SK Chemicals Strengthens Strategic Partnership with AI Specialist Standigm

Joint Clinical Trial for Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) Candidate Substance

SK Chemicals Pangyo Headquarters (Photo by SK Chemicals)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] SK Chemicals is strengthening its partnership with an artificial intelligence (AI) partner company.

On the 2nd, SK Chemicals announced that it signed an agreement outlining collaboration plans to strengthen its strategic partnership with AI drug development company Standigm. Through this agreement, the two companies will jointly conduct clinical trials for a non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) candidate substance discovered via Standigm's drug repurposing platform, Standigm Insight. The candidate substance aims to enter clinical trials in the first half of next year, and after completing Phase 2 clinical trials, technology transfer will be considered.

Additionally, Standigm plans to establish a synthesis research center within SK Chemicals' research institute, targeting its opening next month. The synthesis research center will carry out key synthesis tasks involved in the joint research conducted by both companies. Furthermore, with the opening of the synthesis research center, Standigm expects to complete vertical integration of new drug development from target discovery to substance creation and synthesis, thereby improving efficiency in development schedules and technology accumulation.

Kim Jin-han, CEO of Standigm, said, "We are pleased that Standigm's drug development capabilities are further strengthened through cooperation with SK Chemicals, which has extensive experience and know-how in new drug clinical trials," adding, "We will focus on ensuring that the new drug pipelines created by Standigm's AI technology lead to commercialization results."

Kim Jung-hoon, Head of SK Chemicals' Research and Development Center, stated, "SK Chemicals has been connected as a joint research partner with Standigm since 2019, and earlier this year, we filed a patent for a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment substance, achieving results from joint research," adding, "We expect the scope of cooperation to expand based on synergy and trust between the two companies through this joint research on NASH drugs and collaboration on the synthesis research center."

Meanwhile, SK Chemicals also participated in Standigm's pre-IPO round last month and acquired new shares. This agreement was made as part of such strategic investment.

SK Chemicals plans to actively pursue open innovation through strategic investments that include equity investments in promising pharmaceutical and bio ventures, as well as various collaborations such as pipeline acquisition and joint development. To this end, it is currently reviewing investments in multiple promising unlisted ventures.

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