Yong-In Kim, CEO of NEORTESBIO
Representative product: New drug candidate Tri-VasTrap™ (TVT)
Competitive advantage in vascular stabilization and regeneration, beyond simple inhibition
NEORTESBIO’s representative product is the new drug candidate Tri-VasTrap™ (TVT). Existing drug treatment only slow the progression of the disease, but TVT has a mechanism that actually regenerates damaged microvessels. The company’s next-generation antibody treatment platform has a wide range of applications, from retinal diseases (diabetic retinopathy, wet age-related macular degeneration) to systemic aging-related diseases, ensuring high scalability.
NEORTESBIO has three big competitive advantages. First, TVT is the world’s first candidate with dual Ang2 inhibition and Tie2 activation mechanisms, which enables not only inhibition but also blood vessel stabilization and regeneration.
Second, the possibility of a subcutaneous injection formulation can dramatically improve patient convenience and treatment compliance. Third, it has the ability to regenerate blood vessels, proven through experimental data. It has secured preclinical efficacy that far surpasses existing global blockbuster drugs such as Eylea, Vabysmo, etc.
Since its foundation, NEORTESBIO has been developing a market entry strategy that involves partnering with global pharmaceutical companies and venture capital firms. The company is actively participating in domestic and international biotech conferences (BIO KOREA, BIO-Europe, etc.) to promote its technology, with the top priority being technology transfers (licensing-out) with global pharmaceutical companies.
What made CEO Kim decide to start a company? “I have a lot of experience leading new drug development at global pharmaceutical companies such as Samsung, Novartis, and Abbott. My decision to launch a startup came from the desire to break out of the constraints of a large corporation in order to create new drugs that could fundamentally change the lives of patients. Initial funding came from founder and early seed investments. At the moment, we have attracted investment from domestic strategic investors and are in active discussions with global venture capital firms. We’re aiming for a phase 1 clinical trial and global technology transfers by 2027, and plan to pursue both series A and B investment rounds.”
Following the launch of the startup, said CEO Kim, “I felt a great sense of accomplishment when I saw the actual regeneration of damaged retinal blood vessels in the results of our preclinical studies,” and added, “I believe that the true value of our startup is that we can offer patients the possibility of fundamental treatment, not just symptom relief.”
NEORTESBIO currently has a team of five core researchers, including the CEO, as well as management and strategy staff. It has an efficient operational structure that involves close collaboration with external CROs, CDMOs, and global advisory boards.
Regarding future plans, CEO Kim said, “We plan to complete an IND application and clinical preparations in 2026, begin a phase 1 clinical trial in 2027, and conduct global technology transfers worth over KRW 1 trillion by 2027 or 2028,” and added, “In the long term, we plan to use our vascular regeneration antibody platform to expand our pipeline to treatments for systemic and aging-related diseases.”
Date of Establishment: October 2020
Main Business: Development of new biopharmaceuticals using a vascular regeneration antibody platform
Performance: Selected for the Startup Scale-Up Package and numerous government R&D projects, participated in numerous global business partnering events, successfully demonstrated preclinical efficacy and attracted investment
reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com
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