Kanaf Therapeutics is pursuing a dual strategy: securing global technology transfer deals and obtaining clinical data for its key pipelines. The company's strategy aims to address two issues identified as weaknesses and lay the foundation for global growth.
Kanaf Therapeutics said on Monday that it is accelerating preclinical research on its key pipelines while diversifying its commercialization strategies.
Until now, Kanaf Therapeutics had focused on a strategy of transferring technology for substances in the preclinical stage to domestic companies before entering the global market.
The company has signed technology transfer and joint development agreements with Dong-A ST (Dong-A ST), OscoTech, Yuhan Corporation, GC Green Cross, and Lotte Biologics. However, it was evaluated that the lack of experience in global technology transfers and human clinical data was a shortcoming.
Recently, Kanaf Therapeutics has made some changes to its business development strategy, including directly conducting early-stage clinical trials for key pipelines to increase their value or actively pursuing global technology transfers.
The company plans to add explosive potential through large-scale global technology transfers to the stable commercialization results built through domestic technology transfers and joint research so far.
The pipeline closest to a global technology transfer is 'KNP-301.' It is a bispecific antibody treatment for ophthalmic diseases such as wet age-related macular degeneration. The company aims to finalize a global technology transfer contract as early as next year. Previously, it signed a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) with a global ophthalmic therapeutic research company.
It has participated in global academic conferences this year to publicize the competitiveness of KNP-301, attracting interest from numerous overseas pharmaceutical and biotech companies.
Based on this, it signed an additional MTA with an overseas biotech firm. It also signed a Confidentiality Agreement (CDA) with one global big pharma company and shared data. The company explained that discussions for global commercialization are currently being actively conducted.
The next-generation bispecific antibody ADC (Antibody-Drug Conjugate) pipeline 'KNP-701,' jointly developed with GC Green Cross, is also a candidate for global technology transfer.
Recently, key preclinical data was disclosed, drawing attention both domestically and internationally due to its superior tumor growth inhibition effect compared to competing drugs.
It also demonstrated relatively excellent tolerability, as no major toxicity findings were observed even at doses more than three times higher than those of competing drugs. The company plans to actively proceed with business development in the future. It is expected to conduct Phase 1 clinical trials independently before moving forward with global technology transfer.
The anticancer drug 'KNP-502,' jointly developed with OscoTech, is expected to secure Phase 1 clinical data as early as next year. This bispecific antibody pipeline has previously received Investigational New Drug (IND) approvals in the United States and South Korea. Phase 1 clinical trials are currently underway.
It is an oral treatment that regulates immune cells in the tumor microenvironment while simultaneously overcoming resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. It is considered the top candidate among Kanaf Therapeutics' new drug pipelines to disclose clinical data first. The company plans to proceed with global technology transfer as early as next year.
A company official said, "We will secure a case of global technology transfer led by KNP-301 and lay the foundation for continuously and stably creating outstanding commercialization results."
He added, "We will focus on increasing the value of our key pipelines through the process of sharing and coordinating clinical data at the level desired by global companies."
in THEBIO
