토토 바카라 사이트 Kun Dang Pharmaceutical’s reason for betting on ‘AbClon’ – “Leveraging antibody discovery technology for growth beyond CAR-T”

[by Ji, Yong Jun] Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical’s (hereinafter referred to as Chong Kun Dang) recent strategic investment in AbClon, a company specializing in chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) treatments, reflects a focused effort to secure a next-generation anticancer pipeline. The focus of this investment extends beyond the apparent CAR-T partnership, emphasizing Abclon’s robust technological foundation, particularly its advanced antibody discovery platform. This technology extends beyond CAR-T applications, supporting a range of emerging treatment modalities, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and dual antibodies.

In an interview with <THE BIO on May 14, AbClon CEO Lee Jong-seo expressed, “This partnership is a combination of innovative new drug development DNA.” And added, “It reflects 토토 바카라 사이트 Kun Dang’s strategic shift from a synthetic drug leader to a developer of novel biologic therapies.”

“토토 바카라 사이트 Kun Dang possesses extensive experience in the commercialization of anticancer drugs, clinical operations, and global expansion,” Lee further noted. “This collaboration will enable us to overcome the financial constraints typically faced by bio ventures, facilitating our entry into the global market.”

On May 12, 토토 바카라 사이트 Kun Dang announced its acquisition of 1.4 million new common shares (7.3% stake) of AbClon through a third-party paid-in capital increase of KRW 12.2 billion (approximately USD 8.6 million). With this investment, 토토 바카라 사이트 Kun Dang has become the second-largest shareholder of AbClon, following CEO Lee Jong-seo, who holds 1,401,675 common shares.

토토 바카라 사이트 Kun Dang has secured priority rights for domestic sales of ‘AT101’ (development code, nespecel), a CAR-T treatment candidate for blood cancer currently under development by AbClon. The two companies plan to establish a co-development committee to ensure ongoing collaboration throughout the development process. AbClon aims to apply for ‘accelerated approval’ for AT101 from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety by the end of June, with the goal of commercializing the drug as early as the second half of next year.

The longstanding relationship between Lee and 토토 바카라 사이트 Kun Dang also contributed to the formation of this partnership, as Lee previously worked as a researcher at the company from 1991 to 1995. “토토 바카라 사이트 Kun Dang, while traditionally known for its strength in chemical pharmaceuticals, has demonstrated a strong commitment to developing bio-based new drugs,” Lee noted. “As we enter a critical phase requiring expanded global clinical trials, we identified 토토 바카라 사이트 Kun Dang as the most suitable partner.”

Industry analysts view 토토 바카라 사이트 Kun Dang’s investment in AbClon as a strategic move that extends beyond a focus on CAR-T assets, highlighting the importance of ‘scalability’ inherent in AbClon’s antibody discovery platform.

“While the industry often views 토토 바카라 사이트 as a single-asset biotech focused on CAR-T, its core strength lies in its antibody discovery capabilities,” Lee emphasized. “This foundation is not limited to CAR-T but can have broader applications in various antibody-based biopharmaceutical fields.”

Lee highlighted ADC as a key modality of interest, stating, “토토 바카라 사이트 Kun Dang has established an ADC platform that optimizes therapeutic efficacy by conjugating drugs to antibodies, while AbClon possesses the technology to discover these antibodies. This is the area where we anticipate significant synergy between the two companies.”

In fact, 토토 바카라 사이트 Kun Dang has identified ADCs as a critical next-generation growth area and is actively advancing its technological capabilities in this field. Since 2019, the company has been conducting joint research with the ADC developer Synaffix, and in 2023, it introduced Synaffix’s antibody-drug conjugate platform through a partnership valued at around USD 132 million (approximately KRW 165 billion). Additionally, its affiliate, Kyongbo Pharm, invested approximately KRW 85.5 billion last year to construct a new facility aimed at entering the ADC contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) market.

The two companies also aim to speed up the development of CAR-T therapies for solid tumors, with a particular focus on ‘AT501 (development code),’ a CAR-T candidate targeting human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2) developed by 토토 바카라 사이트. AT501 incorporates a platform that enables precise control of CAR-T cell activation through the administration of a ‘specific switch protein.’ According to the company, this switch technology, designed to selectively track HER2, has demonstrated strong anticancer efficacy in preclinical animal models.

“With 토토 바카라 사이트 Kun Dang joining as a co-development partner, AbClon’s development speed and scope, which were previously constrained, will now advance in a more systematic and scalable manner,” Lee said.