Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corp. said on the 22nd that it established Archela Inc as a subsidiary specializing in new drug development. Lee Ju-hee, who came from the Chong Kun Dang research institute, was appointed CEO of Archela.
The newly established Archela is a specialized company that operates in the so-called NRDO (No Research Development Only) model, focusing solely on new drug development. It is responsible for tasks such as discovering new candidate substances (pipeline), conducting clinical trials, and licensing out and commercializing new drugs.
The company's strategy is to concentrate its core capabilities on three pipelines first. ▲ CETP inhibitor "CKD-508," ▲ glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 agonist "CKD-514," ▲ histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) inhibitor "CKD-513."
According to the company, CKD-508 is a dyslipidemia treatment candidate that uses the CETP inhibition mechanism, and its efficacy and safety were confirmed in healthy adults in a phase 1 clinical trial conducted in the United Kingdom. Last year it received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a phase 1 clinical trial in the United States.
CKD-514 is an oral candidate drug for treating obesity and diabetes. CKD-513 is an HDAC6 inhibitor that can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and is a candidate substance with potential as a treatment for intractable neurological diseases.
After earning a doctorate from Seoul National University, new Archela CEO Lee Ju-hee completed postdoctoral training at the Seoul National University College of Medicine Samsung Cancer Research Institute and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York before joining Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corp. Lee said, "The founding of Archela will be a new turning point in Chong Kun Dang's new drug development and an opportunity to secure mid- to long-term growth engines," adding, "We will focus on Chong Kun Dang's core pipelines to improve the efficiency of new drug development and expand the potential for entry into the global market."
Meanwhile, the company name Archela combines the ancient Greek word Arche, meaning beginning or origin, with the suffix -la, symbolizing life, harmony, and expansion, to embody the meanings "life blossoming from the origin" and "harmonious growth expanding from the foundation." The company said it reflects a resolve to leap forward as a global new drug development corporations while carrying out Chong Kun Dang's mission to "contribute to enabling healthy lives for everyone—from one person to all humanity, from prevention to treatment—through pharmaceutical technology innovation."