Biosolvix is a bio platform corporations aiming to shift the paradigm of new drug development based on stem cell and Organoid technologies. Chief Executive Officer Choi Soo-young, who built experience in drug development and licensing while serving at Chong Kun Dang pharmaceutical, as head of global business at Huons, and as CEO of Eutilex, founded the company in May 2023.
To overcome the limits of animal testing in new drug development, Biosolvix developed Avatoid, an Organoid-based platform.
Choi said, "The new drug development process is almost the same now as it was 20 years ago," adding, "AI has been introduced in part, but efficacy and toxicity assessments still rely on animal testing." Choi noted, "Mouse or monkey models differ significantly from the human body, making accurate prediction difficult," and pointed out, "In particular, for cardiotoxicity, monkey data match the human body only by about 10%."
Developed to address these limitations, Avatoid combines the concepts of "avatar" and "Organoid," a technology that miniaturizes and implements the functions of human tissue.
Choi explained, "The key is not simply to make Organoids, but to implement a level functionally identical to actual human tissue," adding, "Cardiac Organoids beat like the real thing and show similar electrical signal patterns."
Biosolvix has completed development of cardiac, liver, and neural (neuron) Organoids and is expanding to the pancreas, kidney, and skin. Securing high reproducibility in manufacturing processes using blood and skin is also a differentiator. The company has also begun advancing the technology by incorporating AI.
The company built a Machine Learning algorithm based on cardiotoxicity assessment data to automatically classify the risk of new compounds.
Choi said, "There are about 28 substances for cardiotoxicity assessment that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also references," adding, "We categorize them into high-, medium-, and low-risk groups and use data that multiple research institutions have verified."
Choi added, "Biosolvix also secured and analyzed data in the same way and applied Machine Learning," explaining, "Now AI, not people, makes the toxicity risk judgment."
Alongside the platform business, the company is also developing therapeutics. It is developing a heart failure therapy based on cardiomyocytes using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Choi said, "I believe our cardiomyocyte production technology is at a global top-tier level," adding, "We confirmed efficacy in small- and large-animal studies." Choi said, "After conducting toxicity and additional studies, our goal is to submit an investigational new drug (IND) application in the first quarter of 2028."
A commercialization strategy is also underway. The company is generating revenue by partnering with contract research organizations (CROs) to provide Organoid-based toxicity and efficacy assessment services, and it is also pushing to develop new cosmetic ingredients based on stem cells.
Choi emphasized, "What matters most is linking the platform to actual revenue," adding, "We will not rely only on investment but will create a foundation for survival through licensing-out and commercialization."
The company is currently raising Series A funding. The pre-A round proceeded at a valuation of about 15 billion won. Biosolvix aims for an initial public offering (IPO) in the first quarter of 2029. Choi said, "We may be a latecomer, but I believe we have built a platform that stands up well against existing corporations," adding, "From here, our goal is to raise technical completeness and generate revenue to achieve both survival and growth."