Inventage Labs, a drug delivery technology platform company, announced on July 31st that it has signed an exclusive rights agreement with Terna Therapeutics (CEO Tae-Woo Lee), a company specializing in LNP (lipid nanoparticle) therapeutics, for FGF-21-based mRNA-LNP metabolic disease treatment.
Through this agreement, Inventage Labs has secured global development and commercialization rights for innovative mRNA drug candidates utilizing Terna Therapeutics' "TRL (THERNA LNP)" platform. The two companies also plan to jointly develop formulations using the company's genetic material delivery platform, "IVL-GeneFluidic®."
FGF-21 is a protein secreted by the liver. It plays a role in blood sugar and lipid regulation, drawing attention as a key target for treating metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver disease. This next-generation treatment is being competitively developed by global pharmaceutical companies, and Inventage Labs' mRNA therapeutic is designed to allow FGF-21 to function more efficiently in target tissues, promising to overcome the limitations of existing treatments.
This collaboration is linked to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's national project, "Development of an AI-based LNP Manufacturing Platform," (total budget: approximately KRW 8.5 billion, implementation period: 4 years and 9 months), in which Inventage Labs is leading the project. The project includes mRNA sequence optimization, AI-based LNP formulation design, and digital process control. The company explained that this agreement is significant as it represents the first demonstration of this technology in actual therapeutic development.
Under the joint development agreement, Terna Therapeutics will be responsible for mRNA sequence design and non-clinical efficacy studies, while Inventage Labs will lead the entire process, including formulation design, production technology development, GLP toxicity testing, clinical development, and GMP-based production. The two companies will establish a Joint Development Committee (JDC) to collaborate closely from non-clinical trials through Phase 1 clinical trials, product approval, and commercialization. The companies have also secured a sublicense option for global technology transfer and joint development.
A Terna Therapeutics representative stated, "Our TRL platform utilizes our proprietary LNP technology to enhance efficacy and safety, while also enabling freeze-drying storage, overcoming the limitations of existing LNPs. We are delighted to be applying this technology for the first time in our joint therapeutic development with Inventage Labs." They added, "We will demonstrate the universal value of our TRL platform through the successful development of metabolic disease treatments."
An Inventage Lab official said, “This exclusive contract goes beyond simple technology introduction and signifies the commercialization of platform technology linked to national projects,” adding, “We will establish ourselves as an integrated platform company based on IVL-GeneFluidic® and accelerate our entry into the global market in next-generation therapeutics such as mRNA, thereby increasing our corporate value.”
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