Celltrion

The global pharmaceutical and biotech industries are evolving at an unprecedented pace, propelled by technological convergence and new therapeutic frontiers. Keeping step with this transformation, Celltrion is expanding its pipeline beyond biosimilars to embrace novel antibody therapeutics, bispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and microbiome-based therapies—broadening the scope of innovation for the future.

In this edition, we had the opportunity to meet with Ki-Sung, Kwon, who oversees R&D at Celltrion, to hear his insights on the company's R&D strategic priorities and future vision. 

Celltrion is currently expanding its R&D focus around various therapeutic modalities, including novel antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific antibodies, and microbiome-based therapies.

Especially leveraging its extensive experience and capabilities in antibody-based therapeutics—spanning development, clinical trials, regulatory approval, and sales—Celltrion is pursuing a strategy focused on business areas where it can most efficiently and effectively take the lead globally. 

| Beyond Biosimilars: Toward an Integrated Therapeutic Strategy 

Celltrion is swiftly adopting and validating emerging platform technologies, broadening the possibilities of its next-generation pipeline.

One of them is Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) technology.  Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are a precision therapy platform that combines antibodies with cytotoxic agents to selectively attack cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. This modality is attracting strong interest in the global oncology market. Celltrion has received approval to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial for CT-P71, its first ADC candidate, and is laying a stronger foundation by partnering with Pinotbio to secure a camptothecin-based payload technology. 

Bispecific antibodies represent another key area of focus in our R&D. By targeting two antigens at once, bispecific antibodies have the potential to greatly enhance therapeutic efficacy. Building on this platform, Celltrion is expanding its pipeline through a collaboration with Abpro Holdings on a HER2-targeted bispecific antibody, while also advancing multispecific antibody programs for hematologic cancers using its proprietary technology. 

The microbiome is another next-generation therapeutic modality that Celltrion is actively pursuing. Microbiome-based therapies utilize live bacterial strains to unlock new possibilities in difficult-to-treat disease areas, including autoimmune and neurological disorders. Celltrion is building its expertise through collaborations with KoBioLabs on irritable bowel syndrome and with BioMe on multidrug-resistant infections, and is actively pursuing further expansion into additional indications.

| Expanding on Our Areas of Excellence in Antibody-Based Technologies

Celltrion holds strong expertise in antibody-based therapeutics and is pursuing a focused R&D strategy to maximize efficiency by concentrating on areas with clear competitive potential in the global market.

The global drug development landscape is expanding in countless directions, fueled by innovations such as cell and gene therapies (CGTx), proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), and smart injection systems. Leveraging its expertise in antibody-based platforms, Celltrion is focusing on strategic areas where it can most rapidly establish a global competitive edge.