Open innovation within South Korea's pharmaceutical and biotech sector reaches new heights, with collaborative research and development (R&D) initiatives and formalized agreements becoming standard practice. <HitNews> examines significant joint R&D ventures and partnerships in the first quarter of the year (January to March), showcasing the convergence of technologies and expertise among traditional pharmaceutical firms and biotech ventures.
Jan Celltrion and Lotte Bio Expand Collaboration in ADC Field
In January, Celltrion solidified its partnership in the ADC realm by entering a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with WuXi XDC, a specialized firm, initiating product development for contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) services. The signing ceremony, held at WuXi headquarters in Jiangsu Province, China, aimed to bolster the ADC pipeline development and foster mutual benefits.
A representative from Celltrion expressed optimism, stating, "Through this MOU, we anticipate advancing our ADC drug development business swiftly and steadily," and further elaborated on plans to expand CDMO services for ADC products.
Additionally, Lotte Biologics inked a strategic MOU with NJ BIO, a clinical contract research organization (CRO) in the United States, aiming to offer comprehensive ADC services. This collaboration aims to attract ADC clients leveraging specialized expertise in crucial ADC pipeline components.
Feb Dongkook Pharma, OncoBix, Arontier Sign “AI Drug Development Agreement”
In February, Dongkook Pharmaceutical and OncoBix signed an MOU focusing on commercializing functional materials for developing new drugs with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. OncoBix plans to apply its AI-driven drug design platform, TOFPOMICS, across various disease categories to broaden research horizons.
Shin-Jung Park, Executive Director of Dongkook Pharmaceutical, highlighted the potential for innovation in drug development through OncoBix's AI platform. Additionally, Dongkook Pharmaceutical partnered with Arontier for joint research on AI-based advanced pharmaceuticals, aiming to expedite R&D through AI and big data analysis.
March ST Pharm and LigaChem Bio Collaborate on ADC Linker Manufacturing Process Research
ST Pharm and LigaChem Bio joined forces in March, signing a joint research and manufacturing outsourcing contract for ADC linker manufacturing. ST Pharm's expertise in CDMO services, coupled with LigaChem Bio's ADC ConjuALL platform, aims to optimize linker manufacturing processes and ensure cGMP-based production.
CEO of ST Pharm, Kyeongjin Kim, emphasized their commitment to providing stable ADC linkers through their specialized CDMO capabilities and stringent quality management practices.