Qurient, Harvard, and Colorado State Join Forces for Brain Tumor Research

Qurient (CEO Ki-Yeon Nam) announced on September 12th a joint research and development agreement with Harvard University's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Colorado State University School of Medicine to verify the efficacy of its CDK7 inhibitor, Q901, in treating brain tumors. The research has officially commenced.

Following the presentation of interim results from its Phase 1 clinical trial at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in June, which included safety data for Q901, significant interest emerged from researchers and physicians eager to participate in further development.

Qurient has already secured initial joint R&D agreements with both Harvard’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Colorado State University, both known for their promising preliminary research on brain tumors. Q901 has demonstrated safety and efficacy in other cancer types, making it well-positioned for brain tumor clinical trials under this collaboration.

Prior to this, Qurient entered into clinical development agreements with Merck (MSD) to combine Q901 with Keytruda for advanced solid tumors, and with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to investigate its use in small-cell lung cancer with antibody-drug conjugates (ADC).

CEO Nam noted, “The strong synergy observed in ADC combination therapy, announced in April, has sparked significant interest in Q901 from global pharmaceutical companies, as well as researchers focused on cancer treatment. As Phase 1 trials approach completion and a recommended Phase 2 dose is identified, interest is expected to increase further.”

Yong-Joon Cho, CEO of Dongkoo Bio & Pharma, Qurient’s largest shareholder, added, “In August, a UK-based CDK7 inhibitor developer was acquired for nearly 1 trillion KRW, underscoring the rising value of Q901. The growing demand for joint research on Q901 reinforces its clinical safety and efficacy.”