13 hours ago
[Bio USA] GI Innovation unveils next-gen immunotherapy pipeline
BOSTON -- Korean biotech company GI Innovation showcased its next-generation growth strategy at Bio USA 2025 in Boston on Tuesday.
Leading the presentation was Yun Nari, head of GI Innovation's clinical strategy, who introduced the company's new drug development pipeline and global business roadmap. A licensed pharmacist, Yun joined the company's board of directors in March and is expected to play a pivotal role in accelerating clinical decision-making, an essential function in GI Innovation's core business of clinical-stage drug development.
A key highlight was the unveiling of GI-128, a novel immuno-oncology candidate that leverages macrophage engagement, an emerging target in next-generation cancer therapies. The company also spotlighted its trispecific antibody pipeline, designed to surpass the current generation of aPD-(L)1/VEGF bispecific antibodies, which are gaining significant traction in the global oncology space.
'This year's Bio USA is a premier platform that brings together leading global investors and pharmaceutical companies,' said Jang Myoung-ho, CEO and founder of GI Innovation. 'It presented the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the competitiveness of our pipeline and global expansion strategy. We plan to actively explore a variety of partnership opportunities, including technology licensing, co-development deals and strategic investments.'
Meanwhile, the growing interest in aPD-(L)1/VEGF bispecific antibodies in the immuno-oncology sector has led to a surge in high-value deals. Bristol Myers Squibb recently entered into a licensing agreement with German biotech firm BioNTech, paying an upfront sum of approximately $1.5 billion, with the total deal valued at around $11.1 billion. Likewise, Merck & Co. signed a deal last year with China-based LaNova Medicines, worth $588 million upfront and up to $2.7 billion in milestone payments.
Building on this trend, GI Innovation's trispecific antibody platform integrates the company's proprietary aPD-L1 antibody, a VEGF antibody and a macrophage engager into a single molecule. The design aims to overcome the therapeutic limitations of bispecific antibodies by stimulating a more robust immune response within the tumor microenvironment, the company explained.