Intron
Public · 1 known investors
Intron Biotechnology is a South Korean biotech company developing novel drugs based on bacteriophage platform technology, including "First-in-Class" treatments for multidrug-resistant superbacteria and "First-in-Concept" therapeutics targeting microbiome, viruses, and immune modulation. It positions itself as a global R&BD group in the biopharmaceutical field.
Also known as ㈜인트론바이오 · iNtRON Biotechnology · iNtRON Biotechnology, Inc. · 인트론바이오 · 인트론바이오테크놀로지
Investors · 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026iNtRON Biotechnology, Inc. (인트론바이오) is a South Korean biotechnology company headquartered in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do. It develops therapeutics built on bacteriophage and endolysin platform technology, alongside a diagnostics and research-reagent business. Its two named platforms are itLysin, an endolysin engineering platform aimed at infectious disease and multidrug-resistant "superbug" pathogens, and IMPA, a phage engineering platform applied to oncology, vaccines and immune regulation. The company describes its new drug R&BD direction as human-targeted disease therapeutics with First-in-Class and First-in-Concept, mechanism-of-action-based candidates, and positions itself as a "global R&BD group."
The organisation is structured around a New Drug Division and a diagnostics/reagents (DR) part, supported by the iNtRON R&BD research institute. Reported development work spans engineered endolysins for antimicrobial resistance, modular engineered phages combining bacterial targeting with toxin neutralisation, animal feed and drinking-water phage additives in effervescent formulation, a phage-derived hyaluronidase (pHyal20) for intravenous-to-subcutaneous formulation switching, in-house production of porcine RNase inhibitor (pRI) for molecular diagnostics, and a microalgae-based recombinant protein production platform. Company publications list peer-reviewed work on phage endolysins including SAL-1/SAL200, LysB4 and AP50-31.
The company operates two headquarters buildings in Jungwon-gu, Seongnam-si, and maintains Korean- and English-language corporate sites plus a partnering channel for licensing, R&BD collaboration, joint research and open innovation inquiries."]
Founding story
The company name derives from the genetic concept of introns: management describes how the Human Genome Project shifted scientific attention from exons to introns, and states that the company was founded around that concept and around the aspiration embodied in "it" — the company everyone hopes for.
Business model
iNtRON combines a research-reagent and molecular diagnostics business (including ordering of diagnostic products and reagents through its website, and in-house production of key raw materials such as porcine RNase inhibitor) with a new-drug division developing bacteriophage- and endolysin-based therapeutic candidates. It maintains a partnering function covering licensing-out, R&BD collaboration, joint research and open innovation.
Traction
The company is listed on KOSDAQ with 30,891,758 shares outstanding and a share price of KRW 2,845 as of 2026-08-28 (52-week range KRW 2,250-7,010). Leadership recognitions include a Presidential Industrial Service Medal at the 48th Invention Day (2013), the Korea Technology Grand Prize (2011) and the Jang Young-Sil Award (2008).
Latest developments
In 2026 the company reported: securing self-expression and purification technology for porcine RNase inhibitor (pRI), a key molecular-diagnostics raw material, with performance stated as equal to or better than commercial global products (August 2026); production-scale-up technology for five phages targeting Salmonella, E. coli and Clostridium for effervescent animal feed/water additives, said to raise single-batch output tenfold (July 2026); acceptance of two posters on colorectal-cancer-targeted IMPA phage engineering at ESMO Congress 2026 in Madrid (October 23-27, 2026), its first oncology conference participation (July 2026); development and patent filing of a phage-derived hyaluronidase, pHyal20, for subcutaneous formulations (July 2026); participation in BIO USA 2026 (June 2026); and establishment of a microalgae-based recombinant protein production platform (June 2026).
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
The company presents itself as a bio-venture pursuing First-in-Class therapies against multidrug-resistant superbacteria and First-in-Concept drugs in microbiome, virus and immune modulation, and as a "global R&BD group" spanning diagnostics, prevention and treatment.
The company emphasises bacteriophage-derived approaches distinct from conventional sources — for example a phage-derived hyaluronidase produced in E. coli as an alternative to human recombinant hyaluronidase requiring mammalian cell production, and engineered endolysins and modular phages designed for mechanism-of-action-defined First-in-Class and First-in-Concept positioning.
Technology
Two platforms are central: itLysin, engineered endolysins enhanced through bio-engineering for activity, stability and safety against superbugs; and IMPA, which engineers modular bacteriophages using AI and genetic technologies to target bacteria precisely and neutralise toxins for dual-action therapeutics. Additional disclosed technology includes high-titre phage production for effervescent animal feed/water additives, a phage-derived hyaluronidase (pHyal20) expressible in E. coli rather than mammalian cells for subcutaneous formulations, independent expression and purification of porcine RNase inhibitor, and a microalgae-based recombinant protein production platform.
Go-to-market
Direct ordering of diagnostics and reagents via its website, a dedicated business development and partnering team (partner@intron.co.kr) soliciting licensing-out, joint research and open innovation, and presence at international industry and scientific conferences such as BIO USA and ESMO to seek corporate collaborations.
Hospitals and laboratories purchasing diagnostic kits and research reagents, animal health/livestock feed and drinking-water markets for phage-based additives, and global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies as licensing and co-development partners.
Geography
Headquartered in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, with two headquarters sites in Jungwon-gu (137 Sagimakgol-ro and 14 Galmachi-ro 288beon-gil). International activity includes participation in BIO USA 2026 and planned presentations at ESMO Congress 2026 in Madrid, Spain.
History
Founded in 1999 as a reagent company with the stated aim of localising research reagents in Korea, iNtRON subsequently added a molecular diagnostics business and gained recognition for a novel influenza (H1N1) diagnostic kit. It then developed bacteriophage and endolysin platform technologies and shifted toward drug development, passing the Korea Exchange technology evaluation in 2010 and listing on the KOSDAQ market in January 2011, after which it concentrated resources on its new drug pipelines.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 7
launches, deals, and filingsThe DR part secured proprietary expression and purification technology for porcine RNase inhibitor, a key molecular diagnostics raw material, reporting performance at or above commercial global products and aiming to reduce RNA diagnostic kit costs.
Secured high-titre production technology for five phages targeting Salmonella, E. coli and Clostridium for animal feed and drinking-water additives, stated to increase single-batch output tenfold and enable room-temperature stability.
Two posters on colorectal-cancer-targeted IMPA phage engineering were accepted for presentation at the ESMO Congress in Madrid, Spain, held October 23-27, 2026; the company's first participation in an oncology conference.
The R&BD institute developed a bacteriophage-derived hyaluronidase (pHyal20) for intravenous-to-subcutaneous formulation switching, producible in E. coli rather than mammalian cells, and filed a patent application.
The company participated in BIO USA 2026, holding global corporate meetings.
The company reported establishing a microalgae-based recombinant protein production platform.
iNtRON Biotechnology passed the Korea Exchange technology evaluation in 2010 and listed on the KOSDAQ market in January 2011.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- Intronintron.co.kr · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Intron do?
- iNtRON Biotechnology is a KOSDAQ-listed Korean biotech developing bacteriophage- and endolysin-based drugs, diagnostics and reagents.
- Who are Intron's investors?
- Intron's investors include Kiwoom Investment.