Chabiotech and Ewha Womans University Launch Government-Backed Project to Develop First-in-Class Autologous Stem Cell Therapy for Peritoneal Fibrosis
核心洞察
Chabiotech and Ewha Womans University have been selected for a South Korean government-funded project to develop an autologous mesenchymal stem cell-based treatment for peritoneal fibrosis (搜索), a life-threatening condition with no existing cure.
The two-year joint research initiative is backed by 235 million won ($163,000) from the Ministry of Science and ICT under the Innovative Postdoctoral Industry-Academia Linkage Project.
The therapy leverages mesenchymal stem cells (搜索) derived from peritoneal dialysate, which carry a low risk of immune rejection and offer anti-inflammatory and tissue-regeneration properties through a homing effect.
Chabiotech has been selected for a South Korean government-backed initiative to develop what could become the first-in-class autologous cell therapy for peritoneal fibrosis (搜索), a serious and intractable complication affecting patients with chronic renal failure (搜索) on long-term peritoneal dialysis. The project, conducted in partnership with Ewha Womans University, is funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT under its "Innovative Postdoctoral Industry-Academia Linkage Project" support program.
The two-year joint research effort, titled "Development of an Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Treatment for Peritoneal Fibrosis (搜索)," will receive 235 million won (approximately $163,000) in government funding. The scope spans candidate identification through preclinical trials and commercial process development.
Peritoneal fibrosis (搜索) is a life-threatening condition in which the peritoneum hardens and progressively loses its dialysis function. Currently, only symptomatic treatments exist in clinical practice, with no cure available, making it one of the most prominent unmet medical needs among intractable diseases.
A Dual-Pronged Research Strategy
Under the collaboration, Professor Kang Deok-hee's nephrology team at Ewha Womans University will advance the core technology for mesenchymal stem cells (搜索) derived from peritoneal dialysate and establish standardized analytical methods. Chabiotech will contribute its cell culture and process development (CMC) capabilities to build a GMP-compliant mass-production process, complete preclinical work, and lay the groundwork for an investigational new drug (IND) application.
The therapeutic approach harnesses mesenchymal stem cells (搜索) extracted from a patient's own tissue. These autologous cells carry a low risk of immune rejection and are expected to suppress the progression of peritoneal fibrosis (搜索) through their homing effect — the ability to migrate toward damaged tissue — as well as their anti-inflammatory and tissue-regeneration properties.
Industry-Academia Model Aims to Accelerate Development
The partnership reflects an industry-academia model that combines foundational university research with the company's mass-production CMC infrastructure. According to the project partners, this approach offers an efficient research and development strategy for raising drug development success rates and shortening the path to preclinical entry in high-unmet-need intractable disease areas.
"This selection recognizes the excellence of the stem cell R&D capabilities and commercialization infrastructure Chabiotech has built," said Kye Min-jung, executive director of Chabiotech's TPP team. "We will work closely with the Ewha Womans University research team to lay the foundation for an innovative new drug that can offer fresh hope to patients with peritoneal fibrosis (搜索)."