Bridge Biotherapeutics said Monday that it has signed an agreement to co-develop an immunotherapy agent with Yuhan Corp.

The new drug candidate, developed by Yuhan, is a persistent protein associated with the migration, activation, and differentiation of immune cells. It activates natural killer cells (NK cells) and dendritic cells in vivo to kill interferon-gamma secretion and ultimately to kill cancer cells by bringing activated T cells with immune function into the tumor.

To develop Yuhan's pipeline quickly, the company has decided to work with Bridge Bio and also invest in the company as part of its strategic alliance.

The two companies will jointly conduct non-clinical intervention studies and process development for U.S. IND and clinical trial approvals while making joint efforts for final clinical trials and technology exports. Bridge Biotherapeutics plans to conduct preclinical studies and initial clinical studies, including GLP toxicity testing.

As part of the accord, the companies have signed a contract with Case Western Reserve University to evaluate the efficacy and pharmacokinetics in an animal research model relevant to candidate development. The three parties also plan to establish a strategy for clinical development in the future.

“The company is delighted to participate in the joint research and further development of the innovative immunotherapy developed by Yuhan,” Bridge Biotherapeutics CEO Lee Jung-kue said. “We expect that we will be able to increase the speed of research and development, and the possibility of success through collaborations that utilize our capability to accelerate the research of innovative new medicines.”

Yuhan Corp. also showed enthusiasm about the newly signed accord.

“Strategic alliance with Bridge Bio is part of Yuhan's continued pursuit for open innovation,” Yuhan Managing Director Choi Soon-gyu said. “It is meaningful to be an innovative company that goes beyond the introduction of one-way technology and cooperates on internal research tasks with others.”