Daewoong Plans to Use the ERA Platform to Advance Aging-Related Treatments, Including Eye and Hearing Diseases
Logo of Daewoong Pharmaceutical.
Daewoong Pharmaceutical said on May 21 that it participated in the sale process for key assets of U.S. biotech company Turn Biotechnologies and ultimately secured the related technologies and rights.
Turn Biotechnologies is an unlisted biotech that had drawn attention as a next-generation anti-aging company for its messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)-based “Epigenetic Reprogramming of Aging (ERA) platform” technology, which restores cellular functions damaged by aging. In May 2024, HanAll Biopharma, an affiliate of Daewoong Pharmaceutical, signed a technology in-licensing deal with Turn Bio worth up to $239.00 million and had been conducting joint research on treatments for ophthalmic and ear diseases.
However, as Turn Biotechnologies recently suffered worsening management conditions, including financial difficulties, and ultimately entered asset sale proceedings, Daewoong Pharmaceutical moved swiftly and placed a bet on acquiring the entire body of source technology intellectual property rights and assets. Through this acquisition, Daewoong Pharmaceutical also succeeded to the position of “licensor (technology exporter)” under the existing license agreement between Turn Bio and HanAll Biopharma.
The “ERA platform” that Daewoong Pharmaceutical has now secured exclusively is a technology that delivers reprogramming factors to aged cells in the form of mRNA.
Whereas existing full reprogramming technologies had the limitation of causing cells to lose even their inherent identity, the ERA platform enables “Partial Reprogramming,” restoring only cellular function to a young and healthy state while preserving the cells’ intrinsic characteristics.
Daewoong Pharmaceutical plans to maximize synergy by combining this newly secured platform technology with the joint research experience and data accumulated by HanAll Biopharma. The company is expected to rapidly expand research into a range of aging-related indications, including ophthalmic and hearing disorders.
It also aims to organically combine the group’s mRNA and drug delivery platforms and disease-specific development strategies to seize leadership in the global reverse-aging therapeutics market.
Choi Mun-hee
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