SK Plasma announced on the 9th that it has signed a joint development and licensing agreement for an ADC-based cancer treatment drug with AimedBio, a company specializing in antibody-drug conjugates (ADC).
Under the contract, both companies will jointly develop candidate drugs targeting the antigen ROR1, which is expressed in various types of cancer.
This approach involves AimedBio providing candidate substances derived from basic research and candidate drug exploration, while SK Plasma will advance the development into clinical and commercialization stages.
This is the first time SK Plasma, which has been expanding into the field of treatments for intractable diseases, has engaged in the development of ADC cancer drugs.
ADC is a core technology for next-generation cancer drugs, referred to as 'guided missiles' that target cancer cells. It attaches drugs to antibodies for precise delivery solely to the cancer cells. The principle is that when an antibody finds the cancer cell's antigen, the attached drug shows its efficacy. This offers a higher therapeutic effect than conventional cancer drugs and has the advantage of minimizing harm to normal cells.
SK Plasma noted that it will gradually expand its biopharmaceutical portfolio for the treatment of rare and intractable diseases, including ADC cancer drugs.