Pinobio Transfers ADC Platform Technology to US Biotech... Worth 326 Billion KRW

Pinobio announced on the 21st that it has signed a technology transfer agreement for an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) platform targeting a total of 10 drug targets with the US-based ConjugateBio.

Pinobio CI
Photo by Pinobio

ADC connects an antibody that binds to cancer antigens with a cytotoxic drug (payload) that can kill cancer cells via a linker, delivering the drug precisely to cancer cells. It is called a "cruise missile" that bombs cancer with drugs and is gaining attention as a next-generation anticancer technology. Recently, the market has been rapidly expanding as related technology transactions and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have been continuously occurring both domestically and internationally.

This contract is a platform supply agreement in which Pinobio supplies the payload and linker, and ConjugateBio is responsible for target selection, antibody development, synthesis, and evaluation. The two companies signed a technology transfer agreement for the ADC platform targeting a total of 5 targets in June last year. With this additional contract, the number of ADC targets for which ConjugateBio has secured development rights has increased to a total of 15.

Pinobio will receive a total of $250 million (approximately 326 billion KRW), including upfront payments and milestone payments at each stage, and will receive additional royalties based on separate standards. Including the ADC platform technology transfer contract worth $1.24 billion (approximately 1.6 trillion KRW) for 15 targets signed with Celltrion in October last year, the company explained that the cumulative milestone for ADC-related technology transfers and option contracts is close to reaching 2 trillion KRW.

ConjugateBio, a biotech company located in New Jersey, USA, is an ADC-specialized biotech founded by CEO Yu Geum-ju, who has over 20 years of experience as a clinical and business development expert at multinational pharmaceutical companies such as Merck and Novartis.

Pinobio’s ADC platform ‘PINOT-ADC’ is a technology that enables the development of ADC candidate substances based on a camptothecin-class drug independently developed and an optimized linker. It is explained that in comparative experiments with the blockbuster ADC Enhertu, it showed equal or greater efficacy, favorable pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles, and optimal levels of bystander effect on adjacent tumor cells.

Yu Geum-ju, CEO of ConjugateBio, said, “I am confident that combining Pinobio’s excellent ADC platform technology with our ADC development capabilities will enable the development of competitive ADC new drugs,” adding, “Our goal is to enter clinical phase 1 next year.” Pinobio CEO Jung Doo-young said, “We will successfully develop various ADC pipelines in cooperation with ConjugateBio.”

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