Samsung Biologics invests in local antibody drug conjugate developer

A researcher of AimedBio conducts research activities. Samsung Biologics said Wednesday that it decided along with Samsung C&T and Samsung Bioepis to invest in the company. Courtesy of Samsung Biologics

By Baek Byung-yeul

Samsung Biologics invested in AimedBio, a local biotech company specialized in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), in a bid to expand into the next-generation drug business, the company said Wednesday.

Samsung Biologics said the investment in AimedBio is the fourth investment activity of the Life Science Fund, established with Samsung C&T and Samsung Bioepis, adding that the investment amount is undisclosed.

AimedBio is a domestic biotech company established in 2018. Based on Samsung Medical Center's cancer research, the company has utilized AI-based clinical and genomic information analysis of tumor patients and patient-derived experimental models.

In particular, AimedBio has received support from the Korea Drug Development Foundation (KDDF) for the development of new drugs such as ADCs. Among its new drug developments, the company is preparing for the first clinical trial of its new drug candidate AMB302 next year, aiming to treat brain tumors and bladder cancer.

ADC treatment is regarded as a next-generation drug because it is made by conjugating an antibody that binds to a specific target antigen on the surface of a cancer cell with a drug that has potent cell-killing properties so that it can increase therapeutic efficacy and minimize side effects.

With this investment, Samsung Biologics plans to collaborate with AimedBio in several areas, including conducting joint research on the development of ADC toolboxes and performing drug development projects.

Samsung is stepping up its investment in the ADC sector to secure technological competitiveness and respond proactively to the market.

In January, the company announced its vision to expand its business portfolio to include ADCs at the JPM Healthcare Conference, adding that it would build a dedicated ADC production facility. In April, the company also invested in Araris Biotech, a Switzerland-based company that develops ADC linker and conjugation technologies, through the Life Science Fund.