Daewoong, Onchorus to undertake research on mRNA anticancer drugs

Daewoong Pharmaceutical said on Thursday that it has signed a joint R&D and commercialization agreement with America's biopharmaceutical venture Onchorus for messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) drugs.

According to Daewoong, the Andover (Massachusetts)-based company possesses self-amplifying RNA technology through intravenous administration and a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) platform for mRNA in-vivo delivery.

The two companies decided to use Onchorus' LNP platform to find a formulation optimized for Daewoong's new mRNA anticancer drug and develop an intravenous regimen.

Daewoong Pharmaceutical said that Onchorus' LNP platform is reported to have a fewer side effects and is more stable than the existing LNP, and it will be possible to develop new mRNA treatments through this platform.

"With Oncorus' excellent LNP platform, we expect to open up new possibilities for developing new mRNA anticancer drugs. Through the cooperation, we will develop next-generation mRNA new drugs and contribute to improving patients' quality of life," said Jeon Seng-ho, CEO of Daewoong Pharmaceutical.

Write to Jung-Eun Kim at likesmile@hankyung.com