Samjin Pharmaceutical and EpibioTech Collaborate on ADC and Gene Therapy Development

Samjin Pharmaceutical announced on the 22nd that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with EpibioTech, a specialized research and development company for hair loss treatments, to collaborate on the development of antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) and gene therapy technologies.

Seong Jong-hyun, CEO of EpibioTech (left), and Lee Soo-min, Head of Research Center at Samjin Pharmaceutical, are posing for a commemorative photo at the joint research agreement ceremony for antibody and gene therapy technologies between the two companies.
[Photo by Samjin Pharmaceutical]

Through this agreement, Samjin Pharmaceutical will conduct research on the development of ADC payloads (cytotoxic drugs), while EpibioTech will share know-how and conduct research on antibody platforms and gene editing technologies. In ADCs, often called "cancer-targeting missiles," the antibody acts as the radar, the payload as the bomb, and the linker as the launcher and missile. The antibody locates cancer cells, the payload attacks the cancer cells, and the linker connects the two.

EpibioTech is a company researching and developing hair loss treatments across various modalities. It possesses core technologies such as a cytokine antibody (CytAb) development platform for hair loss and inflammation suppression, and CXCL12-based bispecific antibody production and development technology. ‘EPI-005,’ an antibody treatment for hair loss currently under development, was selected as a project under the 2022 National New Drug Development Program, has produced a humanized antibody, and recently completed patent registration. Additionally, ‘EPI-007,’ a gene-edited adipose-derived stem cell therapy using the Crispr/Cas9 system, is also under development.

Since the completion of its Magok Research Center in December 2021, Samjin Pharmaceutical has been accelerating the acquisition of new pipelines and the development of existing compounds through open innovation. To expand modalities (therapeutic approaches), research on ADCs and targeted protein degradation (TPD) that can utilize Samjin Pharmaceutical’s expertise in small molecule development is also underway. Through this agreement, the antibody platform and gene editing technologies shared by EpibioTech will be integrated into Samjin Pharmaceutical’s R&D expertise to expand the platform and increase the likelihood of success in innovative drug development.

Lee Soo-min, Head of Samjin Pharmaceutical’s Research Center, said, “We are pleased to collaborate with EpibioTech, which possesses excellent antibody platform and gene editing technologies. We expect that the cooperation between EpibioTech’s antibody platform and our payload development technology will create high synergy in ADC development, and we plan to build a close partnership and expand our cooperative relationship going forward.”

Sung Jong-hyuk, CEO of EpibioTech, also stated, “Although antibody and gene therapies for hair loss are fields with slow development, we are developing treatments that enhance drug efficacy duration and safety for patients. We expect that cooperation with Samjin Pharmaceutical, which has extensive new drug development experience, will increase the chances of success in new drug development.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.