An aerial view of LG Chem's Cheongju factory [LG Chem]
An aerial view of LG Chem's Cheongju factory [LG Chem]

LG Chem said Wednesday it has launched preclinical research on GNV205, a next-generation immuno-oncology candidate licensed from domestic biotech firm Genuv, targeting solid tumors.

LG Chem signed a license agreement with Genuv in September last year, securing exclusive global rights to develop and commercialize GNV205. Under the deal, LG Chem paid an upfront fee and will make additional payments tied to development and commercialization milestones, as well as royalties based on net sales.

GNV205 is an antibody-cytokine fusion, or immunocytokine, that combines a PD-1 monoclonal antibody — which blocks inhibitory signals on immune cells — with interleukin-2 (IL-2), a cytokine that promotes immune responses. The molecule is precisely engineered to activate only in the acidic tumor microenvironment, enabling IL-2 to act selectively around cancer cells. This design minimizes the systemic toxicity long considered a critical limitation of conventional IL-2 therapies while maximizing anticancer immune efficacy.

LG Chem plans to develop GNV205 as a next-generation treatment for patients with refractory cancers that have stopped responding to, or developed resistance against, first- and second-generation immunotherapies. Genuv, the company that discovered the molecule, is a domestic biotech founded in 2016 that researches innovative drugs in oncology and central nervous system diseases based on its proprietary drug development platform.

The move is significant because a large company with global drug development capabilities and a domestic biotech with promising foundational technology have joined forces to advance a Korean biotech asset toward global commercialization, strengthening an oncology pipeline centered on next-generation treatment modalities.

"We will continue to expand our oncology drug development pipeline by balancing in-house research and development with the in-licensing of external innovations," said Son Ji-woong, head of LG Chem's life sciences division. "We will work to successfully grow innovative assets discovered by domestic biotech companies into a global oncology portfolio."


silverpaper@heraldcorp.com