Hudson Therapeutics announced that Shaperon has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Dong-A ST (KOSPI 170900, CEO Min-Young Kim) for the development of nanobody-based new drugs. Since 2021, the two companies have collaborated on developing triple nanobody antibodies for cancer treatment. This involves using nanobody to bring killer T cells and cancer cells into proximity by binding to targets on both cell types.

Shaperon will advance nanobody development using its full-cycle platform, while Dong-A ST will leverage its antibody commercialization expertise for global biopharmaceutical development. Nanobodies, about one-tenth the size of conventional antibodies, are gaining attention for next-generation immune checkpoint inhibitors due to their high stability, solubility, and production yield. Shaperon, the only domestic company with a full-cycle platform for nanobody production, development, and analysis from alpaca immunization, is developing a diverse pipeline targeting inflammation and cancer, including immune checkpoint dual antibodies and nanobodies for infectious diseases.

Shaperon is also exploring nanobody-based protein therapeutics, such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and radiopharmaceutical therapies. Recently, they published preclinical results on influenza-targeting nanobodies and presented anti-cancer PDL1-CD47 dual nanobodies at the AACR, gaining recognition for their technological capabilities.