On the 29th, SKCHEMICALS announced that it had signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with J2H Biotech to form a strategic partnership for the domestic and international development and commercialization of “J2H-1702,” a candidate drug for MASH. This follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the joint development of new drug pipelines signed by the two companies in March.
SKCHEMICALS has decided to move forward with full-scale joint development after conducting a thorough technical and business due diligence on J2H-1702 to carefully evaluate the drug candidate’s technical capabilities and commercial potential.
J2H-1702 is an oral 11β-HSD1 inhibitor discovered and developed in-house by J2H Biotech. 11β-HSD1 is an enzyme that regulates cortisol metabolism. J2H-1702 is designed to inhibit the accumulation of fat, inflammation, and fibrosis during the progression of MASH by regulating cortisol overactivity. J2H Biotech has completed a Phase 2a clinical trial for J2H-1702 and has observed early signals suggesting the potential for anti-fibrosis effects alongside a reduction in hepatic fat.
Under this agreement, the two companies plan to begin in-depth discussions to finalize future domestic and international clinical trial and development strategies. They also plan to continue consultations to establish phased development and commercialization plans.
Kim Jae-seon, CEO of J2H Biotech, stated, “We expect that J2H-1702, developed using our proprietary technology, will accelerate its domestic and international development through this collaboration with SKCHEMICALS,” adding, “Building on this partnership, we will demonstrate the value of J2H-1702 on the global stage.”
Park Hyun-sun, Business Head at SKCHEMICALS, remarked, “MASH is one of the most promising areas in new drug development, and through due diligence, we have confirmed the competitiveness and scientific rationale of J2H-1702.” She added, “Going forward, we will continue to expand our new drug pipeline by collaborating with companies that possess expertise and technological capabilities in disease areas where treatment options are limited.”
