GIST and K-Medi Hub Secure National Funding to Develop Oral CD73-Targeting Immuno-Oncology Drug
核心洞察
A joint GIST and K-Medi Hub (搜索) research team has been selected for the 2026 National New Drug Development Project to develop small-molecule immuno-oncology drugs targeting the CD73 (搜索)–adenosine pathway.
The three-year project (April 2026–March 2029) aims to inhibit CD73 (搜索) activity in the tumor microenvironment, enabling immune cells to more effectively recognize and attack cancer cells.
GIST will lead initial candidate compound discovery using medicinal chemistry and structure-based drug design, while K-Medi Hub (搜索) will validate efficacy and mechanism of action.
A joint research team from the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) and K-Medi Hub (搜索) has been selected for the active substance stage of the "New Drug Platform Expansion Research" category in the first round of the 2026 National New Drug Development Project. The project, a pan-ministerial national R&D program, supports the entire new drug development cycle with the goal of strengthening the domestic new drug development research ecosystem and generating global, practical commercialization outcomes.
The team is led by Professor Yongcheol Kim of the Department of Life Sciences at GIST and Researcher Taewoo Kim of K-Medi Hub (搜索). Over three years, from April 2026 to March 2029, they will work to secure small-molecule immuno-oncology drug candidates targeting the CD73 (搜索)–adenosine pathway, a mechanism implicated in cancer cells' ability to evade immune surveillance.
Targeting the CD73 (搜索)–Adenosine Immune Evasion Pathway
CD73 (搜索) is an enzyme that helps generate the immunosuppressive molecule adenosine within the tumor microenvironment. By inhibiting CD73 activity, the research team aims to create conditions in which immune cells can more effectively recognize and attack cancer cells. This approach represents a promising strategy in immuno-oncology, where overcoming tumor-mediated immune suppression remains a central challenge.
The CD73 (搜索)–adenosine pathway has emerged as an attractive target in cancer immunotherapy, as elevated adenosine levels in the tumor microenvironment contribute to immune escape by suppressing T cell and natural killer cell function. The joint team's focus on small-molecule inhibitors of CD73 is intended to address limitations associated with existing biologic therapies.
Division of Research Responsibilities
Under the collaboration, GIST will leverage its expertise in medicinal chemistry and structure-based drug design to lead the discovery of initial candidate compounds. K-Medi Hub (搜索), with its established new drug development support infrastructure, will take responsibility for validating efficacy and elucidating the mechanism of action of the identified candidates.
This complementary division of labor is designed to accelerate the translation of early-stage chemical matter into validated leads suitable for further preclinical development.
Advantages Over Existing Antibody Therapies
The joint research team expects this effort to lead to the development of oral small-molecule immuno-oncology drugs. Compared to existing injectable antibody treatments, oral small molecules offer greater convenience for patients and hold higher potential for combination therapy regimens. The ability to combine CD73 (搜索) inhibitors with other immunotherapies, such as checkpoint inhibitors, could broaden the therapeutic utility of this approach.
The National New Drug Development Project, under which this research is funded, is a pan-ministerial initiative aimed at strengthening South Korea's domestic new drug development ecosystem and generating globally competitive, practically commercializable outcomes across the entire drug development cycle.