Chong Kun Dang Signs KIO-301 Deal

Chong Kun Dang has partnered with US pharmaceutical company Kiora Pharmaceuticals to develop and commercialize a new drug candidate, KIO-301, for the treatment of retinal diseases. This agreement, signed on August 21, will enable Chong Kun Dang to handle every aspect of the drug's clinical development, approval, and sales within South Korea. Kiora Pharmaceuticals will be compensated through milestone payments at each development stage and royalties on future sales.

KIO-301 is a small molecule drug designed to address retinitis pigmentosa, a rare inherited retinal disease affecting more than 10,000 patients in South Korea. Unlike current treatments, KIO-301 works by restoring photosensing functions to remaining retinal ganglion cells, even after photoreceptors have degenerated and led to vision loss.

This unique approach allows KIO-301 to be effective regardless of specific genetic mutations, potentially expanding its use for other inherited retinal diseases such as choroideremia or Stargardt disease.

Chong Kun Dang plans to expedite the domestic clinical and approval processes, leveraging its established expertise in ophthalmology. Kiora Pharmaceuticals, known for small molecule treatments targeting retinal diseases, is also developing KIO-104 for macular edema, a condition caused by retinal inflammation. Through this collaboration, Kiora has created a global commercialization network encompassing South Korea, the United States, Europe, Japan, and China.

Chong Kun Dang CEO Kim Young-joo emphasized that KIO-301 represents a differentiated mechanism, stating, "We will work closely with global partners to provide new treatment opportunities for domestic patients." Presently, KIO-301 is progressing through global clinical stages, and Chong Kun Dang intends to establish a specific development roadmap for its introduction in South Korea.