Sky Labs Inc., led by CEO Jack Byunghwan Lee, announced on February 5th that it has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for the ring-type blood pressure monitor, CART BP pro, in hospitals and clinics across Japan. This agreement follows a memorandum of understanding signed between the two companies in December 2024. Sky Labs initially explored global expansion opportunities through Korea Otsuka Pharmaceutical, and this collaboration with the Japanese headquarters represents a successful example of a Korean startup leveraging a domestic multinational affiliate to establish a global partnership.
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Otsuka is a leading pharmaceutical company recognized for providing a wide range of medical solutions in Japan and worldwide. By collaborating with Otsuka, Sky Labs plans to leverage the company’s expertise in cardiovascular care and its broad distribution network to accelerate adoption of CART BP pro and reach a larger population of patients in Japan.
Japan has an estimated 43 million individuals living with hypertension. Of these, roughly 29 percent do not achieve adequate blood pressure control even with treatment, while 33 percent are believed to be unaware of their condition. Abnormal 24-hour blood pressure patterns and nocturnal hypertension increase the risk of organ damage and cerebrovascular disease, making continuous blood pressure monitoring increasingly important. CART BP pro is expected to play a significant role in diagnosing hypertension accurately, developing tailored treatment strategies, and evaluating therapeutic outcomes for patients.
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The device has already shown strong results in Korea. After receiving medical device approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2023, CART BP pro gained national health insurance reimbursement approval in 2024. It is now prescribed for 24-hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in more than 1,700 medical institutions, including tertiary hospitals, and has surpassed 150,000 cumulative prescriptions within a year of its launch. This clinical track record and proven reliability helped secure the exclusive distribution agreement in Japan.
Traditional blood pressure monitors use an air-inflated cuff to temporarily restrict blood flow, which can cause discomfort and disturb sleep during nighttime measurements. CART BP pro uses photoplethysmography technology to measure blood pressure without a cuff, allowing patients to monitor their blood pressure comfortably throughout the day and night while providing healthcare professionals with stable and accurate data for treatment decisions.
Jack Byunghwan Lee, CEO of Sky Labs, said, “Our entry into Japan marks an important milestone for validating our advanced blood pressure monitoring technology in the global market. We aim to continue expanding internationally and establish our leadership in the blood pressure monitoring industry.”
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