LG Chem to develop cell, gene therapy

By Baek Byung-yeul

LG Chem said Wednesday it is stepping up efforts to develop a gene and cell therapy that can be used for diseases that have no satisfactory method of diagnosis, prevention or treatment.

The company said it signed a technology transfer agreement with a local stem cell therapy company, Medipost, to use the latter's MLSC technology that can culture high-efficiency mesenchymal stem cells and other cells.

LG Chem and Medipost have conducted joint research since 2018 for the development of cell and gene therapy.

LG Chem said the MLSC next-generation stem cell platform technology will enable the company to produce high-efficiency cells and help those cells reach their target cells to maximize treatment success.

With this technological transfer, LG Chem plans to combine its genomic technology with the MLSC technology to further expand its gene and cell treatment pipeline.

“We can confirm the possibility of developing innovative gene cell therapy through a two-year-long co-study with Medipost, which has the country's best competence in the stem cell sector,” Son Jee-woong, president of LG Chem's life sciences division, said.

“By focusing on developing innovative gene and cell treatment, we will globally launch a first-in-class drug that can fundamentally treat diseases that have no satisfactory method of diagnosis, prevention or treatment.”

Medipost President and CEO Yang Yoon-sun said the two companies were able to find candidate materials for new drugs through cooperation.

Yang also said Medipost would seek more technology transfers with other companies.