HK inno.N said on the 20th that it signed a joint research and development agreement with NEXTGEN Bioscience Inc. for the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) drug candidate "NXC680."
Under the agreement, HK inno.N will handle finished drug formulation optimization and clinical trial operations, and NEXTGEN will supply active pharmaceutical ingredients and provide research data. Based on this, the two companies plan to jointly conduct phase 1 clinical trials.
NXC680 is an idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis drug candidate under development by NEXTGEN, and nonclinical studies confirmed its potential to inhibit pulmonary fibrosis. It received orphan drug designation (ODD) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, and in Korea it obtained approval for an investigational new drug (IND) application for a phase 1 trial.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a disease in which lung tissue gradually hardens and lung function declines. After onset, the expected survival period is only three to five years, and there is no curative therapy, leaving limited treatment options. Because prevalence is high among older adults, the global market size is projected to reach $4.87 billion (about 7.1813 trillion won) in 2025 and $9.23 billion (13.6106 trillion won) in 2033.
Executive Vice President Song Geun-seok of HK inno.N said, "This is a case of expanding our pipeline based on research and development capabilities and open innovation," adding, "We will secure competitive candidates to strengthen our global new drug portfolio." NEXTGEN CEO Lee Bong-yong said, "By adding HK inno.N's clinical capabilities to our research achievements, we can accelerate development," and added, "We will continue our collaboration with the goal of expanding treatment options for patients."