[Edaily Reporter NA EUN-KYUNG ] #IMBiologics Corp. is partnering with GCGreen Cross Corporation(006280)to develop next-generation treatments for autoimmune diseases.

IMBiologics Corp. announced on the 2nd that it has signed a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) with GC Biopharma Corp. to develop a bispecific antibody for the treatment of autoimmune diseases using the new immunomodulatory antibody “IMB-105.”

Under this agreement, GC Biopharma Corp. will identify new targets that can be combined with IMB-105—currently under development by IMBiologics Corp.—and evaluate the feasibility of developing a bispecific antibody that simultaneously modulates both targets. Based on the evaluation results, the two companies plan to discuss whether to expand their collaboration through follow-up joint research and technology transfer agreements.

IMB-105 is an antibody for the treatment of autoimmune diseases that IMBiologics Corp. is developing with the goal of creating a first-in-class new drug. It is designed to suppress excessive immune responses and restore immune balance through an immune signaling regulation mechanism that differentiates it from existing therapies. Specifically, the development goal is to suppress the excessive activity of effector T cells (Teff), which produce inflammatory cytokines and activate immune responses, and to restore balance with regulatory T cells (Treg), which modulate immune responses. Through this agreement, GC Biopharma Corp. intends to identify bispecific antibody combinations that can enhance these immunomodulatory effects.

IMBiologics Corp., an antibody-based new drug development company founded in 2020, was listed on the KOSDAQ market on March 20. The company is developing new antibody drugs with a focus on autoimmune diseases and immuno-oncology.Previously, in 2024, the company licensed its autoimmune disease treatment candidates “IMB-101” and “IMB-102” to U.S.-based Navigator Medicine and China’s Huadong Pharmaceutical in a deal valued at a total of 1.8 trillion won. Subsequently, last year, it terminated its agreement with Huadong Pharmaceutical and signed an amended agreement transferring the development and commercialization rights for the Asian region to Navigator Medicine.

IMB-101 is a bispecific antibody that simultaneously inhibits tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and OX40L, both of which are involved in inflammatory responses; Navigator Medicine is currently conducting a U.S. Phase 2 clinical trial for it to treat hidradenitis suppurativa. IMB-102 is an antibody targeting OX40L and is being developed as a treatment for atopic dermatitis.

Building on its existing technology transfer pipeline, IMBiologics Corp. is pursuing the development of a new bispecific antibody using IMB-105. The company’s strategy is to identify various antibody combinations by leveraging its proprietary antibody Fc engineering technology and “Selicon-T,” a dedicated platform for autoimmune disease treatments currently under development.

Jeong Jae-wook, Head of Research and Development (R&D) at GC Biopharma Corp., stated, “By combining our antibody R&D capabilities with IMBiologics Corp.’s immunomodulatory antibody pipeline, we will explore the potential for developing next-generation treatments for autoimmune diseases from multiple angles.”

Ha Kyung-sik, CEO of IMBiologics Corp., said, “We expect this collaboration with GC Biopharma Corp. to be an important opportunity to validate the technical scalability of IMB-105 and the potential for developing new bispecific antibodies.” He added, “We will further maximize the product competitiveness of IMB-105 by applying the Selicon-T platform technology and build a franchise strategy through the development of new bispecific antibodies in various combinations.”