Pharos IBio and Kolon Pharmaceutical Sign Joint Research and Development Agreement for PHI-701

Official Agreement Follows MOU and Government Project Selection
Collaboration From Candidate Discovery to Clinical Development

Pharos IBio has signed a joint research and development agreement with Kolon Pharmaceutical for the next-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor PHI-701, expanding their collaboration into clinical development.

Pharos IBio, an AI-based drug discovery company, announced on September 2, 2026, that it has entered into a joint research and development agreement for PHI-701 with the new drug division of Kolon Pharmaceutical. Previously, in May, the two companies signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the joint development of PHI-701, and in June, they were selected for the “Structure-Based AI New Drug Development Support Project” organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute.

Pharos Bio, Kolon Pharmaceutical company logo image. Pharos I Bio

Under this agreement, the two companies will carry out joint research and development from the discovery of PHI-701 candidate substances to preclinical studies and clinical development. After selecting candidate substances, they will also jointly establish development strategies for clinical entry, including clinical translational research, defining target patient populations, and designing clinical trials. The scope of collaboration is planned to expand further into commercialization in the future.

PHI-701 is an inhibitor targeting EGFR gene mutations, a major cause of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is being developed with the aim of overcoming resistance that arises following treatment with existing EGFR-targeted therapies.

Pharos IBio will be responsible for the design and optimization of candidate substances using its AI drug discovery platform, Chemiverse®. The new drug division of Kolon Pharmaceutical will conduct translational research, including mechanism studies, exploration of indications, and preclinical efficacy assessments.

Jung Hyuk Yoon, CEO of Pharos IBio, stated, "Now that collaboration with Kolon Pharmaceutical has advanced to a practical joint development stage, we will combine both companies' research capabilities to refine PHI-701's development strategies and drive subsequent development."

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