[Edaily Reporter KIM SAE-MI ] LGCHEM,LTD is expanding the scope of its AI-driven new drug development from candidate compound discovery to the selection of clinical trial patients. The company also plans to utilize AI in the development of a personalized messenger RNA (mRNA) cancer vaccine, which is set to enter clinical development in 2029.

LGCHEM,LTD(051910)LG Corp. announced on the 21st that it hosted the “2026 LG AI Bio Conference” on the 20th at LG Science Park in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, in collaboration with the LG AI Research Institute and U.S. biotech venture capital firm Flagship Pioneering.

This event was organized for the first time to expand cooperation in the domestic AI-bio sector. Approximately 140 representatives from domestic and international AI-bio companies attended to share AI-based new drug development technologies and use cases.

LGCHEM,LTD plans to expand the use of AI in the field of precision oncology. The company aims to identify biomarkers that can predict treatment responses by analyzing the biological characteristics of tumors and, based on these, select patients suitable for clinical trials.

Son Ji-woong, President and Head of the Life Sciences Business Division at LGCHEM,LTD, stated, “AI is evolving from a tool for new drug development into a core engine that determines competitiveness.” He added, “The competitiveness of future new drug development lies not only in finding structurally superior drugs (the ‘Right Drug’) but also in identifying patients who will respond well to treatment (the ‘Right Patient’) through AI.”

LGCHEM,LTD is also utilizing AI in the development of personalized mRNA cancer vaccines. The company is building and refining an AI model capable of predicting neoantigens—molecules that can induce an immune response in a patient’s cancer cells.

Personalized mRNA cancer vaccines select neoantigens based on the specific characteristics of each patient’s tumor and induce an immune response by targeting them. LGCHEM,LTD plans to conduct preclinical studies next year and enter clinical development in 2029.

The event also featured case studies on AI-driven drug development from global biotech companies.

Andre Andonian, Chairman of Flagship Pioneering Asia-Pacific, stated, “LGCHEM,LTD and Flagship Pioneering are expanding their collaboration in the life sciences sector by leveraging AI as a shared engine of innovation.”

Zhu Wang, Head of Global Business Development at Insilico Medicine, presented a case study in which candidate compounds were identified using generative AI and developed through to the clinical stage.

Ryan Leung, Head of Life Sciences Products at Lila Sciences, introduced the concept of an “Autonomous Lab,” in which AI agents repeatedly perform the processes of experimental design, synthesis, experimentation, and learning.

During the subsequent panel discussion, Lee Jeong-seok, CEO of InnoCras, presented strategies for patient cohort selection using whole-genome data from cancer patients. Na Kwon-joong, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Portray, shared strategies for biomarker discovery and patient selection using spatial biology-based AI technology.