ChabioTech is accelerating the clinical entry of its cell and gene therapy (CGT) platform with government support.
On August 25, ChabioTech announced that it has been selected for the follow-up research and development (R&D) project of the 2026 K-HERO nurturing and support program, organized by the Ministry of Science and ICT. The K-HERO project aims to identify corporate research institutes with excellent R&D capabilities in national strategic technology fields and support them in securing core and foundational technologies and commercialization.
Over the next three and a half years, ChabioTech will receive a total of 3.15 billion won (approximately $2.4 million) in R&D funding to enhance the clinical development capabilities of its mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based CGT platform 'CHAMS' and 'CHAGE,' which strengthens cell functions through gene expression.
The core of this project is to connect ChabioTech's self-developed standardized raw cell platform 'CHAMS' and 'CHAGE,' which enhances cell functions through gene introduction, to actual drug development.
ChabioTech has established a good manufacturing practice (GMP) manufacturing process, cell bank, quality control, and preclinical and clinical development systems based on its MSC research experience. This government project will focus on combining the two platforms to expand into a universal CGT development platform not limited to specific diseases.
The first test will be the treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) called 'CHAGE-201.' IPF is a progressive and intractable disease characterized by the gradual fibrosis of lung tissue, leading to decreased lung function. There is a high unmet medical need for new treatment options in an aging society.
Through this project, ChabioTech aims to further validate the efficacy and mechanism of action of CHAGE-201, establish a chemical, manufacturing, and quality control (CMC) system including cell bank, GMP manufacturing process, quality testing, and characterization, and complete preclinical safety tests to secure the necessary data for a domestic investigational new drug (IND) application.
By validating the clinical applicability of the CHAMS-CHAGE platform and the manufacturing and quality control system through CHAGE-201, the company can utilize this in the development of subsequent candidate substances. Initially, the focus will be on expanding indications centered on fibrotic diseases, followed by plans to broaden the scope to include neurological and autoimmune diseases. Future commercialization efforts will also include candidate substance discovery and global technology transfer and co-development.
Nam Soo-yeon, head of R&D at ChabioTech, stated, "With the selection of this project, we will expand our stem cell R&D capabilities into gene-based functional enhancement cell therapy technology and enhance it into a platform linked to clinical and commercialization efforts."
Meanwhile, ChabioTech reported that its revenue for the first half of this year reached 646.1 billion won, a 7% increase compared to the same period last year. The net profit was 28.1 billion won, marking a return to profitability.
The company attributed the revenue growth to increased sales in its healthcare businesses in the United States, Australia, Singapore, and Japan, as well as the expansion of major affiliates' operations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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