South Korea-based SK bioscience has entered into a funding agreement with the Research Investment for Global Health Technology Foundation (RIGHT Foundation) to receive financial support for early clinical development of its RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) preventive monoclonal antibody candidate, RSM01.
The agreement was established following SK bioscience's selection as a recipient of the RIGHT Foundation's Product Development Award (PDA). Through this award, the company secured KRW 4 billion (approximately $3 million), the maximum funding available per project. Based on this support, SK bioscience plans to accelerate the Phase 1b clinical trial of RSM01 in infants.
RSM01 is a candidate RSV preventive therapeutic that SK bioscience licensed earlier this month from the Gates Medical Research Institute (Gates MRI), a nonprofit medical research organization. The candidate was designed by US biotechnology company Adimab in collaboration with Gates MRI, which completed early research and a Phase 1a clinical trial. SK bioscience will oversee subsequent stages from the Phase 1b clinical trial through process development and commercialisation.
RSM01 is designed to provide continuous protection throughout the RSV season with a single administration in newborns and infants. Non-clinical studies demonstrated effective suppression of RSV infection and replication, including activity against certain RSV strains with reduced responsiveness to existing preventive products.
Through the licensing agreement, SK bioscience obtained exclusive global supply rights, including high-income markets (non-exclusive in India and Gavi-eligible countries).
