Samsung's Choice Again is 'ADC'... Full Effort to Secure Technology with US BrickBio Investment

Samsung continues to invest in the development of antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapeutics, which have recently emerged as a key topic in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

Samsung Life Science Fund announced its investment in the U.S. biopharmaceutical development company Brick Bio. Specific details regarding the investment scale will be disclosed later. The Samsung Life Science Fund is a venture investment fund jointly established by Samsung C&T, Samsung Biologics, and Samsung Bioepis. Samsung Venture Investment manages the fund. Prior to this, the Samsung Life Science Fund invested in U.S. companies Regenex Therapeutics (gene therapy) and Sendai Biosciences (drug delivery systems), Swiss company Araris (ADC), and domestic company Aimed Bio (ADC), among other biotech firms.

Brick Bio possesses technology that utilizes modified transfer RNA (tRNA) to bind artificial amino acids to specific positions on proteins. The company explains that this technology enables the creation of advanced therapeutics in a wide range of fields, including not only ADCs but also adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapies. Through this investment in Brick Bio, Samsung aims not only to explore new business opportunities in biotechnology but also to expand its development and production-related businesses in various therapeutic areas such as ADCs and AAVs.

Samsung has been actively investing in ADC-related technologies and production capabilities. ADCs are pharmaceuticals that combine antibodies targeting cancer cells with cytotoxic drugs through linker technology. They are attracting significant attention in the global pharmaceutical industry due to their precision and high anticancer efficacy.

The Samsung Life Science Fund’s investment in Brick Bio marks its third ADC investment following Swiss company Araris and domestic company Aimed Bio. Araris was highly evaluated for its technology that allows the direct use of conventionally developed antibodies to create ADCs. Samsung Biologics is currently constructing a dedicated ADC manufacturing facility in Songdo, aiming for completion by December. Additionally, Samsung continues various investments, including collaboration with domestic company LegoChem Bio, which possesses world-class ADC technology, for contract development. Samsung Bioepis has signed a joint research agreement with Intuscell for up to five anticancer ADC targets.

Jo Hoseong, Head of Advanced Development at Samsung Bioepis, stated, "Brick Bio is a company with strong biotechnology capabilities and potential to develop materials and therapeutics that address unmet medical needs." John Boyce, co-founder and CEO of Brick Bio, said, "Samsung’s investment is recognition of our company’s advanced protein engineering technology, which can provide new alternatives for treating intractable diseases."