Genome engineering, a type of genetic engineering, is becoming a popular solution to many challenges facing humankind, such as health issues, food shortages, and environmental pollution. Korean pharmaceutical startup HuMab, founded in 2018, wants to contribute to the promotion of human health and well-being through genome engineering technology.

HuMub applies AiCE™(Artificial inter-species Chromosome segment Exchange), more effective technology for genomic engineering than conventional restriction enzyme-based recombinant DNA technology. The company undertakes large-scale and extensive genome engineering tasks on a chromosome level by utilizing a diverse array of programmable nucleases (crispr, talen, zfn, etc.) and microcell-mediated chromosome transfer (MMCT) technologies. These technological advantages of HuMab over other genetic engineering companies have taken genome engineering to another level.

HuMab’s Synthese is a next-generation antibody-drug

The company strives to innovate biotechnology that can contribute to human health and well-being and produce new drugs based on that innovation. Using genomic engineering technology, HuMab is developing SynThese™, the next-generation transgenic mouse platform for the production of fully human monoclonal antibodies. SynThese™ will be the most powerful and flexible transgenic mouse platform to produce therapeutic fully human monoclonal antibodies.

Leveraging the SynThese™ platform, HuMab will enter the new fully human monoclonal antibody-drug market through clinical collaboration with a global pharmaceutical company.  HuMab plans to develop four new antibody drugs in the field of cancer immunotherapy and immune disorder treatments, using SynThese.

AiCE technology provides innovative solutions and products

HuMab uses AiCE™ technology to enable extensive, extensive genome engineering at the chromosome level. Unlike other traditional genetic engineering companies, HuMab’s AiCE™ technology can be extended to genome engineering levels, enabling applications that were not possible with traditional technologies. HuMab is applying its proprietary technology, AiCE™, to not only immunoglobulin genes but other large-scale genes that have not been easily handled so far. The company is looking for partners to develop new fully human monoclonal antibody drugs on the SynThese™ platform and who want to develop innovative products with ideas using AiCE™.

Strong foundation and global outreach plans

HuMab’s CEO, Dr. Oh, received his Ph.D. in molecular genetics and genomics from the University of Goettingen, Germany, in 2000. Over the next 15 years, he garnered extensive experience in R&D and business development in various biotechnology fields as Director of Macrogen and Green Cross Pharmaceuticals and as CEO of ToolGen and ForHumanTech. In 2018, Dr. Oh founded his second startup, HuMab.

At HuMab, Dr. Oh is committed to developing and commercializing the Transgenic Mouse Platform (SynTheseTM), one of the biggest market potentials in the rapidly growing genome engineering field with the newly developed CRISPR technology.

HuMab operates a business model, under which it generates income by licensing-out its original antibody platform technology to global pharmaceuticals and jointly developing new antibody drugs. The company aims to prove the competitiveness of HuMab’s platform technology in the market by finding excellent antibody drug candidates and running pre-clinical trials to secure patent rights of the new drug substance. The company plans to run at least 4 R&D projects and secure IP and resources required for developing and operating clinical trials with global pharmaceutical companies.

HuMab is working hand-in-hand with Korean university hospitals and several world-class life science researchers to achieve its mission of completing the next-generation transgenic mouse platform development by 2020.