Global Economic Times

Protina, Samsung Bioepis, and Seoul National University Forge AI Partnership to Accelerate Antibody Drug Development: Global Economic Times Reporter / Updated : 2025-11-05 07:55:44

SEOUL—A powerful consortium comprising the drug discovery company Protina, biotech giant Samsung Bioepis, and researchers from Seoul National University (SNU) is set to revolutionize therapeutic antibody development by harnessing cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The collaboration, driven by a substantial 47 billion KRW state-funded project secured by Protina, aims to dramatically shorten the notoriously long and costly timeline for bringing new antibody drugs to market.

The consortium has undertaken the government-led project, 'Development and Demonstration of Antibody Biopharmaceutical using AI Models,' with a highly aggressive timeline. From October 2025 to the end of 2027—a mere 27 months—the goal is to develop ten AI-designed antibody drug candidates. Of these, three candidates are slated to reach the preclinical stage, and one is targeted for the submission of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for Phase I clinical trials, or a technology transfer.

This rapid development hinges on two key technological platforms. The first is AbGPT-3D, a proprietary, world-class antibody design AI co-developed by Protina and SNU. AbGPT-3D is a three-module AI system designed to:

Precisely design an antibody structure that binds to a given antigen.
Generate the optimal sequence for the designed structure.
Comprehensively evaluate the designed antibody's developability.

The second "game-changer" is Protina's exclusive high-throughput platform, SPID (Single-Protein Interaction Detection). SPID is crucial for making the AI's rapid design speed viable in reality, cutting verification processes that traditionally took months down to just two weeks. It can simultaneously analyze over 5,000 antibody sequences weekly, quantitatively measuring seven critical developability metrics—including binding affinity ($text{K}_{text{D}}$), productivity, thermal stability, and aggregation—using minimal, unpurified samples. This capability fundamentally addresses the critical bottleneck in traditional drug development.

Protina has already validated the SPID platform by successfully developing a bio-better candidate for the autoimmune disease treatment Humira (adalimumab). The improved candidate demonstrated 20 to 100 times greater efficacy in animal models compared to the original, potentially extending the patient's dosing interval from two weeks to several months and reducing the risk of side effects.

Each member of the consortium brings specialized, complementary expertise. Protina, leveraging its expertise in protein-protein interaction (PPI) big data, spearheads the AI-driven drug discovery using AbGPT-3D and SPID to identify the novel antibody candidates.

Samsung Bioepis, a veteran in developing antibody biosimilars for autoimmune and oncology indications, will take on the critical role of translating the consortium's candidates into viable biopharmaceuticals for clinical trials and subsequent commercialization. This involves the rapid development of cell lines with high productivity and stability, optimizing the complex cultivation and purification processes, establishing large-scale manufacturing (CMC) for clinical samples, and managing the entire regulatory process from non-clinical toxicology to IND submission. Samsung Bioepis’s track record includes 39 IND approvals across 11 products in major regulatory jurisdictions, with no refusals—a key asset for global clinical advancement.

The academic pillar of the consortium is the research team led by Professor Min-Kyung Baek of Seoul National University, a globally recognized authority in antibody design AI. Her expertise, especially in applying AI to protein structure prediction, significantly bolsters the technological foundation of the project.

This joint project represents a critical step in integrating AI design technology into the antibody biopharmaceutical development process, setting a practical, validated precedent for the global AI-driven new drug sector. The consortium's ultimate vision extends beyond merely finding new candidates; it aims to develop 'Best-in-Class' bio-betters—improved versions of existing blockbuster drugs—to enhance therapeutic outcomes and reduce developmental risk.

Yoon Tae-young, CEO of Protina and an SNU professor, expressed confidence that this project, by combining Protina's platform, SNU's AI, and Samsung Bioepis's global development capabilities, marks the beginning of a new era in AI drug development. The successful achievement of their 27-month goals will unequivocally demonstrate the transformative potential of their platform technology. Kim Yoon-chul, a senior executive at Samsung Bioepis, highlighted that the project validates the company's accumulated process optimization expertise gained through biosimilar development and will channel it toward meeting unmet medical needs through AI-designed candidates.

The project’s success, with milestones including securing 10 candidate materials, filing 10 patent applications, completing non-clinical trials for three, and an IND application or technology transfer for one, is structured for immediate impact. Should the candidates succeed, Samsung Bioepis will lead clinical development and commercialization, with Protina receiving milestone payments and royalties. This concerted effort is poised to significantly accelerate the transition from traditional, lengthy, and high-risk drug development to an efficient, AI-powered paradigm.