GW Biotech (CEO Yang Jaewon) announced on the 5th that it has signed a supply contract to deliver a mass photometry device imported from Refeyn, a UK company, to the POSTECH Membrane Protein Research Center (Director Lee Jio).
The TwoMP equipment supplied this time will be used in the research on membrane proteins and protein structure analysis conducted by Director Lee Jio of the Membrane Protein Research Center (Professor of Life Sciences at Pohang University of Science and Technology). TwoMP is a cutting-edge mass photometry device that has the advantage of measuring samples in a short time without preprocessing. It is mainly used to confirm binding reactions between antibodies and antigens, and it is expected to help research directions by identifying problems that were previously overlooked during the research process.
The Membrane Protein Research Center, which signed the equipment supply contract with GW Biotech, is a core research facility for bio new drug development established in Pohang and operated by POSTECH. It spans from basement level 1 to the 4th floor above ground, with a total floor area of 6,107㎡, and is equipped with 157 pieces of 72 types of core equipment, including a high-resolution cryo-electron microscope and structure-based drug development dedicated devices.
Going forward, GW Biotech plans to strengthen its cooperative system in the diverse fields of protein bio new drug development research by actively utilizing its excellent product supply capabilities and bio-technology services. Additionally, GW Biotech intends to continuously provide measurement services and plans to exhibit the equipment at the Korean Society for Structural Biology (KSSB) conference in June, striving to pioneer the related market.
According to a report released by the professional market research firm Grand View Research, the protein new drug development market size was estimated at approximately $180 billion (236 trillion KRW) as of 2021, showing an annual growth rate of about 10%. Especially, with the rising popularity of protein-based therapeutics such as immuno-oncology drugs, the protein new drug development market is expected to grow even faster. The company believes that through the cooperative relationship with the Membrane Protein Research Center, various business expansion possibilities can be opened.
Director Lee Jio of the Membrane Protein Research Center stated, “The TwoMP equipment from GW Biotech is the first cutting-edge device to be set up domestically. Compared to other devices with expensive consumables, it is well known for its reasonable price, high sensitivity, fast speed, improved resolution, and statistical advantages, which increase researchers’ satisfaction.” He added, “It is a device coveted by any protein structure analysis researcher who owns a cryo-electron microscope (Cryo-EM).”
Meanwhile, Refeyn, established in 2018 as a spin-off from the University of Oxford in the UK, pioneered a new technology area called mass photometry (a method that measures the mass of molecules by quantifying the amount of light scattered by molecules in solution) and developed equipment to measure the mass of substances. The company has published over 200 scientific papers and has received awards in the Emerging Technologies Competition in 2019, as well as in the analysis/testing and innovative product categories. Currently, leading global pharmaceutical companies overseas are adopting and using Refeyn’s equipment.
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