Daewon Pharmaceutical Collaborates with Elbase for Joint Development of New Lung Cancer Treatment Drug

Activation of Anticancer Effects in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Receiving Targeted Therapy
Phase 1 and 2 Clinical Trials Preparing Domestically and Internationally

[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] Daewon Pharmaceutical is partnering with the bio company Elbase to jointly develop a next-generation lung cancer treatment drug.

On the 21st, Daewon Pharmaceutical announced that it will co-develop 'LB-217' with Elbase, a drug that activates anticancer effects by suppressing resistance development in patients receiving targeted therapy for non-small cell lung cancer.

Elbase discovered the cancer-testis antigen (CTA) 'CAGE (Cancer Associated GEne)' and found through research that CAGE regulates autophagy in cancer cells and is involved in resistance to anticancer drugs. They also confirmed that when the key autophagy factor 'Beclin1' binds with CAGE, autophagy in cancer cells is activated, promoting resistance to drugs.

LB-217 inhibits the binding of Beclin1 and CAGE, selectively reducing the overactivated autophagy in cancer cells, thereby delaying the expression of resistance to anticancer drugs. When the targeted anticancer drugs 'Osimertinib' and 'Erlotinib' were applied to lung cancer cell lines treated with LB-217, the growth of the lung cancer cell lines was significantly suppressed compared to the control group.

LB-217 has completed preclinical trials and is preparing for Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials both domestically·and internationally.

Jeon Doyong, CEO of Elbase, said, "We expect this to be the world's first new drug that can selectively inhibit autophagy only in cancer cells," adding, "It can be combined with all cancer treatments, and its greatest feature is overcoming the limitations caused by resistance to existing treatments."

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