Kangstem Biotech said on July 16 that it has signed a material transfer and evaluation agreement (MTEA) based on organoid technology with a global top five pharmaceutical company.
Under the agreement, the global pharmaceutical company’s drug candidates will be applied to Kangstem Biotech’s hair follicle organoid platform to evaluate their efficacy. The company said the collaboration could potentially lead to further cooperation, including joint research, research services and technology licensing agreements.
Kangstem Biotech plans to apply its partner’s drug candidates to hair follicle organoids and secure data with higher clinical predictability compared with conventional animal testing. The company expects the platform to contribute to shortening drug development timelines and improving clinical success rates.
Kangstem Biotech has developed a human tissue-derived hair follicle organoid platform and is expanding its potential applications as an evaluation model for developing treatments for hair loss and skin diseases, as well as in regenerative medicine.
“This agreement demonstrates recognition of our competitive edge in organoid technology in the global market,” said Kang Kyung-sun, founder of Kangstem Biotech. “We expect collaboration between the two companies to expand further following the evaluation process.”
Meanwhile, Kangstem Biotech plans to release topline data from the Phase 2a clinical trial of Oscar later this month. Topline data summarizes key clinical trial outcome measures and can influence decisions on advancing candidates into subsequent clinical stages and discussions around technology licensing.
Oscar is a candidate treatment for knee osteoarthritis that combines allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells with acellular cartilage matrix. It is being developed as an intra-articular injection therapy aimed at reducing pain and inflammation while improving joint function. The company is developing Oscar as a disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD) designed to provide fundamental treatment by structurally regenerating cartilage and subchondral bone beyond simply relieving pain.