Ildong Pharmaceutical is focusing on the development of new drugs for diseases with insufficient treatments, such as metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases, and cancer.
Ildong Pharmaceutical has organized its new drug development activities through various specialized research and development (R&D) subsidiaries, including 'Unovia,' a company dedicated to new drug research and development; 'Irydbms,' a new substance discovery company; 'Idience,' a company specializing in anticancer drug development; and 'Aims Bioscience,' a clinical pharmacology consulting firm.
Unovia is developing a new drug candidate for metabolic disorders aimed at obesity and type 2 diabetes, named 'ID110521156.' ID110521156 is a drug that mimics glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1, similar to the obesity treatment Wigovy. It plays a role similar to that of the GLP-1 hormone, which involves the synthesis and secretion of insulin that regulates blood sugar, gastrointestinal motility regulation, and appetite suppression.
In particular, ID110521156 is being developed as an oral synthetic drug made from low-molecular compounds, unlike existing peptide-based injectables. It has the advantage of being easy to produce and convenient for patients to use.
Unovia is conducting clinical studies to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic properties of ID110521156. It completed a single ascending dose (SAD) clinical study last year and is currently conducting a multiple ascending dose (MAD) study.
In June, at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) meeting held in Chicago, Unovia presented the results of the clinical SAD and MAD studies on ID110521156 in poster format. In the SAD study, ID110521156 showed relatively fewer gastrointestinal side effects compared to other drugs in the GLP-1 class. Additionally, the MAD study confirmed that as the dosage increased, the weight loss efficacy also increased.
In the same month, Irydbms participated in the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) conference in Barcelona, Spain, and disclosed preclinical research results related to the autoimmune disease drug candidate 'IL21120033.' The results from experiments conducted on animals with rheumatoid arthritis showed excellent outcomes.
Additionally, in some high-dose groups of IL21120033, a phenomenon of cartilage regeneration to normal levels was also observed, and the company stated that it demonstrated superior efficacy in inflammation suppression and cartilage protection compared to the comparative drug upadacitinib.
Ildong Pharmaceutical noted that "while upadacitinib suppresses inflammation by blocking a single pathway, IL21120033 stands out by promoting tissue regeneration through its dual mechanisms, including inflammation suppression, angiogenesis, and stem cell activation."
It also added, "The selection of the research results of the new drug candidates as subjects for presentation at prestigious academic conferences abroad confirms the R&D capabilities of Ildong Pharmaceutical, as well as the value and competitiveness of the respective candidates."
Ildong Pharmaceutical plans to proceed with new drug projects, including clinical development related to the candidates, while also seeking partnership opportunities through open innovation and pushing for licensing out.