HK Innoen Launches Full-Scale Entry into CGT CDMO Market... Organoid Therapy CMO

Song Geun-seok, Executive Director of HK Innoen, and Jo Jae-jin, CEO of CellinCells (front row from the left), are posing for a commemorative photo after signing a contract for the contract manufacturing organization (CMO) of stem cell-derived organoid therapeutics. (Photo by HK Innoen)

[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] HK Innoen is starting contract manufacturing organization (CMO) services for cell therapy products, beginning with organoid therapeutics.

On the 2nd, HK Innoen announced that it signed a CMO contract with the bio company 'Cell in Cells' on the 1st for stem cell-derived organoid therapeutics. This is the first CMO contract undertaken by HK Innoen's Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Center. Under the contract, HK Innoen plans to manufacture clinical trial drugs for domestic clinical trials of stem cell-derived organoid therapeutics being developed by Cell in Cells.

Organoid therapeutics are treatments created by culturing cells in three dimensions to form 'human organ analogs,' which are transplanted into damaged organ areas to aid regeneration. They are attracting attention as next-generation therapeutics that overcome the limitations of existing stem cell-based regenerative therapies. Compared to two-dimensional stem cell therapies, organoid therapeutics are characterized by higher engraftment rates and durability, making them highly versatile in various applications.

Cell in Cells, established in 2014, is an advanced bio company specializing in cell and organoid regenerative therapeutics. It has a pipeline of stem cell-derived organoid therapeutics targeting regenerative treatments for various diseases such as skin regeneration, osteoarthritis, and angiogenesis.

In 2020, HK Innoen built the largest CGT-dedicated research and development (R&D) and manufacturing facility in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province. Through this, it is conducting various cell therapy research with domestic and international companies. HK Innoen, which also received approval for advanced biopharmaceutical manufacturing in August, is promoting joint research and contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) projects with Abclone, GC Cell, and GI Cell, developing the CGT Center into an innovative platform.

An HK Innoen official said, “We will diversify our business structure through active CDMO and CMO activities in the CGT field to strengthen our competitiveness as a bio-health company.”