Chong Kun Dang is strengthening its efforts to emerge as a global new drug development company. The company recently announced an investment of KRW 2.2 trillion to establish a state-of-the-art biopharmaceutical complex R&D facility in Baegot District, Siheung, Gyeonggi Province. In May of this year, it established CKD USA, a research and development hub in Boston, USA, and in 2022, opened the Gen2C gene therapy research center in collaboration with Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, accelerating the expansion of its global research ecosystem.

Based on this foundation, Chong Kun Dang is expanding its new drug pipeline by developing various modalities such as cell and gene therapy (CGT), antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), and innovative small molecule drugs. The company is particularly focusing its research and development capabilities on unmet medical needs and first-in-class new drugs.

Chong Kun Dang's bold R&D strategy has led to achievements in technology exports. In November 2023, it exported the development and commercialization rights of the HDAC6 inhibitor CKD-510 to a global pharmaceutical company for a record amount of USD 1.305 billion (approximately KRW 1.73 trillion). In May of this year, it also received a USD 5 million milestone payment following its partner Novartis's submission of a Phase 2 IND to the U.S. FDA. CKD-510, a highly selective non-hydroxamic acid (NHA) based HDAC6 inhibitor, has demonstrated efficacy in various HDAC6-related diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and has proven safety and tolerability in Phase 1 clinical trials in Europe and the United States.

Other key new drug candidates are also accelerating in development. The dyslipidemia treatment CKD-508 is a second-generation CETP (cholesteryl ester transfer protein) inhibitor that lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL, addressing the side effects and safety issues of first-generation drugs. It confirmed safety and lipid improvement effects in a Phase 1 clinical trial in the UK and received Phase 1 approval from the U.S. FDA in November last year. Chong Kun Dang plans to conduct optimal dose exploration for Phase 2 clinical trials.

The oncology pipeline is also expanding. The bispecific antibody new drug CKD-702, under development for non-small cell lung cancer, demonstrated antitumor effects and safety in Part 1 of its Phase 1 clinical trial, presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology in 2022. Part 2 of the Phase 1 trial is currently underway, with plans to expand its application through biomarker-based patient selection studies.

Another anticancer new drug, CKD-703, targets c-MET (hepatocyte growth factor receptor) as an ADC and received Phase 1/2a approval from the U.S. FDA in July. CKD-703 is designed to selectively deliver drugs to cancer cells through antibodies, inducing cell death, and is expected to enhance safety by inhibiting drug separation in the bloodstream. It has shown excellent anticancer effects in preclinical studies, and research is ongoing to expand its indications to various solid tumors.

To expand ADC technology, Chong Kun Dang signed a contract in 2023 with Synaffix in the Netherlands to introduce ADC platform technology. In 2022, it collaborated with ECell to strengthen joint research on cell and gene therapy and CDMO capabilities. The company is also actively pursuing joint development through open innovation with academia, research institutes, and domestic and international companies.

A Chong Kun Dang representative stated, “The company is rapidly securing the foundation to become an R&D-focused pharmaceutical company by expanding its global new drug pipeline,” adding, “We have high expectations for securing future growth engines as meaningful achievements are emerging in various new drug modalities.”

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