New addition strengthens SK Biopharmaceuticals’ radiopharmaceutical therapy portfolio and reinforces its R&D capabilities through global partnerships and value chain integration
SEOUL, South Korea, Nov. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — SK Biopharmaceuticals, CO., Ltd., a biotech company specializing in research, development, and commercialization of treatments for central nervous system (CNS) disorders and oncology, announced a license agreement with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) to acquire the exclusive worldwide rights for research and development (R&D), manufacturing, and commercialization of WARF’s “WT-7695,” a preclinical-stage radiopharmaceutical therapy candidate developed in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
This agreement represents SK Biopharmaceuticals’ second in-licensed asset in the radiopharmaceutical therapy field, following its first asset “SKL35501 (formerly FL-091)” in 2024. Since then, SK Biopharmaceuticals has continued to strengthen its foundation in the radiopharmaceutical field through supply agreements with TerraPower, a U.S. nuclear innovation company, and PanTera, a Belgian radioisotope producer, securing Actinium-225 (225Ac), and through multiple research collaboration agreements to broaden its expertise and capabilities across the full radiopharmaceutical value chain.
WT-7695 is a small-molecule radiopharmaceutical candidate in preclinical stage designed to target carbonic anhydrase IX (CA9), a transmembrane protein that plays a critical role in cancer cell growth and metastasis under hypoxic conditions. CA9 is highly expressed in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC)[1] and other solid tumors such as pancreatic and colorectal cancers — making it a validated and selective target for radiopharmaceutical therapy development. Preclinical studies have shown promising efficacy, suggesting that WT-7695 has the potential to become a best-in-class radiopharmaceutical candidate.
Through this license agreement, SK Biopharmaceuticals continues to pursue a balanced growth strategy, strengthening internal capabilities while expanding strategic partnerships to advance R&D in radiopharmaceutical therapy. The company aims to build a robust and comprehensive radiopharmaceutical value chain, encompassing drug discovery, radioisotope sourcing, preclinical and clinical development.
“This agreement underscores the promise of CA9 as a target in advancing cancer treatment for patients around the world,” said Erik Iverson, CEO of WARF. “We’re deeply proud of the collaboration between our WARF Therapeutics team and the University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers, whose work paved the way for this partnership with SK Biopharmaceuticals. Together, we’re committed to accelerating the development of this promising therapy and bringing it closer to the patients who need it.”
“By securing this promising candidate with demonstrated preclinical efficacy, SK Biopharmaceuticals will further diversify its radiopharmaceutical therapy portfolio and reinforce its R&D capabilities through global collaboration,” said Donghoon Lee, CEO of SK Biopharmaceuticals. “We will continue to expand our pipeline based on validated targets, strengthen our expertise across the integrated radiopharmaceutical value chain, and accelerate the development of next-generation cancer treatments to deliver meaningful solutions for patients with high unmet medical needs worldwide.”
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About WT-7695
A small-molecule radiopharmaceutical candidate targeting CA9. In preclinical studies, WT-7695 demonstrated strong binding affinity, tumor selectivity, prolonged tumor retention, and complete tumor growth inhibition, supporting its potential as a best-in-class radiopharmaceutical candidate. CA9 is overexpressed in ccRCC as well as other solid tumors such as pancreatic and colorectal cancers, while showing limited expression in normal tissues[2] — making it a highly suitable target for radiopharmaceutical development. With exclusive worldwide rights granted under the agreement, SK Biopharmaceuticals plans to conduct global clinical trials, including in the United States.
About SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. and SK Life Science, Inc.
SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. is part of SK Group, South Korea’s second-largest conglomerate. SK Group is a collection of global industry-leading companies driving innovations in energy, advanced materials, biopharmaceuticals and digital business. Based in Seoul, SK invests in building sustainable businesses around the world with a shared commitment to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. SK companies combined have $151 billion in global annual revenue and employ more than 100,000 people worldwide. SK Group is one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential Companies of 2023. SK Inc., the parent company of SK Biopharmaceuticals, continues to enhance its portfolio value by executing long-term investments with a number of competitive subsidiaries in various business areas, including pharmaceuticals and life science, energy and chemicals, information and telecommunication, and semiconductors. In addition, SK Inc. is focused on reinforcing its growth foundations through profitable and practical management based on financial stability, while raising its enterprise value by investing in new future growth businesses. For more information about SK Inc., visit https://sk-inc.com/en/main/mainpage.aspx. For more information about SK Biopharmaceuticals, visit www.skbp.com/eng.
SK Life Science, Inc., with headquarters in Paramus, New Jersey, is a U.S. subsidiary of SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., a pioneering South Korean biopharmaceutical company in drug development and commercialization. Together, they are advancing innovative treatments for central nervous system (CNS) disorders and oncology, with eight compounds currently in development. Utilizing target-based drug discovery, high-throughput organic screening/high content screening, computer-aided drug design, and combinatorial chemistry, the companies drive R&D efforts in biology/discovery, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and clinical development. For more information, visit www.SKLifeScienceInc.com.
About Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF)
Celebrating a century of service in 2025, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) patents and licenses discoveries from UW-Madison research, manages an investment portfolio generated from licensing and investment proceeds, and provides annual grants to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Morgridge Institute for Research to support further scientific investigation and research. By driving collaborations among researchers, investors, industry, and entrepreneurs, WARF commercializes innovations from campus through various programs. WARF Accelerator improves the commercialization potential of university intellectual property through industry engagement and investment in proof-of-concept milestones to validate market potential, demonstrate commercial value and de-risk technology. WARF Therapeutics partners with UW-Madison and Morgridge Institute researchers employing an industry-focused approach to improve the value propositions of drug candidates. WARF Ventures is an early-stage venture fund that invests in startups based on UW/WARF technologies. Learn more at warf.org.
[1] The most common type of kidney cancer in adults, characterized by clear or pale-looking cells under a microscope. It begins in the cells that line the small tubes of the kidney. (Source: National Cancer Institute, https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/clear-cell-renal-cell-carcinoma) |
[2] Ramachandran et al 2021, Klatte et al 2009, Yang et al 2017, Peridis et al 2011, Hyuga et al 2017, Kovacova & Hodorova 2021, Chong Hui Clara Ong et al, 2022, Ilie et al 2010, Choschzick et al 2011, Lou et al 2011 |
