HoyaLab (CEO Yoo Hyeon), a biotech startup specializing in gene editing, has secured seed funding from C&Venture Partners and Wow Partners. The investment amount was not disclosed. In addition to this investment, HoyaLab was also selected for TIPS, a promising startup support program by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, upon C&Venture Partners' recommendation.
CRISPR gene editing technology has driven the growth of the cell and gene therapy market since the 2010s. However, the off-target issue of guide RNA editing unintentionally has been identified as a major limitation to the technology's widespread adoption. Consequently, ensuring treatment safety and reliability remains a key challenge for market expansion.
To overcome these limitations, Hoya Lab developed a guide RNA design technology that combines artificial intelligence and biotechnology. According to the company, the technology has produced significant results in unauthorized experiments and is currently undergoing validation through internationally recognized institutions, focusing on its potential to address off-target issues in four rare diseases attracting interest from global companies.
Hoyalab anticipates that once the technology is validated, opportunities for joint research and collaboration with domestic and international cell and gene therapy development companies will expand. It plans to pursue commercialization through technology transfer and global partnerships.
An investment firm official who participated in the investment stated that they decided to invest because they believed that Hoya Lab's off-target problem-solving approach has technological strengths that differentiate it from existing ones and that it has high growth potential based on actual performance.
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