토토 바카라 사이트 celebrates 4th anniversary: “Powered by science, advancing as Korea’s leading ‘immuno-oncology big biotech’”

[by Kang, In Hyo] “The past four years have been an incredible journey. We pushed forward with a clear vision, and within just three years of launching the 토토 바카라 사이트, we were able to demonstrate our technological strength by successfully exporting our main pipeline in the preclinical stage, NXI-101 (development code)”.

토토 바카라 사이트’s CEO Yoon Kyoung Wan, commemorating the company’s fourth anniversary this year, shared these words during an interview with <THE BIO on April 17 at 토토 바카라 사이트’s headquarters in Munjeong-dong, Songpa District, Seoul. With the anniversary celebration, the company was poised to embark on a new chapter, setting its sights on the strategic objective.

Looking ahead to next year, 토토 바카라 사이트 intends to advance its follow-up pipeline, ‘NXI-201 (development code)’, into clinical development. In addition, with the appointment of the lead underwriter finalized at the end of 2024, the company is set to begin full-scale preparations for an initial public offering (IPO) on the KOSDAQ market. <THE BIO sat down with Yoon to reflect on the company’s achievements over the past four years and to discuss her strategic vision and plans for the future.

◇'토토 바카라 사이트101' exported to Japan's Ono Pharmaceutical, driven by clear objectives and a solid strategic foundation

토토 바카라 사이트, an abbreviation for 'Next-generation immunotherapeutics,' is a name formed by combining the words 'Next' and 'I'. The company was founded on April 12, 2021, and this year marks its fourth anniversary.

On April 12, the 토토 바카라 사이트 hosted a luncheon with its employees and held its second long-term service (3 years) award ceremony following the inaugural event last year. Since its founding, the number of employees has grown more than sevenfold, from 5 to 36. In addition, the previously dispersed office spaces in Munjeong-dong were consolidated onto a single floor to create a unified work environment and improve operational efficiency.

Above all, the company demonstrated the effectiveness of its proprietary immune-oncology target discovery platform by out-licensing its main pipeline candidate, NXI-101, which was in the preclinical stage, to the Japanese pharmaceutical company Ono Pharmaceutical last year. While the specific terms of the licensing agreement were undisclosed, the achievement is particularly notable as it fulfilled one of the objectives set by 토토 바카라 사이트 founder and CEO Yoon Kyoung Wan during the company’s early days , reaching a global licensing within three years of establishment.

“When I founded the company, my goal was clear,” Yoon said. “The first objective was to ‘prove the company토토 바카라 사이트;s technological capabilities,토토 바카라 사이트; and for me, that meant a licensing out (L/O) deal,” she added. “By dedicating 100% of my energy to the goal and going ‘all-in,토토 바카라 사이트; we were able to achieve a licensing agreement within three years. To date, we have also successfully raised a cumulative investment of KRW 27 billion (approximately USD 19 million), reflecting the market토토 바카라 사이트;s recognition of our technology.”

Yoon envisioned 토토 바카라 사이트 operating in a nimble, ‘lean’ manner, prioritizing the minimization of unnecessary resource expenditure. To achieve this, she underscored the importance of a clearly defined goal and a focused management strategy. “We strengthened our workforce by assembling a team of experts with strong capabilities in new drug development, and they have worked closely together to focus on R&D,” she explained. “By prioritizing error reduction and accelerating the timeline for delivering results, we succeeded in finalizing a technology export deal with Ono Pharmaceutical within just three years of the company’s founding.”

Reflecting on the secret to the company토토 바카라 사이트;s success in securing a global licensing agreement, Yoon emphasized, “It was not a matter of luck but the result of meticulous and strategic R&D operations.” She elaborated, “Our core competitiveness lies in our ability to understand what the global market genuinely requires and, more importantly, why it demands it, by consistently asking the fundamental question of ‘Why.토토 바카라 사이트;” She continued, “Grounded in the answers to this question, we identified companies in need of our platform technology and target antibodies and actively pursued technology export opportunities. This approach set us apart from other biotechnology firms.”

토토 바카라 사이트’s core platform is its proprietary immune-oncology target discovery platform, known as ‘ONCOKINE’. The first target identified by the company through this platform is designated as ‘ONCOKINE-1’.

ONCOKINE-1 is a protein that inhibits cancer cell death, particularly under external stress conditions, and plays a key role in enabling cancer cells to withstand T cell attacks. 토토 바카라 사이트 protein also works in the tumor microenvironment, contributing to immune evasion by inducing immunosuppressive cytokines or suppressing inflammatory responses.

“This characteristic may be one of the underlying reasons for the limited efficacy of certain immuno-oncology therapies,”explained 토토 바카라 사이트. “NXI-101, an antibody developed to inhibit this protein, is currently undergoing Phase 1 clinical trials at Ono Pharmaceutical in Japan, and we are maintaining close collaboration with them throughout the clinical development process.”

“토토 바카라 사이트201, our follow-up pipeline aimed at the next licensing opportunity, is being prepared for an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for global clinical trials in the first half of 2026,” she added. “We have initiated a Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) toxicity studies (GLP tox) in preparation for the IND submission, with results expected within the year. Additionally, the production of clinical trial samples is scheduled for completion by early next year.”

