Sanofi, Korean biotech Lemonex ink material transfer agreement

South Korean biotech Lemonex Inc. has signed a material transfer agreement (MTA) with global pharmaceutical giant Sanofi S.A. to use the Korean biotech’s drug delivery platform technologies, Lemonex said on Tuesday.  

The platform, named DegradaBALL, enables the effective delivery of drug candidates into the cultured cells or lesions by loading the medication inside.

The drug delivery technology is optimized for the development of gene therapy, cancer immunotherapy, antibody therapy and synthetic drugs, Lemonex said.   

DegradaBALL is more effective at maintaining the size of the particles, concentration of the loaded drugs and the stability of the delivery system at room temperature, compared with pre-existing lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) delivery, Lemonex added. 

The MTA is a preliminary stage for an important deal such as technology transfer or joint development of the drug, Lemonex said.

“Sanofi has thoroughly verified the intellectual properties on DegradaBALL via online meetings every other week. We’re expecting the agreement will lead to a commercial licensing or joint development,” Lemonex CEO Won Cheol-hee said.

Sanofi and Lemonex started discussions on the transfer in June 2021. The contract negotiation has accelerated since Lemonex’ LEM-S401, a DegradaBALL-based small interfering (si) RNA drug candidate targeting hypertrophic scars & keloid tissue, entered into Phase I clinical trials earlier this year.

DegradaBALL doesn’t cause thrombosis and enhances immune system response, making it appropriate for vaccines, said the Lemonex CEO.

The Korean biotech has recently completed toxicity of LEM-mR203, an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine candidate, and is planning to file for phase 1 clinical trials of the drug as a booster later this year.