ProGen expands bi-specific antibody R&D with Korean partners

Collaborating with Yuhan to develop bi-specific antibody-mediated immunotherapy jointly

ProGen's new proprietary obesity treatment has entered the phase 2 trial…developing ADC with AbTis

ProGen's R&D competitiveness in developing bi-specific antibodies expands to various fields, including immunotherapy, diabetes drugs, and new drugs for obesity.

 

ProGen has started joint research with Yuhan Corp.

 

to develop immunotherapy, and the company has also entered phase 2 trials for in-house developed drugs for diabetes and new drugs for obesity.

 

Furthermore, ProGen has signed a business agreement with AbTis, a subsidiary of Dong-A ST, to develop bi-specific antibody-drug conjugates (ADC).

 

Sources said on July 16th that earlier this month, ProGen signed a comprehensive R&D collaboration agreement with Yuhan Corp.

 

to develop innovative new drug candidates.

 

These companies have established a new drug development committee comprising new drug development experts, and they are set to develop next-generation new drugs and strengthen global market competitiveness.

 

Under this agreement, ProGen and Yuhan Corp.

 

plan to develop bi-specific antibody-mediated immunotherapy.

 

These companies are currently developing PG-208, which is in the candidate product search stage.

 

ProGen specializes in developing bi-specific antibodies, and the company has a proprietary 'NTIG' platform, which is a long-term fusion protein technology.

 

The NTIG platform has the advantage of improving the half-life of proteins in various forms and administration intervals.

 

The NTIG is optimized for the development of anti-cancer and immune disease treatments with multi-targeting and long-term durability.

 

ProGen

Progen also has another platform called 'Cyt-NTIG,' which combines NTIF platform technology and proprietary engineered cytokine.

 

This platform targets cytokines that induce immune overactivation, overcoming systemic side effects of cytokines.

 

Cytokines are proteins involved in immunity and inflammation, including the cell's proliferation, cell division, cell death, and wound healing.

 

ProGen is investigating various possibilities with this bi-specific platform technology.

 

In addition to developing immunotherapy, the company is investigating the potential of bi-specific antibodies in treating ADC, obesity, and diabetes.

 

In April, ProGen signed a collaboration agreement with AbTis, a subsidiary of Dong-A ST, to develop bi-specific antibody-mediated ADC.

 

AbTis plans to develop bi-specific antibody-mediated ADC by combining its third-generation ADC linker technology, 'AbClick,' which overcomes conventional ADC limitations, with ProGen's NTIG technology.

 

ProGen and AbTis aim to develop new drugs for autoimmune diseases by working on new bi-specific antibody-drug conjugates (BsADC) for immune diseases.

 

ProGen

Developing bi-specific antibodies for diabetes and obesity ProGen is also developing bi-specific antibodies for diabetes and obesity.

 

ProGen is developing PG-102, an obesity treatment that targets GLP-1 and GLP-2 bi-specifically.

 

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) recently approved a phase 2 trial in South Korea for this new drug candidate.

 

The phase 2 trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of PG-102 and placebo in patients with diabetes and obesity.

 

GLP-1 is the incretin hormone secreted from the intestine, increasing glucose-induced insulin secretion.

 

It is known to play an important role in regulating weight control.

 

ProGen aims to maximize the effects, such as improving intestine function, glucose uptake in adipose tissue, and alleviating chronic inflammation, by targeting both GLP-1 and GLP-2.

 

In a preclinical trial, PG-102 demonstrated more significant weight loss effects than tirzepatitide, the ingredient used in Zepbound.

 

In detail, PG-102 improved the metabolic function in a mouse model of diabetes and obesity and demonstrated effective weight loss results in adipose cells.

 

In the phase 1a trial involving healthy individuals, PG-102's safety and drug tolerance have been confirmed.

 

When the effects of PG-102 on blood glucose and weight loss are confirmed through local phase 2 trials, ProGen aims to enter global phase 2 trials next year.

 

Additionally, ProGen is collaborating with Rani Therapeutics, a United States-based company, to jointly develop the oral obesity drug, RPG-102.

 

RPG-102 contains PG-102 in Rani Therapeutics' oral RaniPill capsule.

 

The recently disclosed phase 1a trial results confirm RPG-102's drug tolerance and safety results.

 

ProGen and Rani Therapeutics plan to develop RPG-102 as a once-weekly oral therapy.