Huons(243070) teams up with three biotech ventures to co-develop new drugs.
Huons said on the 14th that all three consortia it formed with SurgeNex, Pinotbio, and Pulse in Myers were selected in the new drug pipeline co-development track of the "2026 pharmaceutical-biotech venture collaboration-based technology development project" promoted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.
A total of 10 projects were selected this year. Among them, Huons will participate as a joint research and development institution in three projects. Huons plans to leverage its capabilities spanning chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) and production through nonclinical and clinical development and regulatory approval to link biotech ventures' technologies to actual new drug development.
With SurgeNex, it will develop an mRNA-LNP eye drop for treating intractable diabetic keratopathy using its proprietary "RX-LNP" technology. The goal is to develop an eye drop form of mRNA therapy, traditionally injection-based, by using technology that effectively delivers mRNA to the cornea.
With Pinotbio, it will push for phase 1 clinical entry of the Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) candidate "PBX-004," which targets cancer cells to deliver anticancer drugs. The drug candidate is designed to deliver the agent to cancer cells by targeting a protein called ITGB6.
With Pulse in Myers, it will develop the peptide anticancer drug "Pearl-101" for solid tumors among cancers with diminished DNA damage repair (HRD) that show resistance to existing chemotherapies. To make administration easier for patients, it plans to develop a subcutaneous injection (SC) formulation.
Huons plans not to stop at simply joining a government project but to develop this collaboration into an "External R&D" business model. Its strategy is to expand its own new drug pipeline by discovering promising technologies from external biotech ventures, co-developing them, and consolidating them through the clinical stage.
In Apr., Huons also sought steady collaboration opportunities with biotech ventures, including by taking part in a partnering day co-hosted by the Korea Innovative Medicines Consortium (KIMCo) and the Korea Technology and Information Promotion Agency for SMEs (TIPA).
Chief Executive Song Su-young said, "By collaborating with biotech ventures that have innovative technologies in different fields, we will accelerate toward our shared goal of clinical entry and continue to generate open innovation results."