[Edaily Reporter Kim Seung-kwon ] As AI emerges as a key factor determining the success or failure of precision diagnostics and new drug development, domestic biotech companies are accelerating their efforts to secure technological competitiveness through AI. In particular, “EXAONE,” a super-large AI developed by LG Corp.’s AI Research division, is emerging as a key growth partner for domestic biotech companies by expanding its scope of application across the entire biotech industry—from the design of new drug candidates to the prediction of genetic mutations in cancer patients.

In fact, EXAONE recently presented the results of its “Cancer Agentive AI” research—developed jointly with Vanderbilt University Medical Center—at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) conference, demonstrating the technology’s feasibility in the proof-of-concept phase. By predicting cancer gene activity based on a single histopathological image and proposing a treatment strategy within a single day following analysis and validation, this technology has further concretized the potential for AI application in clinical settings. As this open innovation model—which fuses AI technology with expertise in biotechnology and healthcare—spreads, commercialization in the actual market is also gaining momentum.

Identifying Potential Mutations Before Obtaining Tissue Samples… Designing an Integrated Diagnostic

Approach
NGeneBio Co., Ltd.(354200), an AI precision medicine company, secured an exclusive license last January for the EGFR mutation prediction solution within LG Corp.’s precision medicine AI platform “EXAONE Path 2.0” and has swiftly launched a commercial clinical trial for NPAS-EGFR, which predicts EGFR mutations—a key biomarker for non-small cell lung cancer.

Conventional next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based precision diagnostics involved obtaining tissue samples, conducting genetic testing, and then determining the appropriate targeted therapy. In contrast, NGeneBio Co., Ltd.’s AI-powered pathology analysis software, NPAS (NPathAnalySys), first predicts the likelihood of EGFR gene mutations based on histopathological images.

Once NPAS-EGFR—the first model—identifies patients with a high likelihood of mutations, the treatment direction can be rapidly determined through PCR-based testing. If further confirmation is needed, the process proceeds to precise genetic analysis using NGeneBio Co., Ltd.’s NGS panel and precision diagnostic software, EnGenAnalysis (NGAS). This has enabled the implementation of an integrated diagnostic process that spans from AI analysis based on histopathological images to PCR and NGS-based precision diagnostics.

NGeneBio Co., Ltd. plans to expand the scope of NPAS to predict treatment responses across various cancer types and use this capability to pursue joint research and partnerships with new drug development companies. Furthermore, the company intends to continue follow-up development by conducting clinical validation with Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital of The Catholic University of Korea to develop the world’s first integrated AI-NGS companion diagnostic solution, as well as securing real-world evidence (RWE) to pursue regulatory approval for digital medical devices.

Kim Min-sik, CEO of NGeneBio Co., Ltd., stated, “In the future, we will establish a multimodal precision diagnostic system that combines pathological images, genomic data, and clinical information by integrating our proprietary NGS analysis software, thereby significantly improving diagnostic accuracy and treatment efficacy.” He added, “We will leap forward as a unique AI precision medicine company that transcends the limitations of existing diagnostic technologies and brings about tangible changes in clinical practice.”

Aiming for

an Oral Obesity Treatment That Minimizes Muscle Loss… Building an AI Peptide Value Chain

Visible achievements are also continuing in the field of new drug development. D&D Pharmatech ( D&D Pharmatech Inc.(347850)), a company specializing in the development of GLP-1-based new drugs, signed an agreement with LG Corp. AI Research in June for the “joint development of next-generation peptide drugs.” This collaboration marks the first instance in which LG Corp. AI Research has fully integrated its proprietary AI drug design solution, “EXAONE Agent AI,” into the forefront of new drug development. Unlike previous efforts by large corporations in AI-driven drug development, which were limited to building platforms or adopting external technologies, D&D Pharmatech Inc. has begun concrete drug design by directly utilizing LG Corp. AI Research’s proprietary AI model.

Peptides are bioactive substances formed by short chains of amino acids that make up proteins. They act on intracellular disease-causing agents that are difficult for antibody drugs to target, offering high safety; however, because they are easily broken down by gastrointestinal digestive enzymes, they have primarily been developed as injectable formulations to date. Under this collaboration, LG Corp. AI Research will analyze the structures of disease-causing agents and use AI to design optimal peptide sequences and candidate compound structures. D&D Pharmatech Inc. will be responsible for the synthesis and evaluation of the designed candidate compounds, structural optimization, development of oral formulations, and preclinical and clinical trials, as well as global regulatory approvals. A key objective is to improve safety and absorption rates in the field of “macrocyclic peptides”—which are particularly challenging to design—and develop them into oral treatments in tablet form.

The two companies are collaborating to jointly create a new pipeline and plan to significantly improve the speed of candidate discovery and the likelihood of success through AI-based molecular design. The first target compound is an oral obesity treatment that inhibits muscle loss during treatment. It aims to address the limitations of existing treatments—which cause muscle loss alongside weight loss—by focusing on reducing fat while preserving muscle. Based on this, D&D Pharmatech Inc. and LG Corp. plan to establish a new drug development value chain that spans from AI-driven candidate design and validation through clinical trials and regulatory approval.