Even major American manufacturers are rushing to sign contracts! Ongene Biotech won Taiwan's biotech industry "Potential Benchmark Award" 2. Its drug research and development achievements attracted much attention
2023 “Outstanding Biotech Industry Award” Award! Ongene Biotech promotes innovation in Taiwan’s biotechnology industry
The Taiwan Biotechnology Industry Association held the “Taiwan Outstanding Biotechnology Industry Awards Press Conference” at the National Taiwan University International Convention Center on the 18th (Wednesday), and solemnly announced the list of winning companies in the 2023 Taiwan Outstanding Biotechnology Industry (Taiwan Bio Awards). The award ceremony is scheduled to be held at the 2023 Asia Biotech Exhibition, and the winning company will be invited to give a company introduction.
Bio Asia/Bio Taiwan is a platform for international exchanges and cooperation, dedicated to the development of the global biotechnology field, promoting the growth and innovation of Taiwan’s biotechnology industry, and promoting the internationalization of Taiwan’s biotechnology industry. , and encourage and discover the rising stars of Taiwan’s future biotech industry. Among the winners this time, Angen Biotech is undoubtedly the brightest new star at the conference. It is also the only innovative drug company in Taiwan that has received national and international recognition in all stages of research and development from pre-clinical to post-clinical.
Sugon Anji’s innovative drug AJ303 for the treatment of rare disease “idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis” won the Innovation Award
“Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a rare disease that is characterized by chronic, progressive fibrotic interstitial pneumonia (IIP). It is more common in the elderly and male populations.”
Ye Junyan, Chief Financial Officer and Spokesperson of Anji Biotechnology, said that the translational research results of Anji’s innovative drug “AJ303” for the treatment of the rare disease “idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis” (IPF) have won the approval of Bailingjia Ingelheim-Biotech Co., Ltd. Medical Innovation Unicorn Award.
According to statistics from various countries, the incidence of IPF is about 2-10 cases per 100,000 people; this disease will cause patients with progressive dyspnea, deterioration of lung function, and extremely poor prognosis. The median survival time from the first diagnosis is 2- 5 years; in Taiwan’s own report, the median survival period is only about 0.9 years. The academic community generally believes that the disease is caused by the complex interaction between damaged epithelial cells, activated immune cells, and constantly proliferating fibroblasts when tissue repair is abnormal.
“AJ303” is a novel compound (first-in-class) with anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory properties; it is currently being developed for the treatment of IPF and other organ fibrotic diseases. The main cause of organ tissue fibrosis mainly comes from the abnormal expression and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Fibrotic disease models in human lung and kidney primary cells have confirmed that AJ303 can reduce the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers, and extracellular matrix proteins.
Even major American manufacturers are rushing to sign contracts! The results of drug research and development for “JFK” have attracted much attention
In addition, Anji Biotech is also favored by major international pharmaceutical companies for its research on the treatment of rare diseases commonly known as “orphan drugs”. The innovative Nrf2 activator “AJ201” for the treatment of Kennedy’s disease is a novel structural drug for the treatment of spinal cord and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). It also won the 19th National Innovation Award (Biopharmaceutical and Precision Medicine Category) , has received consecutive awards and recognitions. With the pragmatic strength and efforts of the company’s management team, Anji has once again won the honor of being the 2023 “Biotechnology Industry Potential Benchmark Award”.
Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, also known as Kennedy’s disease, is a rare and severe hereditary neuromuscular degenerative disease characterized by the gradual degeneration of lower motor neurons in the spinal cord, brainstem, and skeletal muscles. It usually occurs in male patients aged 30-40 years old, with an incidence rate of about 1/30,000. When the patient is about 50 years old, the patient will have chewing and swallowing problems, and finally the patient will die due to periodic aspiration pneumonia. There is currently no effective drug. treat.
The activator AJ201 can initiate cell protection through the following mechanisms:
Activate heat shock factor 1 (Hsf1), assist the correct folding of protein tertiary structure, and reduce the production of pathogenic proteins.
Start the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) decomposition of abnormal proteins, increase the speed of degradation of pathogenic proteins, and reduce the accumulation of pathogenic proteins.
Activate Nrf2 factor to repair damage caused by excessive oxidative stress.
“In view of the effectiveness and therapeutic potential of AJ201, Anji announced in March that it has signed an exclusive European and American licensing contract with the US-listed biotech new drug company “venue Therapeutics Inc.” for AJ201, a rare disease: Kennedy’s disease small molecule new drug. The total authorized amount is up to US$250 million!”
Ye Junyan, Chief Financial Officer and Spokesperson of Anji Biotechnology, emphasized that AJ201’s early clinical authorization results have amazed the rare disease new drug market. Currently, AJ201’s Phase II clinical trials have begun to be accepted at six major medical centers in the United States. There will be opportunities to help more patients with rare diseases in the future.
In addition, since Anji was taken over by former GSK Vice President Huang Wenying in 2019, it has continuously made breakthroughs and demonstrated strong execution and competitiveness; it recently successfully raised a capital increase of NT$660 million, and the market response has been very enthusiastic. This year, Anji Biotechnology once again won the “Biotechnology Industry-Potential Benchmark Award” and achieved early clinical authorization. It is expected to become a dazzling star in Taiwan’s future biotechnology industry.
