South Korea-based biotech startup OSR Holdings has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SillaJen, a Kosdaq-listed biotech firm with a pipeline of immuno-oncology drug candidates, to share technology and clinical development resources and launch a strategic collaboration between the two companies.

Through the MoU, the two companies will explore various ways to collaborate to create synergies between current platform technologies and new drug candidates.

OSR Holdings was established in 2019 in South Korea as a "hub-and-spoke" business model, which has become more visible in the biopharma space over the past decade. OSR Holdings' current portfolio includes Vaximm AG, a Swiss entity developing immuno-oncology therapeutics; Darnatein, a South Korean drug developer of osteoarthritis therapeutics; and RMC, a distributor of specialised medical devices. Vaximm AG, a venture spun out from Merck KGaA, has completed Phase 2a clinical trials for glioblastoma. 

SillaJen boasts a diverse pipeline of new drugs, including the SJ-600 series and BAL0891, and is leading the way in developing anti-cancer viruses based on its GEEV platform. Known for its immune-evasion capabilities, GEEV enables anti-cancer viruses to efficiently target affected areas. The SJ-600 series is an anti-cancer pipeline based on SillaJen's GEEV platform. BAL0891, a mitotic checkpoint inhibitor, has advanced to Phase 1 clinical trials targeting solid tumours and will be conducted in the United States.