Huons announced on September 23 that it has signed an in-licensing agreement with Therapex for TRX-211, a targeted anticancer drug candidate for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The signing ceremony took place on September 22 at Huons’ Dong-Am Research Center.

Under the agreement, Huons will lead clinical development of TRX-211, which is currently in the preclinical stage, and retains the option to acquire global rights in the future.

TRX-211 is an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) designed to treat NSCLC patients with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations. Preclinical results presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2024 demonstrated improved efficacy and selectivity compared with existing treatments.

Huons said the decision to in-license TRX-211 reflects its commitment to providing new treatment alternatives for patients with limited therapeutic options.

Therapex CEO Koo Lee, PhD, commented, “TRX-211 represents the culmination of Therapex’s expertise in EGFR mutant lung cancer therapy. By leveraging Huons’ R&D infrastructure and clinical networks, we aim to build a new business model in which technology-driven biotech companies evolve into key commercialization players.”

Huons CEO Soo-young Song added, “With our global clinical trial experience, financial resources, and business capabilities, collaborating with Therapex on this advanced targeted therapy exemplifies open innovation. We look forward to creating unique synergies by combining Huons’ long-term vision with external technologies.”

Lung cancer is classified as either small cell or non-small cell based on cellular characteristics. According to the National Cancer Registry Statistics (2024), 32,313 cases of lung cancer were reported in Korea in 2022, accounting for 11.5% of all cancer diagnoses. NSCLC represents approximately 80–85% of these cases.