CEO Message

NEORNAT Inc. is a specialized RNA anti-cancer therapeutics developing company that discovers first-in-class targets through RNA functional research and in vitro & in vivo verification studies, and conducts clinical development with NEORNAT's own RNA treatment strategies.

For a long time, RNA has been attracting attention only for its role in transcribing proteins based on genomic DNA sequences, but recently, it has been reported that numerous non-coding RNAs have a pivotal roles on the transcription and translation of functional genes in cells. NEORNAT aims to become a leading company in the development of RNA therapeutics that selectively target RNA or RNA regulatory factors contributing diseases, particularly cancer, with high-level research as the source technology. The main pipelines are first-in-class RNA targets including macrophage immune-checkpoint inhibitor, oncogenic super enhancer, long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs), and DNA repair enzymes. In addition, NEORNAT discovered multiple biomarkers for early diagnosis of liver cancer for the first time in the world, and raised the diagnostic accuracy to 100% level by utilizing multi-marker analysis. In the future, a new liver cancer diagnosis kit that can accurately diagnose early liver cancer at the pre-cancerous stage level will be developed through clinical verification experiments.

With these efforts and achievements, NEORNAT Inc. promises to contribute to human health and quality of life.

NEORNAT Inc. CEO
prof. Suk Woo Nam. PhD
swnam@neornat.com

Company Identity

NEORNAT Inc. develops first-in-class anti-cancer RNA drugs targeting functional RNAs and their specific regulators in cancer.

NEORNAT

=

Neo (The New)

+

RNA + T (Therapy)

The New RNA Therapeutics Company
First-in-Class Target Therapeutics

RNA Therapeutics

*Source: Globaldata, Published image from KoData

The need for RNA therapy

As a next-generation genetic drug, sufficient potential has been verified through the COVID-19 vaccine.
Normalizes intracellular pathological mechanisms that are difficult to target with existing drugs.
With the development of RNA stability and delivery technology, many obstacles for the development of RNA therapeutics are being resolved.

Advantages of RNA Therapeutics

It fundamentally cures diseases by blocking disease-expressing genes.
As a substance originally present in the body, it is not toxic by itself, and unlike DNA therapy, it does not affect the host genome, so there is little concern about safety.
The production process is relatively simple and inexpensive.

*Source : Research and markets, Precedence research data reprocessing

Rapid growth of the RNA therapeutics market

The global market is showing high growth every year as siRNA treatment was approved by the FDA in 2018.
As a first-in-class new drug, active technology export is possible even in the early stages of development.

History

2026

04
Selected for the Drug Candidate Track of the Korea Drug Development Fund 「Drug R&D Ecosystem Development Research」 Program (KRW 1.2 billion / 2026–2028)
Selected for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ 「Startup Leap Package」 (KRW 210 million / 2026)
01
Entered into a financial advisory agreement with InDeal Co., Ltd., a strategic advisory firm specializing in fundraising and technology commercialization

2025

12
In-licensed patented technology for early gastric cancer diagnosis from The Catholic University of Korea Industry–Academic Cooperation Foundation (CUK-IACF)
09
Celebrated the 5th anniversary of NEORNAT Co., Ltd.
07
Signed an MOU with MediRama Inc., a clinical development specialist, for 「drug development and clinical collaboration」
06
Initiated joint R&D of a lung cancer gene therapy with Certest, a company specializing in lung cancer delivery technologies
Submitted a pre-IND consultation request to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) for NRT-YHD_001, an RNA immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma
05
Selected for the 「2025 Startup-Centered University Program (Preliminary Startup Track)」, administered by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (KRW 100 million / 2025)
01
Signed an MOU with Beyond Bridge & Co., a specialist firm in global licensing, technology commercialization, and fundraising

2024

06
Selected for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ 「POST-TIPS」 Program (KRW 430 million / 2024–2025)
05
CEO Suk Woo Nam was invited to speak at the special session, 「Next-Generation Drug Platform Development Strategies」 at BIO KOREA 2024
04
Selected for KDDF’s 「Global Technology Transfer and Co-Development Support Program」 (KRW 100 million / 2024)

