Hyundai Pharm and Abello Therapeutics Sign SI Investment and Joint R&D Agreement

Aiming for the Development of Synthetic Lethality-Based Anticancer Drugs

Hyundai Pharm announced on the 7th that it has signed a strategic investment and new drug joint research and development agreement with Abelos Therapeutics (Abelos), a biotech company specializing in the development of synthetic lethality-based anticancer new drugs.

Through this joint research agreement, Hyundai Pharm and Abelos aim to advance the preclinical candidate discovery and subsequent development of synthetic lethality new anticancer drugs to enter the global market.

Synthetic lethality is an important concept that presents an innovative approach to cancer treatment. It refers to the phenomenon where cell death occurs when two gene functions are simultaneously lost. By utilizing the principle of synthetic lethality, it is possible to overcome the limitations of existing anticancer drugs and selectively target cancer cells with specific gene function loss without affecting normal cells.

Hyundai Pharm has been conducting new drug research and development for various diseases for over 10 years. It has independently established and utilized activity evaluation and animal efficacy evaluation systems for each disease. Additionally, through the accumulated new drug development experience over the past decade and the recently introduced open innovation strategy, Hyundai Pharm is actively conducting joint research and SI investments with leading companies.

Abelos, in its fourth year since establishment, is focusing on new drug development by maximizing the founders' expertise, experience, and networks, particularly concentrating on low-molecular synthetic new drug development in the fields of synthetic lethality, DNA damage response, and cell cycle. Among these, the first development candidate, the MASTL kinase inhibitor AD1208, received domestic clinical phase 1 approval at the end of last year and is about to begin first patient dosing.

Lee Sang-jun, CEO of Hyundai Pharm, said, "We are pleased to embark on the development of innovative synthetic lethality anticancer drug candidates through a joint research partnership with Abelos," adding, "Combining our strengths in new drug research and development is expected to become a successful model."

Park Young-hwan and Choi Soon-gyu, CEOs of Abelos Therapeutics, stated, "We have great expectations to overcome the long-term investment and effort required in the new drug development process together with Hyundai Pharm," and added, "We will do our best to accelerate the successful development of globally competitive anticancer new drugs by actively utilizing the know-how of both companies."