LISCure Biosciences Inc., a South Korea-based biotech startup, has executed a research collaboration agreement with US based-Mayo Clinic for new drug development for rare liver diseases.

LISCure has been conducting joint research with Mayo Clinic for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) drugs since 2021, and this new collaboration is an agreement signed under the leadership of Nicholas F. LaRusso, M.D. and Steven P. O'Hara, Ph.D., renowned authorities in the field of rare liver diseases.

Under the terms of the agreement, Mayo Clinic and LISCure metabolic disease R&D teams will collaborate on preclinical and clinical studies for rare liver diseases including primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a cholestatic liver disease characterized by chronic liver inflammation and the progressive destruction of bile ducts.

PSC is an orphan disease of which prevalence ranges from 3 to 16 per 100,000. Unfortunately, apart from liver transplantation, there are no approved drugs targeting the condition in practical medical use. 

"LB-P8 program is currently in clinical trials based on the promising results from various animal models of NASH. We aim to expand our pipeline into rare disease through this research collaboration with Mayo Clinic for PSC," said Hwasup Chin, CEO of LISCure.

LISCure plans to initiate phase 2 clinical trial in the US for LB-P8 in 2H 2022.