Antibody drug development platform company Y-Biologics (Respective CEOs Park Young-woo and Jang Woo-ik) announced on the 8th that it signed a contract with bio-venture company IMBiologics (CEO Ha Kyung-sik) for joint research and development of a new antibody drug candidate targeting autoimmune diseases.
This agreement, an innovative new drug development project that combines the expertise of each company, is expected to serve as a model for efficient collaboration between a biotech specializing in antibody drug development and a biotech specializing in antibody therapeutics for immune diseases. Building on their past successful collaborations, the two companies plan to use this joint research to accelerate their global market entry.
Previously, Y-Biologics and IMBiologics jointly developed IMB-101 (OXTIMA; OX40L/TNF-α targeting dual antibody) and IMB-102 (OX40L targeting monoclonal antibody) for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, jointly with HK inno.N. They transferred the technology to Navigator Medicine of the United States for a total of KRW 1 trillion in June 2024, and to Huadong Pharmaceutical of China for a total of KRW 400 billion in August. This is evaluated as an example that proves the technological prowess of both companies and the possibility of successful cooperation.
The core of this research is to develop an innovative antibody drug candidate that inhibits a protein that is attracting attention as a major factor in autoimmune diseases.
This approach is expected to effectively control autoimmune responses by suppressing excessive T cell activation and normalizing regulatory T cell (Treg) function. In particular, its distinct mechanism of action compared to existing treatments is expected to provide a new treatment option for patients with autoimmune diseases.
An official from IMBiologics said, “Based on our experience and capabilities in developing antibody treatments for immune diseases, we are currently implementing various forms of open innovation strategies,” and “Through this collaboration with YBiologics, we will develop a new antibody drug that is more innovative than IMB-101 and create business results in a short period of time.”
A representative from Wybiologics stated, “This agreement is a meaningful contract that will allow us to take on the challenge of developing innovative new drugs for entry into the global market with a partner who has shared our experience of success,” and added, “We will be able to secure differentiated competitiveness through the synergy created by the combined expertise of both companies.”
Meanwhile, Ybiologics possesses a variety of innovative platform technologies. These include Ymax®-ABL, a fully human antibody library; Ymax®-NANO, a next-generation single-domain antibody library; pH-sensitive antibody discovery technology; and ALiCE, a T-cell bispecific antibody platform.
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