Green Cross to Collaborate with Japan's Tottori University on Rare Disease Research

GC Green Cross Headquarters (Photo by GC Green Cross)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] GC Green Cross is promoting the development of treatments for rare diseases through joint research with Tottori University in Japan.

GC Green Cross announced on the 2nd that it has signed a joint research and license agreement with Tottori University for the development of an oral chaperone therapy for ‘GM1 gangliosidosis (GM1)’.

‘GM1’ is a recessively inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by a deficiency of enzymes in the body due to genetic defects. It is known to occur in about 1 in 100,000 newborns. Most cases develop in children under the age of 6. It is a disease accompanied by neurodegeneration, seizures, and muscle weakness, and there is currently no treatment available on the market.

Through this contract, Green Cross and Tottori University plan to discover new candidate substances for the development of an oral chaperone therapy for GM1. GC Green Cross will be responsible for candidate substance synthesis and preclinical toxicity testing, and will conduct clinical trials independently. A Green Cross official said, "Through the contract, we have secured sole ownership of the patent for the new substance and exclusive rights to use it," adding, "We plan to challenge global commercialization in the future."

Tottori University will be responsible for candidate substance screening and preclinical efficacy testing. The GM1 treatment substance screening technology possessed by Tottori University was secured through collaboration with the National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition (NIBIOHN) under the support of the Japanese government agency, the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)'s 'ID3 Booster Project.' Professor Katsumi Higaki, the research director at Tottori University, is an expert in this field who has been conducting chaperone therapy research for over 20 years.

According to the terms of the agreement, Tottori University will receive a signing fee and milestone payments according to development stages, and is also guaranteed the right to receive royalties when the product is commercialized.

Huh Eun-chul, CEO of GC Green Cross, said, "We will continue various forms of cooperation to present new treatment methods to patients suffering from rare and intractable diseases."