JW Pharmaceutical and Illias Collaborate on Exosome-Based Anticancer Drug Research

Shin Young-seop, CEO of JW Jungwoo Pharmaceutical (right), and Choi Cheol-hee, co-CEO of Ilias Biologics, are posing for a commemorative photo.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] JW Pharmaceutical announced on the 14th that it has signed a joint research agreement with ILIAS Biologics to develop an exosome therapy loaded with a small-molecule anticancer drug.

This agreement was made to develop a global innovative drug by applying ILIAS's proprietary exosome platform technology to the small-molecule anticancer drug candidate secured by JW Pharmaceutical.

Exosomes are nano-sized particles secreted by all cells in the human body. Initially known as waste products from cellular metabolism, they have gained attention as next-generation drug delivery vehicles after it was discovered that they act as messengers between cells.

Choi Cheol-hee, co-CEO of ILIAS, explained, “ILIAS's exosome platform is the most advanced technology that can load various drugs in free-form and actively target specific cells to enhance therapeutic effects. We plan to derive clinical development candidates that selectively induce apoptosis in cancer cells by applying JW Pharmaceutical's innovative targeted anticancer drugs.”

Shin Young-seop, CEO of JW Pharmaceutical, said, “Through joint research with ILIAS, we expect to create new opportunities to commercialize JW's drug candidates and explore utilization methods. We will continue to actively pursue an open innovation strategy to proactively secure next-generation pipelines by combining new R&D platforms with JW's platform.”

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