Samsung Medical Center (SMC; President Park Seung-woo) announced on May 18 that it had signed an MOU on joint R&D with REYON Pharmaceutical (co-CEOs Jeong Soon-ok and Yoo Yong-hwan) on May 11for mass production of cellular and gene therapy products based on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). 

Representatives of the SMC and REYON Pharmaceutical taking a picture at the MOU ceremony held at the Irwon Station campus of the SMC on May 11

The MOU ceremony was held at the Irwon Station campus of the SMC. The attendees from the SMC side included Lee Gyu-seong, the head of the Research Division and the Research Center for Future Medicine; Jang Yun-sil, head of the Cellular and Gene Therapy Research Center; Lee Ji-hun Lee, head of the Gene Therapy Research Center; and Jang Jong-wook, head of the GMP Cell Production Team, while the representatives of REYON Pharmaceutical included co-CEO Yoo Yong-hwan and Bio Business Director Kim Young-min.

Based on the MOU, the SMC and REYON Pharmaceutical will work closely together for mass production of cellular and gene therapy products by conducting joint R&D in the field of cellu;ar and gene therapy.

 “In order to develop cellular and gene therapies for rare and intractable diseases, there needs to be innovation in the fields of cells and genetics. […] By forming a research partnership with REYON Pharmaceutical armed with the process technology and production facilities to mass-produce stock solutions of high-purity pDNA, we’ve created a foothold for promoting the fields of cellular and genetic therapies,” said Lee Gyu-seong, the head of the Research Division and the Research Center for Future Medicine.

Jang Yoon-sil said, “Starting with this partnership, we expect to be able to develop innovative cell and gene therapies based on REYON Pharmaceutical’s exceptional research capabilities as well as mutual feedback and joint research in a clinical setting.”

REYON Pharmaceutical CEO Yoo Yong-hwan said, “I am delighted that we’ll be undertaking joint research with the Cellular and Gene Therapy Research Center of the Samsung Medical Center, which has world-class medical staff and extensive research experience. […] We will fortify our research partnership to open a new path for development and commercialization of cellular and gene therapies for rare and intractable diseases.” 

Meanwhile, REYON Pharmaceutical has been making remarkable achievements on all fronts, completing the construction of the Chungju bio plant capable of manufacturing AAV- and mRNA-based cellular and gene therapy products using pDNA last year and signing a pDNA manufacturing contract this past April.