[2025 The CEO of Jeju National University Early-Stage Startup Package Deep Tech Selection] HYCONS develops targeted protein degraders and antibody-drug conjugates with a degradative platform.

Kim Yoon-Jung, CEO of HYCONS

-Core idea, using cellular degradation machinery to completely eliminate disease-causing proteins

-Plans to extend to antibody-linked degraders (Degrader-Antibody Conjugate, DAC)

HYCONS is a biotech company that designs and develops targeted protein degraders based on a hydrophobic tag (HT) platform, enabling an E3 ligase-independent protein degradation approach. CEO Kim Yoon-Jung (52) founded the company in September 2024.

Flagship concept: targeted protein degrader with a hydrophobic tag. Unlike PROTACs, which recruit an E3 ligase, HYCONS’ degraders carry a hydrophobic tag to direct degradation of the target protein.

Context on PROTACs: PROTACs link a ligand for an E3 ligase with a ligand for the target protein, bringing them into proximity so the E3 ligase tags the target with ubiquitin for proteasomal degradation. HYCONS’ HT-based degraders aim to overcome PROTAC limitations by not relying on a specific E3 ligase, offering broader applicability and potentially better cell permeability due to smaller molecular weight.

HYCONS has developed the HyMAP platform for rapid design of HT-based degraders and envisions a platform capable of later adding antibodies to create DACs.

Business model: rather than pursuing full clinical trials in-house, HYCONS focuses on licensing and co-development through a platform approach. They plan to engage in global partnerships at BIO USA, BIO Europe, JP Morgan Healthcare, and leverage Seoul Bio Hub’s international expansion programs to enter overseas markets.

Funding: HYCONS has not yet taken external investments but is actively pursuing seed funding. Given the global interest in proteolysis-targeting technologies, discussions with local VCs and strategic investors are underway. The seed round aims to fund research infrastructure and PoC data enhancements, with a view to moving to pre-A in the following year.

Future plans: “Short-term, rapidly secure data on our current molecules and target selection for the TIPs program next year; mid-term, achieve preclinical PoC data to validate the platform, and reinforce core researchers to strengthen platform capabilities; long-term, advance HT degraders and DAC pipelines for tech transfer and co-development with global Big Pharma.”

Establishment date: September 2024
Main business: Drug technology development and services; targeted protein degraders and antibody-dr degraders; synthetic drug R&D and tech services
Achievements: Patent filing, selected for the Startup Package Deep Tech (September 2025)

reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com