(Top to bottom) Logos of Samyang Holdings and GenKOre | Image provided by Samyang Holdings
Samyang Holdings Biopharm Group (formerly Samyang Biopharm) (CEO Young-Joon Lee) recently announced that it has signed a joint research agreement with GenKOre, a specialist in gene-editing technology, co-led by CEOs Yong-Sam Kim and Young-Phil Lee, to develop gene therapies.
This collaboration is a preliminary research agreement to develop new gene therapies by combining Samyang Holdings’ gene-delivery platform, SENS, with GenKOre’s gene-editing technology, TaRGET. Both companies plan to verify the feasibility of integrating gene-editing and gene-delivery technologies before proceeding with the full-scale development of gene therapies.
Samyang Holdings’ SENS (Stability Enhanced NanoShell) is a drug delivery system (DDS) platform capable of selectively delivering nucleic acid-based therapeutics and gene-editing drugs to specific cells in various tissues such as the liver, lungs, and spleen. Designed using cationic lipids and biodegradable polymers that decompose naturally in the body, SENS effectively protects nucleic acids and targeted delivery, ensuring high efficacy, safety, and suitability for repeated dosing.
GenKOre is developing gene therapies for rare diseases based on its innovative ultra-small gene-editing technology, TaRGET (Tiny nuclease, augment RNA-based Genome Editing Technology). Recognized as a next-generation gene-editing technology, TaRGET was named the best national research and development achievement in 2023. Last year, GenKOre signed a technology export agreement worth approximately 800 billion KRW with a U.S. pharmaceutical company, showcasing its capabilities in the global market. The technology is known for its precision and versatility across various applications.
Helen Cho, Head of R&D at Samyang Holdings, stated, “Samyang Holdings is actively partnering with Korean and international companies with complementary gene technology platforms to our SENS technology. We hope that our collaboration with GenKOre, which possesses innovative gene-editing technology, will lead to the development of therapies that fundamentally address rare diseases.”
Yong-Sam Kim, Co-CEO of GenKOre, commented, “To develop safe therapeutics, it is essential to have delivery technologies optimized for tissue specificity and gene-editing tools. By leveraging GenKOre’s ultra-small gene-editing technology alongside Samyang Holdings’ SENS technology, we aim to accelerate the development of effective and safe gene therapies.”
Pangyo Techno Valley is a global integrated R&D hub focused on IT, BT, CT, and NT, integrating Research (R), People (P), Information (I), and Trade (T). As Gyeonggi-do’s representative innovation cluster, Pangyo Techno Valley was established to secure national new growth drivers such as technological innovation, human resource development, job creation, and enhancing international business competitiveness. As of 2023, 1,666 companies employ 78,751 people, and it has positioned itself as the most innovative hub in South Korea, with sales amounting to 167.7 trillion KRW (125.5 billion USD).
Furthermore, the Techno Valley Innovation Division of the Gyeonggi-do Business & Science Accelerator (GBSA) holds monthly events such as the Pangyo Evening Meet-Up, Pan-Pan Day, and the Pangyo Startup Investment Exchange “In-Best Pangyo” to maximize the value of Pangyo Techno Valley. They also support the Pangyo Overseas Promotion Program to publicize information about Pangyo’s companies, products, and services to domestic and foreign investors and the media, thereby facilitating foreign investment.
