A researcher at Chong Kun Dang's Hyojong Research Institute analyzes the structure of a new drug candidate./Courtesy of Chong Kun Dang

Chong Kun Dang is accelerating new drug development using biotechnological innovations such as cell and gene therapies (CGT) and antibody-drug conjugates (ADC). The company is actively pursuing open innovation collaborations with domestic and international corporations while strengthening global research partnerships.

Last May, Chong Kun Dang established a U.S. subsidiary, 'CKD USA Inc,' in Boston to serve as a global research and development (R&D) hub. In February 2023, it signed a contract with Synaffix in the Netherlands to introduce ADC technology and secured usage rights for three related technologies. The company plans to develop ADC cancer drugs based on the introduced technologies.

Earlier, in February 2022, Chong Kun Dang signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with ENCell, a bio contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), to jointly develop cell and gene therapies. In September of the same year, it opened a gene therapy research center, 'Gen2C,' at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, focusing on developing treatments for rare and intractable diseases.

Chong Kun Dang's open innovation efforts are yielding tangible results. In November 2023, it out-licensed its low molecular weight compound histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) inhibitor CKD-510 to the global pharmaceutical company Novartis for $1.305 billion (about 1.73 trillion won).

CKD-510 has demonstrated efficacy in various HDAC6-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease, during preclinical studies. It received approval for safety and tolerability in Phase 1 clinical trials conducted in Europe and the United States.

CKD-508, developed as a treatment for dyslipidemia, is attracting industry attention. CKD-508 is a new drug candidate that lowers low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and raises high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Nonclinical efficacy studies conducted at Hyowon Research Institute confirmed the LDL-C reduction and HDL-C increase effects of CKD-508.

In particular, Phase 1 clinical trials in the United Kingdom confirmed its efficacy and safety in healthy adults, and last November, it received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Phase 1 clinical trials in the United States to confirm safety and lipid improvement effects.

A spokesperson for Chong Kun Dang noted, 'CKD-508 is an innovative drug expected to show efficacy even at low doses, resolving issues with previous CETP (cholesteryl ester transfer protein) inhibitors that were halted due to problems such as drug accumulation and increased blood pressure.' They added, 'If development is successful, it would provide a new treatment option for patients with dyslipidemia who are not controlled by statins.'

CKD-702, developed for non-small cell lung cancer, is an antibody-drug conjugate biopharmaceutical. It is currently undergoing Phase 1 Part 2 trials and plans to further research its application to various cancers. CKD-703 targets the c-MET receptor and is an ADC. Chong Kun Dang utilized Synaffix's ADC technology alongside its in-house developed c-Met antibody. The cytotoxic drug is attached to the antibody and delivered to cancer cells to induce their death.