– Following the success of technology transfers in the new drug development sector, discussions on technology transfers for subsequent pipelines are actively ongoing.
– The commercialization based on microbiome is expanding, with new business initiatives being concretized for Medical Grade Probiotics following cosmetics.
Global drug development company Genome & Company (314130, CEOs Hong Yoo-seok, Bae Ji-soo, Park Han-soo) announced plans to become a profitable company within five years through continuous technology transfers of antibodies for novel ADC (Antibody-Drug Conjugate) targets and microbiome-based commercialization.
At the ‘2024 Genome & Company Strategy Announcement’ conference held on the 13th, the company highlighted the technology transfer agreement announced on the 3rd, demonstrating their research capabilities in developing antibodies for novel ADC targets. They further announced plans to continue these successes with subsequent pipeline technology transfers. In the long term, Genome & Company aims to develop first-in-class ADCs by integrating linkers and payloads with their novel ADC target antibodies, driving large-scale technology transfers.
The immuno-oncology drug ‘GENA-104,’ which inhibits the newly identified target CNTN4 and was discovered through the proprietary platform ‘GNOCLETM,’ has been presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) for four consecutive years, showcasing key preclinical results. At AACR 2024, the preclinical results highlighted the potential of ‘GENA-104’ as an antibody for novel ADC targets, garnering significant attention.
Beyond ‘GENA-104,’ Genome & Company is concentrating its R&D efforts on discovering new targets and developing antibodies for ADCs, with preclinical studies ongoing for three pipelines, including ‘GENA-120.’
In the microbiome sector, the company plans to explore various commercialization opportunities beyond drug development, leveraging preclinical data accumulated over time. The cosmetics business is expected to achieve over 400% sales growth compared to the previous year, and the company plans to expand into a new Medical Grade Probiotics venture, aiming for sustainable growth without external funding within five years.
Genome & Company’s cosmetics brand, UIQ, has launched 25 products across five lines, expanding its market presence to 14 countries, including Japan. The first quarter sales of 2024 saw an increase of over 390% compared to the same period last year, with expectations of continued sales growth.
The new venture, ‘Medical Grade Probiotics,’ set to launch in the U.S. market, will develop premium products in compliance with the FDA’s Medical Food regulations. These products, clinically tested for efficacy and safety in treating specific diseases, offer higher profitability, limited competition, and strong brand sustainability compared to regular probiotics. Leveraging its extensive microbiome research capabilities, Genome & Company plans to launch multiple products within the next 2-3 years.
Medical Food is distinct from health functional foods as it is intended for dietary management of patients with specific diseases. It allows for product launches in a shorter timeframe through relatively small-scale clinical studies, presenting lower investment and development risks compared to new drug development.
Hong Yoo-seok, Chief Executive of Genome & Company, stated, “The successful technology transfer of the novel ADC target antibody ‘GENA-111’ has proven our high technical capabilities in target discovery and antibody development. Subsequent pipeline technology transfers are actively being discussed. We plan to continue developing antibodies for novel ADC targets, demonstrating repeated technology transfers at the preclinical stage, and aim to achieve large-scale technology transfers by entering the clinical stage with our own novel ADCs in 3-5 years.”
Hong added, “In the microbiome sector, aside from new drug development research, we aim to establish a high-profit business model through differentiated Medical Grade Probiotics and cosmetics businesses. By combining value enhancement through innovative drug development and stable capital acquisition through differentiated consumer business, we aim to become a sustainable, innovative biotech company growing independently within five years without external funding.”
By DIOTIMES
