Sungkyunkwan University, Yuhan Corp.,and Imnewrun Biosciences Inc. 

signed a trilateral Agreement 

to Build CNSR&BD Ecosystem Based on Industrial-Academic Convergence

[Image] From the left side,Jung Hee LEE (CEO and President of Yuhan Corp.), Dong Ryeol SHIN (President ofSungkyunkwan University), and Han-Joo KIM (CEO of Imnewrun Inc.)

Dong Ryeol SHIN (President of Sungkyunkwan University), Jung Hee LEE (CEO and President of Yuhan Corp.), and Han-Joo KIM (CEO of Imnewrun Inc.) signed a trilateral agreement on Wednesday, May 20^th. This agreement aims to develop the national bioscience industry and promote human health through differentiated cooperation to build a CNS (Central Nervous System) R&BD (Research and Business Development) ecosystem based on industrial-academic convergence and make a world leading joint laboratory.

The trilateral agreement will enable the establishment of a cluster of education and research in the bioscience industry, develop promising future technologies and create CNS pipelines, collaboration in pharmacy-bio research and development of new drugs, and establishment of a CNS industrial-academic convergence laboratory.

This agreement is significant in that the combination of a university- a pharmaceutical company-a bio venture company was achieved for the first time in Korea, and that led to the establishment of a new type of industrial-academic convergence CNS R&BD ecosystem.

The three organizations expect to succeed in world-leading research and development of innovative new drugs by converging their capabilities from basic research to research infrastructure, transitional research, clinical and commercialization needed for new drug development.

Through this agreement, SKKU will found a new department in the CNS industrial-academic convergence laboratory, which will be established jointly and will train creative leaders in the field of new drug development with an industry-academic collaboration degree track. It expects to share world-class CNS research capabilities and infrastructure with its partners.

Yuhan Corp. plans to foster promising CNS infrastructure technologies and strengthen the CNS pipeline with promising businesses through investment and joint development. This is another step forward in the CNS field that Yuhan Corp. is strategically expanding in.

Imnewrun Biosciences has been developing promising infrastructure technologies for the creation of new drugs for brain disorders and genetic diseases, and has been making new CNS pipelines.

President Shin said, “I’m pleased that the best company, university, and innovative bioscience venture have gathered together and made it possible to establish a world leading industry-academic cooperation platform for the purpose of nurturing the national bioscience industry and promoting human health.” He added, “I hope SKKU will lead the world with effective research and rapidly advance as an internationally recognized entrepreneurial university through the establishment of a sustainable R&BD ecosystem."

“The agreement marks the first time in Korea that three different types of institutions worked together to create a differentiated R&BD ecosystem," said Jung Hee LEE(CEO and President of Yuhan Corp.). Also he added, "Through this, we will secure a new growth engine for the development of innovative new drugs and strive to advance global pharmaceutical companies for future-oriented development of the national bioscience industry.”

Han-Joo KIM(CEO of Imnewrun Inc.) said, “In order to develop innovative new drugs to combat brain disorders and genetic diseases, we need all the capabilities in various fields such as basic science, platform technology, transitional research, clinical, and commercialization”. He also explained, “The three organizations will work closely together to maximize synergy effects and Imnewrun will strengthen the development of multi-complex platform technologies to grow into an international industrial-academic research laboratory.”

SKKU and Yuhan Corp. signed a business agreement in June of last year to establish comprehensive and strategic industrial-academic cooperation, including joint R&D in brain disorders, training of key talents, and finding and fostering promising venture companies. As part of the project, the “YUHAN New Drug Development Track” program was launched this year to foster next-generation core talents, and Yuhan and Imnewrun are currently researching and developing three new brain cancer and brain disorder programs together.