Seoul National University Hospital

South Korea's Presidential Bio Committee, chaired by President Yoon Suk Yeol, will convene in December with 20 biotech experts, including Lee Sang-yup, Kim V. Narry, Ko Han-sung, and Kim Young-tae, to advance biotechnology. The presidential office will also launch the Quantum Strategy Committee led by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, forming four science-related committees for space, AI, biotech, and quantum tech, enhancing budget processes and intergovernmental collaboration.

AstraZeneca Korea aims to secure recertification as an Innovative Pharmaceutical Company (IPC) by year-end, focusing on substantial R&D investments, collaborative research initiatives, and expanding beyond traditional R&D. The company highlights its contributions to Korean healthcare, including conducting numerous clinical trials and addressing treatment gaps, while facing challenges in gaining full recognition for innovative drugs.

Cenyx Biotech received FDA IND approval for phase 1 trial of CX213, the first nanozyme-based anti-inflammatory treatment for severe acute conditions like subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), affecting 30,000 patients annually in the U.S. and Europe.

TiumBio has initiated a Phase II trial of oral immuno-oncology drug TU2218, targeting advanced solid tumors, with the first patient dosed suffering from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The trial aims to assess TU2218's safety and efficacy in combination with Keytruda for HNSCC, biliary tract cancer, and colorectal cancer. TU2218, a dual inhibitor targeting TGFR1 and VEGFR2 pathways, is expected to enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. The study is underway in South Korea and plans to expand to the US.

TiumBio's phase 2 trial of TU2218, an oral dual inhibitor targeting TGFR1 and VEGFR2, begins with the first dose administered to an HNSCC patient. TU2218 aims to enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors by blocking TGF-ß and VEGF pathways. The trial, starting in South Korea and expanding to the U.S., will assess safety and efficacy in HNSCC, BTC, and CRC patients, following positive results in phase 1b with an 80% disease control rate.

TU2218, a dual inhibitor targeting TGFR1 and VEGFR2, has dosed its first head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patient in a Phase 2a trial, with plans to expand to biliary tract and colorectal cancer patients. The trial aims to improve immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy by blocking TGF-ß and VEGF pathways.