Optipharm Selected for National Project on Development of Solid Organ Mini Pigs

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] Biotechnology company Optipharm announced on the 27th that it has been selected as the executor of a project to verify the clinical applicability of xenotransplantation in the advanced medical technology development sector, hosted by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute.

This project, jointly participated by five institutions including Optipharm, Seoul National University Hospital, and Samsung Seoul Hospital, will conduct non-clinical trials to confirm whether kidneys and livers can be transplanted into humans. The goal is to verify the possibility of entering human clinical trials by transplanting xenogeneic organs into primates and confirming survival rates.

Among the five sub-projects composing this national project, Optipharm is responsible for the second sub-project titled "Production of organ-friendly genetically modified pigs for xenotransplantation," receiving 1.65 billion KRW out of the total project budget of 8.25 billion KRW. Over three years, Optipharm will produce genetically modified pigs with genes removed or inserted and supply them for non-clinical use to verify the safety and efficacy of xenogeneic organs.

Solid organs such as liver, kidney, heart, and lungs are considered the most challenging research areas in xenotransplantation because the risks associated with transplantation are relatively higher than those of partial organs like skin, cornea, and islets. Optipharm has previously transplanted kidneys from genetically modified mini pigs into monkeys, achieving survival for 46 days.

Han Sung-jun, CEO of Optipharm, stated, "Since we are currently conducting separate non-clinical research on xenogeneic kidneys as a national project, we will use this opportunity to upgrade our related technologies through various research projects on solid organs and establish standards for animal models used in xenotransplantation."

Meanwhile, at the end of last year, Optipharm signed a trilateral memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Korea, China, and the U.S. with China's Xenolife Sciences and Professor Jonathan Lakey of the University of California to develop diabetes treatments using xenogeneic islets. The company added that once the formal contract is concluded, it plans to conduct non-clinical trials using the islets of genetically modified mini pigs.