[Kuki News] KU Institute of Science and Technology, CellBio, and StemExOne Join Forces to Develop Exosome Therapeutics

On the 29th, Konkuk University hosted a signing ceremony for a joint development agreement on stem cell and exosome therapeutics using human tissue-derived stem cells. Attendees included Ssang-Goo Cho, Director of the KU Institute of Science and Technology and CEO of StemExOne; Hyun-sook Park, CEO of CellBio; Soon-rye Lee, Head of Research at CellBio; and StemExOne researchers Se-Jong Kim, Kwon-Woo Song, and Yeo-kyung Shin.

MOU Signed for Joint Development of Interstitial Cystitis Therapeutics

Interstitial cystitis is a refractory inflammatory disease that can be associated with aging. Academia and industry have now joined forces to develop and manufacture new therapeutics for the condition.

The KU Institute of Science and Technology at Konkuk University, CellBio, and StemExOne signed a memorandum of understanding on the 29th for the joint development of stem cell and exosome therapeutics using human tissue-derived stem cells.

Under the agreement, research outcomes generated by the KU Institute of Science and Technology will be utilized by StemExOne and CellBio in the development and manufacturing of therapeutics for refractory inflammatory diseases.

StemExOne was founded by Ssang-Goo Cho, Director of the KU Institute of Science and Technology. The company is developing exosome therapeutics based on exosome-related technologies transferred from the Konkuk University Industrial Cooperation Corp.

StemExOne plans to conduct exosome production research at CellBio’s manufacturing facility for the development of an interstitial cystitis therapeutic, using its recently transferred technology for the production of extracellular vesicles from three-dimensionally cultured stem cells.

CellBio has capabilities for the manufacturing and production of a variety of source stem cells. Since its establishment in 2011, the company has been developing cell therapies based on optimized cell culture technologies. In August 2021, it obtained a manufacturing license for advanced biopharmaceuticals. CellBio also operates GMP manufacturing facilities and systems for clinical research in advanced regenerative medicine.

Through the agreement, the KU Institute of Science and Technology, CellBio, and StemExOne plan to jointly conduct research on stem cell-derived exosome therapeutics and participate in government-funded industry-academia collaboration programs.

Representatives from the KU Institute of Science and Technology and StemExOne said on the 30th, “Through this agreement, we plan to build a successful collaborative framework for the research and production of exosome therapeutics.”

[Kuki News, Reporter Shin Seung-heon]

Source: Kuki News