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- Development of Leptin receptor-based technology and hybrid LNP platform
- Combining Blood-Brain Barrier penetration and a one-month sustained-release formulation in a single structure, with potential applications in CNS-targeted therapeutics
- Technology validated by winning first place in Novo Nordisk’s Open Innovation contest… Accelerating global technology transfer
SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ImmunoForge (Co-CEOs Sung-Min Ahn and Ki-Ho Chang), a biotech venture specializing in the development of therapeutics for rare diseases, announced that it has been finally selected for the 2026 Investment and Financing-Linked Technology Development Program (Global TIPS R&D), organized by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) and the Korea Technology and Information Promotion Agency for SMEs (TIPA).
The program selected promising global companies in the domestic biotechnology and healthcare sectors through a two-stage evaluation process consisting of a first-round written evaluation and a second-round in-person evaluation. As a final selected company, ImmunoForge will receive a total of KRW 5 billion in government funding over the next four years.
The LMT (Leptin receptor-Mediated Transcytosis) platform, which received particular attention in this project, is based on Leptin receptor-mediated transcytosis technology. Compared with existing Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) penetration technologies, it has clear advantages, including lower side effects and higher permeability.
BBB Penetration and One-Month Sustained-Release Formulation… Building a Differentiated CNS Platform
In particular, ImmunoForge has fused its proprietary long-acting technology, ELP, with the LMT platform to implement BBB penetration and one-month sustained release in a single structure. This is expected to enable applications in various areas, including CNS-targeted therapeutics with a one-month formulation.
In addition, the BBB-penetrating LNP platform being developed through this project is a hybrid platform that combines Leptin receptor-mediated transcytosis technology with lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). The goal is to establish a hybrid platform that directly targets the central nervous system and to complete the development process through the preclinical stage.
Building on its selection for this project, ImmunoForge plans to move forward with full-scale development by combining its BBB delivery technology with CNS-targeted drug candidates based on the company’s platform technologies.
Global Partnerships to Accelerate
Ki-Ho Chang, Co-CEO of ImmunoForge, said, “Through our selection for the Global TIPS R&D program, we plan to further advance the LMT platform and develop new drug peptides with various domestic and international companies.”
He added, “In addition, we plan to pursue collaborative research and co-development to identify CNS-targeted drug candidates by utilizing LNP technologies with various modalities, including mRNA, siRNA, and ASO. We are already receiving interest from global companies and are currently discussing collaborative research with multiple companies.”
“We will also actively pursue global technology transfer with global companies based on our differentiated technologies,” Chang added.
Sung-Min Ahn, Co-CEO of ImmunoForge, said, “The fact that our technology won first place in the Open Innovation contest hosted by global pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk is evidence that our technological capabilities have been recognized at a global level.”
“We will continue to expand our technologies so that we can become a key partner for global companies in the field of central nervous system disorders,” Ahn emphasized.
[Project Overview]
- Project Title: Development and Preclinical Validation of an Innovative Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB)-Penetrating Hybrid LNP Platform (Global TIPS R&D)
- Project Funding: A total of KRW 5 billion over four years (entirely government-funded)
- Host Organization: Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) / Korea Technology and Information Promotion Agency for SMEs (TIPA)
