologists."
Company Backgrounds
SK Biopharmaceuticals is part of SK Group, South Korea's second-largest conglomerate, with combined global annual revenue of $151 billion and more than 100,000 employees worldwide. The company focuses on research, development, and commercialization of treatments for central nervous system disorders and oncology, with eight compounds currently in development.
Eurofarma, founded in 1972, operates across 24 countries with full coverage in Latin America and operations in the United States and Africa. The company maintains over 13,500 employees and 11 manufacturing facilities, producing 600 million units in 2024. That same year, Eurofarma invested over R$ 800 million in innovation projects and achieved net revenue exceeding R$ 11 billion.
