The contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Samsung Biologics and the new drug development corporation LigaChem Biosciences will collaborate on more than three antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) projects this year.
ADC is a core technology for next-generation anticancer drugs, referred to as ‘guided missiles’ that target cancer cells. It can attach drugs to antibodies to deliver them specifically to cancer cells, offering higher efficacy than traditional anticancer drugs while minimizing negative effects on normal cells.
Samsung Biologics and LigaChem Biosciences announced on the 9th that they have signed a business agreement to collaborate on ADC projects. The company said, "The significance lies in the two companies, which possess world-class CDMO and ADC technologies, deciding to jointly target the rapidly growing global ADC market."
Earlier, Samsung Biologics and LigaChem Biosciences began collaborating on antibody development for ADC therapeutics after signing a contract development organization (CDO) agreement in February last year. Later, they also signed a material transfer agreement (MTA) for ADC development in June of that year.
John Rim, CEO of Samsung Biologics, said, “We will contribute to the development of ADC technology and industry in South Korea by combining the capabilities of LigaChem Biosciences, a global leader in ADC new drug development, with Samsung Biologics, a top-tier global CDMO.” He added, “We will strive to collaborate with LigaChem Biosciences to provide high-quality ADC pharmaceuticals to patients.”
Yong-joo Kim, CEO of LigaChem Biosciences, noted, “We expect to begin receiving technology fees starting in 2025,” adding, “Based on this, we will aggressively invest in research and development (R&D) to discover more than 15 clinical pipelines within five years and aim to become a global leader in ADCs.” He said, “We will utilize Samsung Biologics’ extensive CDMO experience to accelerate the development of our pipeline.”
Samsung Biologics plans to carry out the project with LigaChem Biosciences at its dedicated ADC pharmaceutical production facility completed last year. Located in Songdo International City in Incheon, this facility is designed as a four-story structure, equipped with a 500-liter conjugation reactor and one purification line.
Samsung Biologics is reviewing various business areas for ADC, including CDO, conjugation contract manufacturing organization (CMO), and drug product (DP), stating that it is in discussions for ADC product orders with several customers, including major global pharmaceutical companies (big pharma). To enhance ADC competitiveness, it has been investing in ADC technology-holding corporations through the 'Samsung Life Science Fund.' In 2023, it invested in Switzerland's Araris Biotech and South Korea's AimedBio, and it also invested in the American firm BrickBio last year.