2023

12
Entered into an agreement with Liberi Group, a global business development firm, to pursue technology transfer and co-development
Completed a KRW 3.5 billion Series A financing
07
Signed a joint R&D agreement with CellArtgen Co., Ltd., a biomaterials specialist, for an RNA-based liver cancer gene therapy
04
Selected for the Preclinical Track of the Korea Drug Development Fund (KDDF) 「Drug R&D Ecosystem Development Research」 Program (KRW 2.0 billion / 2023–2025)
02
Signed an MOU with AIMS Biosciences Co., Ltd., a preclinical and clinical development specialist, to support IND approval for NRT-YHD_001

2022

09
Established NEORNAT Corporate R&D Center
06
Selected as a Top 5 finalist and named as a Best company at SteinTech Bio Season 1
03
Completed a KRW 2.7 billion Series A financing
02
Signed an MOU with LabGenomics Co., Ltd., a molecular diagnostics specialist, to develop RNA-based early cancer diagnostics

2021

12
In-licensed patented technology for anticancer drug candidates from The Catholic University of Korea Industry–Academic Cooperation Foundation (CUK-IACF)
11
Entered into an agreement with Algok Bio Inc. concerning preferred negotiating rights for NRT-YHD_001, a liver cancer therapeutic
06
Selected for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ 「TIPS Program」 (KRW 550 million / 2021–2023)

2020

11
In-licensed patented technology for anticancer drug candidates and in vitro diagnostics from The Catholic University of Korea Industry–Academic Cooperation Foundation (CUK-IACF)
09
Established NEORNAT Co., Ltd.

People

Founder, CEO & CTO Suk Woo Nam

Professor, Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea (present)
Director of Functional Rnomics Research Center, Catholic University of Korea (present)
President, Basic Professors Association of College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea (Present)

Sungkyunkwan University Department of Pharmacy, Master of Pharmacy, Doctor of Pharmacy
Post-doctoral Fellow, Lab of Pathology, NCI, NIH, USA
Senior Scientist, Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore

Published more than 254 SCI papers, and 28 patent applications and registrations
Korea National Academy of Medicine Award for Basic Medicine (Pfizer Medical Award), 2014
Minister of Health and Welfare Award, 2015
Minister of Environment Award, 2013
Served as a judge for the Ho-Am Award for Medicine
Served as a judge for KOSDAQ technology special listing (RNA new drug part)

Head of NEORNAT Regulatory Science Chang Won Park, Ph.D.

Pharmaceutical Regulatory Science General Manager
Ph.D. in Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Korea.

Former Health Researcher at the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety
Experience in various departments including General Toxicology, Neurotoxicology, Organ System Drugs, Antibiotic and Anticancer Drugs, Drug Approval Review Coordination, Hazardous Substance Analysis, Cosmetic Research, Oncology Drugs, Pharmacology Research, Cardiovascular and Imaging Devices, and Medical Device Research.

Recipient of the Prime Minister's Commendation from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, 2009.
Expert in Non-clinical Drug Testing (Toxicology Testing)
Expert in the Safety/Efficacy Evaluation of Drugs and Medical Devices

Head of Nonclinical Development Sang Yean Kim

Team leader : non-clinical development of new drug candidates department (current)

Ph.D., College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea
Major in Tumor Biology
Major in RNA Cancer Biology
Major in Targeted-RNA therapy Development

7 SCI articles including Oncogene and 3 patent applications
Modified mouse lung cancer analysis expert
Responsible for the development of Macrophage RNA Immunotherapy
Responsible for research and development of siRNA mix therapeutics
Responsible for GLP-Tox and PK/PD assessment

Head of active and lead material development Min Jeong Na

Team leader: new drug effective and leading substance development & verification department (current)

Ph.D., College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea
Major in Tumor Biology
Major in DNA Repair & Cancer Biology
Major in RNA Variation & Cancer

4 SCI articles including Experimental Molecular Medicine and 3 patent applications
Real-time mouse liver cancer image analysis expert
Responsible for the development of novel DNA repair enzyme-targeted therapy
Responsible for non-clinical efficacy evaluation

Head of early cancer diagnosis development Jung Hwan Yoon

Team leader: digestive cancer RNA drug development (current)

Ph.D., College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea
Major in Tumor Biology
Experience in the early diagnosis and development of gastric cancer

50 SCI articles including Cancer Commun and 13 patent applications
Gastric cancer early diagnosis kit development expert
Specialist in the development of anticancer drugs targeting gastric cancer carcinogenesis
Head of gastric cancer drug effective and lead material development and verification research