[Edaily Reporter Minji Son ] On the 19th, domestic pharmaceutical and biotech stocks showed an overall upward trend, driven by positive developments at individual companies, such as business progress and easing concerns over production disruptions. On the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) market, SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS(207940)rose sharply as concerns over production disruptions caused by a strike subsided. On the KOSDAQ market, #Inventera Inc. rose on the news that it had received approval for a Phase 1 clinical trial plan in the U.S. for a contrast agent used in the diagnosis of pancreatic and biliary tract diseases. #G2GBIO, Inc. hit the daily price limit in after-hours trading following news that it had signed a platform evaluation agreement with a Chinese pharmaceutical company to develop long-acting injectables.

G2GBIO, Inc. Hits Daily Limit Up After Partnering with China’s UBT

According to KG Zeroin MP Doctor (MP DOCTOR, formerly Marketpoint), G2GBIO, Inc. closed at 32,200 won during regular trading hours that day, up 3.37% (1,050 won) from the previous trading day. Although the stock rose slightly during regular trading without any significant positive news, buying pressure surged in the after-hours market following the announcement of a contract near the market close, sending the price soaring to the daily upper limit of 40,450 won.

G2GBIO, Inc. announced that day it had signed a material transfer agreement and a platform evaluation agreement with Chinese pharmaceutical company The United Biotechnology (UBT) to develop long-acting injectables. The agreement involves evaluating whether G2GBIO, Inc.’s proprietary platform, “InnoLAMP,” can be applied to specific candidate compounds provided by UBT to develop long-acting injectables.

UBT is the company that, in March of last year, signed a technology transfer agreement with Novo Nordisk for the diabetes and obesity treatment candidate “UBT251,” involving an upfront payment of $200 million and potential milestone payments of up to $1.8 billion.

InnoLAMP is a technology designed to encapsulate drugs within microparticles—small spherical particles measuring 10 to 100 micrometers (μm)—so that they are slowly released in the body over a period ranging from weeks to months. The key benefit is reducing the frequency of dosing while maintaining therapeutic efficacy through consistent drug release. Applying this formulation technology to new drug candidates can enhance competitiveness not only in terms of therapeutic efficacy but also in terms of convenience of administration.

An official from G2GBIO, Inc. explained, “Long-acting injectables are being widely adopted to secure a competitive edge by enhancing dosing convenience, rather than simply launching drugs as products,” adding, “This agreement can be viewed as part of that trend.”

The term of this agreement runs from today until the earlier of the completion of the research or 12 months from the contract date. It may be extended upon written agreement between the two companies. The contract consists of an upfront payment and milestone payments, but the specific amounts and the products under development were not disclosed due to confidentiality clauses.

However, considering that the upfront payment was subject to disclosure requirements as it exceeded 10% of the previous fiscal year’s revenue, the upfront payment is at least approximately 42.31 million won. Even if the contract is terminated, G2GBIO, Inc. is under no obligation to return the upfront payment.

The key point of market interest is whether this evaluation will lead to a subsequent commercialization agreement. As the company is currently in the stage of verifying whether InnoLamp can be applied to the candidate compounds, the evaluation results and the subsequent decision on joint development or technology transfer are expected to serve as indicators of the platform’s commercial viability.

On the same day, G2GBIO, Inc. explained that while it is proceeding with the evaluation agreement with UBT, it also plans to continue existing collaborations, including with Boehringer Ingelheim—with whom it signed a joint development agreement last year—as well as European Company B and Company A, with whom discussions are currently underway.

Regarding the possibility of a follow-up agreement with UBT, a representative of G2GBIO, Inc. stated, “We will move forward swiftly to ensure this progresses to the next stage and will disclose relevant details through public announcements.”

Inventera Inc.

Rise as Pancreatic-Biliary Contrast Agent Enters U.S. Clinical Trials

Inventera Inc. closed at 9,860 won, up 5.91% (550 won) from the previous trading day. During the session, the stock rose as high as 10,940 won. This is believed to be due to news that “INV-003,” an oral contrast agent used for magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), has entered U.S. clinical trials, which boosted investor sentiment.

Inventera Inc. announced in a regulatory filing that day that it had received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the Phase 1 clinical trial protocol for INV-003. The approval date was the 16th (U.S. local time). MRCP is a procedure that uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the pancreatic and bile ducts; it is used to diagnose and evaluate related conditions such as gallstones or strictures of the pancreatic and bile ducts.

INV-003 works by suppressing the bright signals from the surrounding gastrointestinal tract rather than making the pancreatic and bile ducts themselves appear brighter, thereby aiding observation. This approach aims to reduce the problem where fluid in the gastrointestinal tract appears bright in the image and overlaps with the pancreatic and bile ducts.

Inventera Inc. representative explained, “Previously, during MRI scans, the stomach appeared bright, making it very difficult to specifically observe the pancreatic and bile ducts obscured behind it,” adding, “To address this, we developed an oral contrast agent that makes the stomach appear darker, allowing for clearer visualization of the pancreatic and bile ducts.”

This clinical trial will be conducted at a single U.S. institution for approximately 12 months starting from the date of IND approval, involving up to 30 adults who require MRCP. The trial will involve a single oral administration of the contrast agent, with the dose gradually increased to evaluate safety and tolerability. Through this process, the company plans to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD)—the highest dose a patient can tolerate—and establish the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). The date for the first patient dosing has not yet been determined.

The clinical trial will also evaluate the efficacy of MRCP imaging. In addition to confirming the safety of administration, the study will examine whether the agent aids in visualizing the pancreatic and biliary ducts during actual examinations. Inventera Inc. official stated, “This evaluation will assess whether lesions and other abnormalities can be clearly identified in the images and verify the quality of the images.”

SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS: Production Concerns Eased as Strike in Core Processes Is Contained

SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS closed at 1,427,000 won, up 9.94% (129,000 won) from the previous trading day. During the session, the stock rose as high as 1,432,000 won. The rise is attributed to reduced concerns over production disruptions caused by strikes, following a court ruling that restricted labor disputes in key production processes.

The Incheon Branch of the Seoul High Court, in an appeal hearing regarding SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS’ request for a preliminary injunction against the union’s industrial action, expanded the scope of restricted industrial action from three to nine production processes. This is interpreted as reflecting expectations that the company will be able to ensure production continuity in its core processes ahead of the union’s full-scale strike, which had been announced to begin on the 26th.

Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) for biopharmaceuticals is a business that produces and supplies pharmaceuticals entrusted by clients in accordance with specified quality standards and schedules. The possibility of production stoppages can affect not only short-term earnings but also the stability of transactions with clients.

SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS also continued its efforts to expand its business in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), a next-generation cancer treatment. The company announced that it showcased the competitiveness of its ADC services at “World ADC San Diego 2026,” held in the United States that day. Since ADCs—which involve linking a drug to an antibody—require multiple processes, including antibody production, conjugation, and analysis, the ability to integrate these related services is crucial.

At the event, the company shared its efforts and achievements in securing commercial ADC production capabilities, as well as research results utilizing its bispecific antibody platform and patient-derived organoids. Lee Sang-myung, Senior Vice President and Head of CDO Development at SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS, stated, “We will continue to expand our capabilities in new modalities, such as peptides, to further solidify our full-cycle capabilities and meet all of our customers’ needs.”