HLB Life Science R&D has demonstrated its research and development capabilities by being selected for five national projects in the first half of this year.
On July 6, HLB Life Science R&D announced that it has been chosen as a joint participant in the "Gyeongbuk Industrial Hemp Regulatory Free Zone" project, which is being promoted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Office for Government Policy Coordination. The project will initiate the development of next-generation drugs based on minor cannabinoids.
Other participants in the project include Neoken Bio, Apac, Envider Pharm, Topolab, and ING R, with a total investment of 29.6 billion won. The company plans to establish a comprehensive R&D system that spans from hemp cultivation to raw material production, non-clinical studies, and commercialization in collaboration with the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and the Gyeongbuk Bio Industry Research Institute.
The core focus of this project is to expand research beyond the existing cannabidiol (CBD) framework to include minor cannabinoids such as cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), and cannabinol (CBN). Minor cannabinoids are non-psychoactive substances that have been reported to exhibit various biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and immune-modulating effects, making them promising candidates for next-generation medical hemp drugs.
In this project, HLB Life Science R&D will be responsible for candidate substance discovery and comprehensive non-clinical research. The goal is to secure candidate substances that can enter clinical trials through indication exploration, efficacy evaluation in cell and animal models, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) analysis, and safety assessments.
The company plans to accelerate patent acquisition and commercialization based on the non-clinical data and technologies obtained. It will also explore the potential for technology transfer and joint development by leveraging HLB Group's global drug development experience.
With recent successes in securing national projects, HLB Life Science R&D has gained recognition for its capabilities in non-clinical research and candidate substance discovery, strengthening its role as an initial research hub within the group. Currently, HLB Group is developing a new drug pipeline with over 100 research personnel.
Industry observers anticipate that significant events, including the FDA's decision on HLB's liver cancer drug approval and the Phase 3 results of HLB Therapeutics' RGN-259, as well as the review of a bile duct cancer drug approval, will soon make the group's R&D achievements more visible.
An HLB Life Science R&D representative stated, "Participation in this regulatory free zone marks the starting point for establishing a domestic ecosystem for minor cannabinoid drug development. We aim to secure competitive candidate substances through the accumulation of non-clinical data and pursue global collaborations."
Previously, HLB Life Science R&D was selected as a demand company in the "Ultra-Gap Startup Project" under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' "Link-up 4 Domains AX Program" in the AI drug development sector.
This project involves collaborative research to match the drug development experience of existing pharmaceutical companies with cutting-edge AI technology from startups to explore and optimize effective substances.
On July 6, HLB Life Science R&D announced that it has been chosen as a joint participant in the "Gyeongbuk Industrial Hemp Regulatory Free Zone" project, which is being promoted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Office for Government Policy Coordination. The project will initiate the development of next-generation drugs based on minor cannabinoids.
Other participants in the project include Neoken Bio, Apac, Envider Pharm, Topolab, and ING R, with a total investment of 29.6 billion won. The company plans to establish a comprehensive R&D system that spans from hemp cultivation to raw material production, non-clinical studies, and commercialization in collaboration with the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and the Gyeongbuk Bio Industry Research Institute.
The core focus of this project is to expand research beyond the existing cannabidiol (CBD) framework to include minor cannabinoids such as cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), and cannabinol (CBN). Minor cannabinoids are non-psychoactive substances that have been reported to exhibit various biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and immune-modulating effects, making them promising candidates for next-generation medical hemp drugs.
In this project, HLB Life Science R&D will be responsible for candidate substance discovery and comprehensive non-clinical research. The goal is to secure candidate substances that can enter clinical trials through indication exploration, efficacy evaluation in cell and animal models, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) analysis, and safety assessments.
The company plans to accelerate patent acquisition and commercialization based on the non-clinical data and technologies obtained. It will also explore the potential for technology transfer and joint development by leveraging HLB Group's global drug development experience.
With recent successes in securing national projects, HLB Life Science R&D has gained recognition for its capabilities in non-clinical research and candidate substance discovery, strengthening its role as an initial research hub within the group. Currently, HLB Group is developing a new drug pipeline with over 100 research personnel.
Industry observers anticipate that significant events, including the FDA's decision on HLB's liver cancer drug approval and the Phase 3 results of HLB Therapeutics' RGN-259, as well as the review of a bile duct cancer drug approval, will soon make the group's R&D achievements more visible.
An HLB Life Science R&D representative stated, "Participation in this regulatory free zone marks the starting point for establishing a domestic ecosystem for minor cannabinoid drug development. We aim to secure competitive candidate substances through the accumulation of non-clinical data and pursue global collaborations."
Previously, HLB Life Science R&D was selected as a demand company in the "Ultra-Gap Startup Project" under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' "Link-up 4 Domains AX Program" in the AI drug development sector.
This project involves collaborative research to match the drug development experience of existing pharmaceutical companies with cutting-edge AI technology from startups to explore and optimize effective substances.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.