Binex said Tuesday it has signed a contract development manufacturing organization (CDMO) agreement with the Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) to jointly conduct the latter’s research-driven hospital project to develop a new drug candidate RS22802.

The company expects to develop it into anti-inflammatory drugs for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) therapies, and anticancer drugs. The project has also been promoted as part of the government’s research and development project supported by the Korean Drug Development Foundation (KDDF).

Based on its strength in quality control, Binex will conduct culture and refinement processes for cell line development and mass production, formulation research, master cell bank (MCB) construction, and characteristic analysis. Additionally, it will conduct non-clinical testing (GLP toxicity test) and support global clinical phase 1 raw material and finished products for investigational new drug (IND) submission.

Resistin antigens are substances that cause chronic inflammation in our bodies and are major causes of adult diseases, such as obesity, arteriosclerosis, and diabetes. An SNUH research team is currently developing CAP1 (cyclase-associated protein1) proteins as receptors for human chronic inflammation and obesity.

"We expect innovative drug production and look forward to smooth drug development through collaboration with Binex, a CDMO company that has succeeded in various projects," said Professor Kim Hyo-soo, who leads the inflammation and metabolism unit of SNUH’s research-driven hospital project,

Binex CEO Lee Hyuk-jong said, “We are pleased to become a CDMO partner for new drug development at SNUH, the nation's top medical institution, and will work closely with Professors Kim Hyo-soo and Jang Hyun-duk to speed up production.”