Inventera Targets the Global Contrast Agent Market with Nanomedicines

Nanostructure Platform "Invinity"

Applicable to ADCs and Peptide Drugs

"Operating Profit Margin Expected to Approach 60% in Three Years"

Inventera, a company specializing in the development of nanomedicines, has announced its ambition to transform the global contrast agent market by leveraging its upcoming KOSDAQ listing.

On March 16, Inventera held a press conference in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, to unveil its new drug pipeline of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents utilizing its proprietary nanostructure platform, Infinity, as well as its mid- to long-term growth strategy. MRI contrast agents are drugs administered to patients to enhance the visibility of specific tissues or blood vessels, making them stand out more clearly from surrounding tissues during MRI scans.

At the press conference, Shin Taehyun, CEO of Inventera, stated, "Nanomedicines are next-generation technologies that enable early disease diagnosis and precision treatment, but the biggest challenge has been the 'phagocytosis phenomenon,' in which immune cells recognize the drug as a foreign substance and engulf it." He emphasized, "The Infinity platform significantly improves lesion targeting by adjusting the surface charge of nanoparticles to prevent protein adhesion."

Shin Taehyun, CEO of Inventera, held a press conference on the 16th in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, announcing the new drug pipeline for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents using the proprietary nanostructure platform Infinity, as well as mid- to long-term growth strategies. Photo by Jung Donghun

Inventera focuses primarily on iron (Fe)-based nano MRI contrast agents. Gadolinium-based contrast agents, which have dominated the market for the past 30 years, have come under continuous scrutiny due to safety concerns such as brain accumulation and kidney toxicity, leading to global market withdrawals or warning labels. By utilizing biocompatible iron, Inventera fundamentally eliminates these toxicity issues while achieving 'disease-specific' contrast effects that clearly highlight targeted disease sites.

The most advanced pipeline is 'INV-002,' a contrast agent specialized for musculoskeletal diseases. It is currently in the final stages of a domestic Phase 3 clinical trial, with over 90% of the trial completed. The company plans to finish the clinical trial and apply for product approval within the first half of this year. CEO Shin expressed confidence, saying, "INV-002 enables the detection of minute lesions that conventional gadolinium agents cannot, and its statistical significance was clearly proven in the Phase 2b trial. Since there are no competing products, the probability of successful commercialization is extremely high."

The subsequent pipeline candidates include 'INV-001,' targeting the lymphatic system, and 'INV-003,' the world's first oral contrast agent for the pancreaticobiliary tract. Notably, INV-003, developed in a drinkable form, resolves the issue of stomach signals obscuring the pancreaticobiliary tract during conventional MRI scans. This product has been selected as a national new drug development project and is expected to enter Phase 1/2a clinical trials within the year.

Inventera aims to go beyond simple technology licensing (L/O) by pursuing a 'FIDDO (Fully Integrated Drug Development Organization)' model, directly overseeing the process from clinical trials to product approval. The company has secured a stable distribution network and revenue structure through its partnership with Dongkook Lifescience, a leader in the domestic contrast agent market. Kwon Yongjae, CFO of Inventera, projected, "Our targets for 2029 are 3.76 billion won in revenue and 2.22 billion won in operating profit, and with the cost of goods sold at only about 18%, we expect to achieve very high profitability."

Through this listing, Inventera is offering a total of 1.18 million shares to the public. The expected offering price range is between 12,100 won and 16,600 won per share, with book building until March 17 and subscription taking place on March 23 and 24. The scheduled KOSDAQ listing date is April 2. NH Investment & Securities and Eugene Investment & Securities are serving as lead underwriters.

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