HLB Panagene (046210) has signed an agreement with a research and development subsidiary of the Roche Group to enter Singapore’s market with its proprietary peptide nucleic acid (PNA) technology.
HLB Panagene announced on the 3rd that it has signed an exclusive PNA distribution agreement covering Singapore with Chugai Pharmabody Research (CPR), the Singapore-based drug discovery subsidiary of Japan’s Chugai Pharmaceutical.
CPR is a drug discovery research institute established by Chugai Pharmaceutical in Singapore, developing innovative medicines based on antibody engineering and cyclic peptide platforms. The institute is known for leading the development of Crovalimab, a treatment for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) that applies the world’s first recycling antibody technology.
The agreement is significant in that HLB Panagene’s PNA technology and production competitiveness have been recognized by a research institute affiliated with a global pharmaceutical company. PNA is a synthetic nucleic acid in which the backbone of DNA or RNA is modified into a peptide structure. It is highly resistant to enzymatic degradation in the body and exhibits superior binding affinity and selectivity to target molecules, making it highly useful in next-generation nucleic acid-based research and diagnostics. HLB Panagene produces PNA monomers, the core raw material, in-house, and has secured the technology to stably mass-produce high-quality PNA based on high-purity organic synthesis capabilities.
HLB Panagene currently supplies PNA-based research and diagnostic materials and reagents to biotech companies, research institutions, and hospitals in more than 50 countries across the United States, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania. In May, the company drew attention at TIDES USA, the world’s largest oligonucleotide and peptide conference, by presenting research results on gene regulation using Gamma PNA, which demonstrates more than 30-fold improved efficacy compared to conventional PNA.
Through this agreement, the company plans to leverage CPR’s local network to expand PNA supply to Singaporean research institutions and pharmaceutical and biotech companies, broadening applications beyond diagnostics and analysis into drug discovery and development.
” This agreement is a meaningful achievement that validates HLB Panagene’s technology, quality, and production capabilities in the global market,” said Jang In-geun, CEO of HLB Panagene. “We will continue to expand our global market presence and enhance the value of PNA applications across diagnostics, analysis, and drug discovery.”
HLB Panagene is an affiliate of the HLB Group. The group comprises holding company HLB, along with HLB Global, HLB GeneX, HLB Life Science, HLB Pharmaceutical, HLB Therapeutics, HLB BioStep, HLB Innovation, and HLB Pep, among others.