STCube Selected as a 2021 Global Top 10 Company by Global Bio Healthcare Media

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] STCube, a bio company developing immune checkpoint inhibitors, announced on the 19th that it has been selected as one of the "Top 10 Global Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Research Companies of 2021" by Pharma Tech Outlook, a global bio and pharmaceutical specialized media.

Pharma Tech Outlook, the most prestigious bio and healthcare specialized media in the United States, annually selects the top 10 companies in each field among global bio companies that demonstrate excellent research achievements and high business competitiveness. This year, STCube was selected in the immune checkpoint inhibitor research company category, and Yuhan Corporation was selected as a top 10 CMO in the Asia-Pacific region among domestic companies.

STCube is a company that discovers immune checkpoint inhibitor candidate substances through its own screening program and researches and develops immune checkpoint inhibitors for various indications. In April, at the American Association for Cancer Research, the world's largest cancer society, it revealed research results on the immune checkpoint protein 'BTN1A1,' which it discovered for the first time in the world, attracting attention from global pharmaceutical companies.

The new drug candidate antibody 'hSTC810' targeting 'BTN1A1' is a completely new immune checkpoint inhibitor different from existing immune checkpoint inhibitor targets such as 'PD-1' and 'PD-L1.' It was found that while expression is limited in normal tissue cells, the expression rate can reach up to 80% in various cancer cells.

STCube plans to initiate global clinical trials for the 'hSTC810' antibody starting in the second half of this year. The strategy is to first conduct clinical trials of monotherapy using the 'hSTC810' antibody and subsequently conduct additional clinical trials for combination therapy with 'PD-1' and 'PD-L1.'

An STCube official said, "We are the only domestic company selected in the global TOP 10, which externally recognizes our excellent research achievements in immune checkpoint inhibitors. Since participating in '2021 BIO USA' in June, active discussions with global pharmaceutical companies have been taking place, and if the excellent efficacy of the 'hSTC810' antibody is verified in the global Phase 1 clinical trials starting in the second half of this year, the possibility of technology transfer is expected to accelerate."