PRESS RELEASE
News Provided by
Innovo Therapeutics Inc.
May 13, 2026, 08:30 AM KST
· Advancing Global Development of INV-008: A First-in-Class Oral 15-PGDH Inhibitor for IBD Designed to Promote Mucosal Healing
·
Total deal value of up to KRW
662.5 billion, with separate profit sharing in the event of third-party
licensing
Seoul, May 13, 2026 – Innovo Therapeutics announced today that it has entered into a licensing agreement with Daewoong Pharmaceutical for INV-008, an investigational oral therapy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Under the agreement, the companies aim to accelerate the global
development and commercialization of INV-008, with Daewoong leveraging its
clinical development and commercialization capabilities to secure an innovative
therapeutic asset. The total deal value is up to approximately KRW 662.5
billion, including an upfront payment of KRW 6.5 billion and up to KRW 656.0
billion in development and clinical milestone payments. The agreement also
includes a separate profit-sharing arrangement in the event of third-party licensing.
Innovo Therapeutics discovered and advanced INV-008 through its
proprietary AI-driven drug discovery platform, DeepZema®. Innovo
independently carried out the early research process, from novel compound
design through lead selection and optimization, to identify a molecule with the
desired 15-PGDH inhibitory profile. In preclinical studies, INV-008
demonstrated effects in promoting intestinal mucosal regeneration and reducing
inflammation. The program has also shown differentiated drug-like and safety
profiles compared with competing compounds, supporting its potential as an
innovative therapy for IBD as it advances toward clinical development.
Hee-Dong Park, CEO of
Innovo Therapeutics, stated: “INV-008 is an innovative therapy designed to go
beyond inflammation suppression by promoting intestinal mucosal regeneration,
offering a new potential direction for IBD treatment. Through our collaboration
with Daewoong Pharmaceutical, we aim to support the accelerated global clinical
development and commercialization of INV-008.”
Seong-Soo Park, Co-CEO of Daewoong Pharmaceutical, commented: “This agreement represents a
strategic partnership that goes beyond a simple technology in-licensing. By
working closely with Innovo Therapeutics from the early clinical stage, we aim
to advance INV-008 toward global commercialization. We will actively support
the clinical development of INV-008 to help establish it as a competitive
innovative therapy in the global market.”
Innovo Therapeutics has received R&D funding for
the INV-008 program from the Korea Drug Development Fund (KDDF, Director
Yeong-Min Park) since June 2023 through the National New Drug Development
Project, which is promoted by the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of
Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The company
has independently secured non-clinical efficacy and toxicology data for the
program.
About Innovo Therapeutics: Innovo Therapeutics is a South Korea-based biotechnology company
developing small-molecule therapeutics for immune and inflammatory diseases and
cancer. Through its proprietary AI platform, DeepZema®, the company continues
to efficiently discover new programs and candidate molecules and advance
clinical development. Innovo Therapeutics successfully completed a Phase 2
clinical trial in Korea in 2024 for its scar treatment program, INV-001, and
has submitted an IND application for a Phase 3 clinical trial. Another IBD
therapeutic program, INV-101, received IND clearance from the U.S. FDA for a
Phase 2 clinical trial in 2025.
Media Contact:
Kyungyoun Hong,
Innovo
Therapeutics Inc.
+82-2-6956-8680
kyhong@innovothera.com