NXI토토 바카라 사이트;s second pipeline, NXI-201, is an antibody that inhibits ‘ONCOKINE-2토토 바카라 사이트; and is currently under development with the objective of entering Phase 1 clinical trials next year. Unlike NXI-101, which is aimed at multiple primary cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), NXI-201 is being developed for indications in various solid tumors, such as colorectal cancer (CRC). A combination therapy strategy is also under consideration as part of the development plan.

ONCOKINE-2, the target of NXI-201, is a protein that, like ONCOKINE-1, supports cancer cell survival. Its function is particularly prominent in ‘cold tumors,토토 바카라 사이트; which exhibit poor response to immunotherapy. ONCOKINE-2 prevents infiltration of immune cells, like T cells, into the tumor microenvironment and fosters an immunosuppressive environment.

“In the case of NXI-201, it has attracted the attention of pharmaceutical companies interested in developing treatments for patients who are refractory to immunotherapy,” 토토 바카라 사이트 emphasized. “As with NXI-101, we are rigorously preparing a comprehensive data package that addresses medical and market unmet needs, with the goal of successfully presenting the candidate to major global pharmaceutical companies.”

◇Pursuing KOSDAQ ‘Technology Special Listing토토 바카라 사이트;…Aiming to become Korea토토 바카라 사이트;s leading immuno-oncology ‘Big Biotech토토 바카라 사이트;

The successful global technology export not only validated 토토 바카라 사이트’s business model but also clarified the company’s future direction. “토토 바카라 사이트’s business model is well-defined,” Yoon stated. “It is a structure that builds upon the company’s core research capabilities to develop technology and generates revenue through phased technology transfer.”

“Research rarely proceeds exactly as planned. It is a process that involves advancing step by step while validating tens of thousands of hypotheses,” she further commented. “This is why we adhere to the philosophy of ‘Let토토 바카라 사이트;s focus on research we are truly capable of, rather than pursuing unrealistic ambitions. It is this philosophy that underpins our self-developed ‘Immuno-Oncology Drug Non-Response Factor Discovery Platform토토 바카라 사이트;.”

“Our research encompasses not only oncokines, which are protein secretion factors, but also newly identified targets based on cell membrane proteins,” 토토 바카라 사이트 explained. “We are also actively pursuing research with various modalities (treatment approaches) in mind, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and bispecific antibodies.”

In other words, 토토 바카라 사이트’s core business model is centered on developing optimal antibodies for the meaningful targets it identifies and collaborating with partners capable of applying the most appropriate modality for each target. According to Yoon, the company is expanding its pipeline through target-centered R&D, thereby progressively increasing the potential for technology transfer.

Yoon emphasized that, as the company’s R&D is fundamentally focused on immunotherapy, the biggest objective is to bring next-generation immunotherapy drugs to market. “When people ask, ‘Which Big Biotech is represented in Korea in the field of immunotherapy?’, we aspire for 토토 바카라 사이트 to be the name that comes to mind. That is our ultimate goal,” she remarked.

“Chasing trends that have already taken hold is often too late, while looking too far ahead can lead to stagnation,” Yoon further commented. “The key lies in anticipating ‘what the next trend will be토토 바카라 사이트; and ‘what market needs will emerge in the coming years.토토 바카라 사이트; By consistently practicing this approach, one can ultimately grow into a leading biotech company that develops groundbreaking novel drugs and contributes to establishing Korea as a global powerhouse in new drug development.”

토토 바카라 사이트 is preparing to enter the KOSDAQ market through the ‘Technology Special Listing’ track and intends to submit a preliminary listing application to the Korea Exchange next year. The company further plans to apply for a technology assessment within the year. Korea Investment & Securities will serve as the lead manager for the listing. In parallel, 토토 바카라 사이트 is planning a Series B investment round to secure funding for upcoming clinical trials.

토토 바카라 사이트 previously secured KRW 5 billion (approximately USD 3.5 million) in pre-Series A funding in 2021, followed by KRW 22 billion in Series A investment in 2022. Its major financial investors (FIs) include DSC Investment, Schmidt, Atinum Investment, Hana Ventures, Stonebridge Ventures, TS Investment, CJ Investment, Wonik Investment Partners, and Medytox Venture Investment. Strategic investors (SIs) include Daewoong Pharmaceutical, GC Biopharma. Notably, the joint research agreement signed with GC Biopharma at the end of 2024 is regarded as a testament to the credibility of 토토 바카라 사이트’s platform technology.

“토토 바카라 사이트 has achieved 100% of the milestones presented to investors over the past four years, and in some cases, has even exceeded them,” Yoon said. “Our company is firmly grounded in ‘science,’ and on this foundation, we are developing first-in-class novel drug candidates within the organization. Moving forward, we aim to deliver tangible results through the licensing of follow-up pipelines, in alignment with our current business model, in the near future.”

“I founded 토토 바카라 사이트 with the intention of protecting my beloved family and those dear to me from cancer,” Yoon further stated. “This is why our company’s motto is, ‘Together, we save the loved ones,’ and our ultimate goal is to become a company that genuinely develops treatments to protect people who matter most, together.”