Pharmaceutical Technology

DAAN Biotherapeutics and GC Cell partner for CAR-T, CAR-NK therapies

The deal between the companies includes upfront and milestone payments, as well as royalties on future sales.

South Korea-based DAAN Biotherapeutics has entered a licensing agreement with GC Cell, granting the latter exclusive rights to leverage its antibody sequence in the chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) and chimeric antigen receptor natural killer cell (CAR-NK) therapy research and development.

This antibody is said to target a tumour antigen prevalent in several major solid cancers such as colorectal and lung cancers, and is considered a key component in next-generation cancer treatments.

Providing specificity against the current antibodies, this is anticipated to minimise side effects and enhance therapeutic results, offering an alternative to current treatments.

The deal between the companies includes upfront and milestone payments, as well as royalties on future sales. The partnership aims to commercialise cell therapies for solid tumour treatments.

Certain contractual and financial terms of the agreement are kept confidential to protect the technologies and strategies.

GC Cell's CAR cell-therapy technology, when paired with DAAN Biotherapeutics' antibody, is anticipated to improve the effectiveness of CAR cell therapy.

DAAN Biotherapeutics focuses on therapies that are based on T-cell receptor (TCR).

DAAN Biotherapeutics CEO Byoung-Chul Cho said: "We will continue to innovate our technologies to develop cancer treatments that will change the lives of patients."

In February 2025, the company entered a licensing agreement with LigaChem Biosciences for a tumour-targeting antibody, progressing the development of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for individuals with solid tumours.

DAAN Biotherapeutics' antibody technology is built on its target discovery and antibody development offerings, providing LigaChem Biosciences with an advancement in ADC development for these patients.

Cell & Gene Therapy coverage on Pharmaceutical Technology is supported by Cytiva.

Editorial content is independently produced and follows the highest standards of journalistic integrity. Topic sponsors are not involved in the creation of editorial content.