Chabacsin-Pharos iBio Join Hands to Develop Immuno-Oncology Drugs Using AI

ChabioTech affiliate Chabacsin Research Institute announced on the 3rd that it has signed a mutual cooperation agreement with Pharos I Bio, an AI (artificial intelligence) new drug development specialist company, for the discovery of next-generation immuno-oncology drugs using AI technology. Attendees at the signing ceremony included Yeom Jeong-seon, CEO, Jo Jeong-gi, President, and Jeong Si-young, Executive Director from Chabacsin Research Institute, and Yoon Jeong-hyeok, CEO, Han Hye-jeong, President, and Nam Gi-yeop, Vice President from Pharos I Bio.

Yeom Jeong-seon, CEO of Cha Vaccine Institute (left), and Yoon Jeong-hyeok, CEO of Pharos I Bio, are posing for a commemorative photo at the signing ceremony for the development of next-generation immuno-oncology drugs based on AI technology.
[Photo by Cha Vaccine Institute]

Chabacsin Research Institute is developing immuno-oncology drugs using its independently developed immune-enhancing platform ‘L-pampo’. It was explained that in clinical trials, L-pampo showed a strong anti-tumor effect when administered alone and demonstrated the potential to overcome the limitations of existing immune checkpoint inhibitors when used in combination therapy.

Based on this agreement, the two companies plan to cooperate to develop an immuno-oncology drug pipeline. They envision jointly researching and developing (R&D) immuno-oncology drug candidates by leveraging the synergy between Pharos I Bio’s self-built AI new drug development platform ‘Chemiverse’ and Chabacsin Research Institute’s immune-enhancing platform technology. Pharos I Bio will use Chemiverse to discover new drug candidates optimized for anticancer drugs, and Chabacsin Research Institute will accelerate the development of next-generation immuno-oncology drugs based on the discovered candidates.

According to the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association, the global AI new drug development market is expected to grow annually by 45.7%, from $609.8 million (approximately 790 billion KRW) in 2022 to $4.035 billion (approximately 5 trillion KRW) in 2027, with the immuno-oncology sector accounting for the largest share at 44.5%.

Yeom Jeong-seon, CEO of Chabacsin Research Institute, said, “By integrating AI technology with our independently developed immune-enhancing platform, we are reducing the cost and time of new drug development in the oncology field and developing more advanced drugs,” adding, “Through collaboration with Pharos I Bio, we will create a new paradigm for AI-based new drug development.” Yoon Jeong-hyeok, CEO of Pharos I Bio, also stated, “Utilizing the advanced technologies of Pharos I Bio and Chabacsin Research Institute will enable more efficient R&D,” and expressed hope to “develop next-generation immuno-oncology drugs that overcome unmet needs in the market.”