[Click eStock] "STCube, Global Growth in Second Half... First-in Class Expectations"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] KB Securities analyzed on the 13th that STCube is expected to conduct global clinical trials in the second half of the year, increasing the possibility that the substance under development will become a First-in-Class innovative drug. No investment opinion or target price was provided.

STCube is a bio company specializing in immune checkpoint inhibitors. Established in 1989, it was listed on KOSDAQ in 2001. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are therapies that inhibit immune evasion substances, enabling normal immune cells to attack cancer cells, and are emerging as next-generation anticancer drugs.

Researcher Im from KB Securities said, "STCube discovered a new immune checkpoint protein called ‘BTN1A1’ through its own screening program and completed the development of the new drug candidate antibody hSTC810 targeting it," adding, "The ability to administer it in combination is the greatest strength of STCube's innovative drug."

He explained, "BTN1A1 shows mutually exclusive expression patterns with existing immune checkpoint substances such as PD-L1," and "It is a distinct immune checkpoint substance with a mechanism different from PD-1 and PD-L1 targeted by drugs like Keytruda, and it may show high efficacy in cancers that do not respond to existing treatments, such as ovarian cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and bladder cancer."

Researcher Im stated, "Global clinical trials will begin in the second half of the year. We plan to submit an IND (Investigational New Drug application) to the US FDA by the end of this year and enter Phase 1 clinical trials early next year," adding, "Currently, toxicity tests are underway with the global CRO company Charles River, and antibodies are being stably produced through Samsung Biologics." He emphasized, "As clinical trials progress, there is a possibility of technology transfer to global pharmaceutical companies, so we expect its value as a global innovative drug."

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