Dong-A Socio Group’s specialty drug affiliate, Dong-A ST, will enter the ADC market through the acquisition of an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) linker platform company. ADCs are a treatment that combines an antibody that combines a target antigen with a cytotoxic drug as a linker and is known for its high medicinal efficacy by selectively attacking target cells and low side effects by minimizing damage to normal cells.
Dong-A S.T. announced on Dec. 20 that it has acquired AbTis, an ADC linker platform company. AbTis has AppClick, a third-generation linker technology that can selectively bind drugs without modifying antibodies. The company’s ADC platform technology collaboration agreement with global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) company Lonza last year proved the superiority of AppClick’s technology.
AbTis has multiple pipelines based on AppClick. Its flagship drug candidate is AT-211, a Claudin 18.2-targeted ADC therapy for gastric and pancreatic cancer. It has completed preclinical trials and will submit a Phase I investigational new drug (IND) application plan to the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety next year.
Dong-A ST is expected to incorporate AbTis as a subsidiary by the end of this year and fully realize business synergies with ST Pharm and STGen Bio, affiliates of Dong-A Socio Group. ST Pharm, which produces small molecule raw materials, will make cytotoxic payloads, and STGen Bio, a CDMO company, will produce a development pipeline.
Dong-A ST also plans to expand the platform to include antibody radionuclide conjugates (ARCs), antibody-PROTAC conjugates (APCs), and immune-stimulator antibody conjugates (ISACs), while advancing AbTis’ platform technology in the mid to long term.
The global ADC market is expected to reach US$19.8 billion in 2028, up from US$9.7 billion in 2023, at a compound annual growth rate of 15.2 percent, according to global market research firm MarketandMarket.