Spark Biopharma, a Korean biotech company specializing in first-in-class drug discovery, said it has signed a joint research agreement with LG Chem aimed at identifying novel drug candidates using Spark’s proprietary platform technology.

Under the agreement, Spark Biopharma will leverage its PhenoCure+ platform, specifically its pDOS (privileged-substructure-based diversity-oriented synthesis) compound library, to discover new therapeutic molecules. The collaboration is designed to address unmet medical needs in intractable diseases through the development of first-in-class drug candidates.

The pDOS library is engineered for high structural diversity while maintaining drug-likeness and synthetic feasibility. This makes it particularly effective in targeting complex biological mechanisms such as protein-protein interactions (PPIs), which have long posed challenges in conventional drug development.

“The pDOS-based collaboration with LG Chem further validates PhenoCure+ as a next-generation technology aligned with the pharmaceutical industry’s pursuit of therapies for intractable diseases,” Spark Biopharma CEO Park Seung-bum said. “Through this partnership, we aim to accelerate the pace and increase the success rate of drug discovery, ultimately developing safer and more effective treatments for patients in need.”

Lee Hee-bong, LG Chem's Life Sciences Division Executive Vice President and Head of R&D, said, “In an increasingly competitive global drug development landscape, open innovation is a key strategy for creating breakthrough therapies."

The partnership with Spark Biopharma, which has a unique discovery platform, will help the company strengthen its future R&D pipeline and enhance its competitive edge in the global biopharmaceutical market, Lee added.