에이피트바이오
13 known investors
APITbio develops antibody-based therapeutics using a proprietary fully human antibody library, with platforms for antibody discovery, engineering, optimization, production, and bispecific antibody creation. Its pipeline includes monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and a CAR-T program under joint research.
Also known as Antibody Platform-based Innovative Therapeutics BIO · ApitBio · APITBIO · 에이피트 · 에이피트바이오 주식회사
Investors · 13
Also in the syndicate · 11
Company profile
researched Aug 2026에이피트바이오 (APITBIO, from "Antibody Platform-based Innovative Therapeutics") is a Seoul-based biotechnology company founded by a group of antibody-development specialists drawn from Korean industry, academia, research institutes and hospitals. The company develops antibody-based therapeutics intended to address unmet medical needs in precision medicine and to raise clinical success rates, focusing on oncology modalities aligned with global anticancer drug development trends.
Its work is built on an in-house fully human synthetic antibody (Fab) library combined with platforms for antibody discovery, IgG construction, optimization, production/purification/analysis and bispecific antibody construction. Using these platforms the company has assembled monoclonal antibody, bispecific antibody and ADC pipelines, plus a CAR-T program pursued through joint research. The lead program, APB-A001, is a CD171 (L1CAM)-targeting antibody being developed for refractory solid tumors; the company has described it as a targeted agent with intended dual targeted/immuno-oncology function and reported domestic Phase 1 approval in Korea in 2023 along with more than 1 kg of GMP-grade antibody in hand. In June 2024 the company was selected for the Korea Drug Development Fund (KDDF) drug-discovery infrastructure program to derive a lead CD171 ADC candidate for solid tumors over two years, working with payload partner Pinotbio. Alongside its own pipeline, APITBIO sells antibody discovery services, generating human monoclonal antibodies for diagnostic and therapeutic use with high antigen affinity, low immunogenicity, high productivity and favorable biophysical properties.
Founding story
The company was established in December 2018 by a group of antibody-development experts spanning Korean industry, academia, research institutes and hospitals. CEO 윤선주 (Sunju Yoon) had prior roles in drug discovery research, planning and evaluation at Neopharm (Aekyung Group, head of new drug development), the Korea Drug Development Fund predecessor organization (expert committee member), Abion (research center head) and the Scripps Korea Antibody Institute (head of future strategy). She has said she founded the company after observing at the national drug development fund how differently researchers and large pharmaceutical companies assess programs, concluding that biotechs targeting licensing must build the data packages that buyers need.
Business model
APITBIO combines internal drug development with fee-based services: it builds proprietary antibody-based pipelines (monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, ADCs, and a co-researched CAR-T program) intended for out-licensing to partners, while also providing customer-directed antibody discovery services from its synthetic human Fab library and its discovery/optimization/production platform. Management has stated that, because technology transfer is the goal, assembling the data package that licensees require is central to its approach.
Revenue is intended from licensing/technology transfer of antibody-based drug candidates plus service fees from antibody discovery work performed for external customers on its platform.
Traction
Cumulative disclosed equity financing totals KRW 4.5 billion in angel/seed capital (2019) and KRW 14 billion in Series A (2021). Non-dilutive support includes selection for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' BIG innovation-field startup package and SME technology innovation development program (2020), a follow-on "초격차" startup support project, and the KDDF drug-discovery infrastructure program (2024). Development milestones include domestic Phase 1 approval in Korea for CD171 antibody APB-A001 in 2023, more than 1 kg of GMP-grade APB-A001 antibody produced, a US patent registration for the CD171 antibody, a CDMO contract with Binex, and a non-clinical research MOU with Cosa Bio. The company is certified as a venture business and classified as an SME.
Latest developments
In June 2024 APITBIO announced selection for the Korea Drug Development Fund's drug-discovery infrastructure research program, receiving two years of support to derive a lead CD171 (L1CAM) ADC candidate for refractory solid tumors, with payload work to be conducted jointly with partner Pinotbio. The company also reported selection for a follow-on support project for "초격차" startups, US patent registration of its CD171 antibody, and an MOU with Cosa Bio for non-clinical research. It is listed as an exhibitor offering antibody discovery services at a Korean life science trade exhibition.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
APITBIO is an early-stage Korean antibody drug developer whose lead CD171 (L1CAM) program had reached domestic Phase 1 approval as of 2023 and whose ADC work has attracted national drug development funding. It positions its CD171 ADC for refractory solid tumors that are unresponsive or poorly responsive to ADCs against other target antigens.
APITBIO emphasizes an integrated in-house chain from its own fully human synthetic Fab library through discovery, optimization, production and bispecific construction, allowing continuous generation of new pipelines from a single platform. For its ADC program, it cites the availability of more than 1 kg of already-manufactured GMP-grade CD171 antibody as a way to cut the time and cost of securing GMP antibody for preclinical and clinical ADC work.
Technology
The core asset is an in-house fully human synthetic antibody (Fab) library, coupled to a "one-stop" platform set covering library construction and enhancement, novel antibody discovery, IgG production, optimization, production/purification/analysis, and bispecific antibody construction. The company has also described a big-data platform for identifying novel targets and biomarkers and validating clinical efficacy using clinical data. Disclosed intellectual property includes antibodies binding specifically to human L1CAM protein and their uses, anti-L1CAM antibodies and uses thereof, and a human antibody binding to the hepatocyte-receptor-binding site of the hepatitis B virus preS1 antigen. Lead antibody APB-A001 targets CD171 (L1CAM) and has been optimized for high productivity, high antigen binding and low aggregation, with backup molecules secured.
Go-to-market
The company pursues an open-innovation model, maintaining collaboration networks with core researchers at Korean universities, hospitals, research institutes and companies across antibody source technology, antibody culture/purification, antibody modelling, and toxicology/clinical trial areas. It seeks joint development with domestic and overseas companies in CAR-T, ADC and bispecific antibodies, uses CDMO arrangements for manufacturing, and markets antibody discovery services directly, including through trade-show exhibition.
Patients with refractory solid tumors are the ultimate therapeutic target; commercially the company addresses pharmaceutical and biotech licensees and co-development partners (including CAR-T, ADC and bispecific antibody companies), plus organizations purchasing custom antibody discovery for diagnostic or therapeutic use.
Geography
Headquartered in Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea, with development partnerships and investors based in Korea and patent filings extending to the United States (US provisional and PCT filings in 2019; a later US patent registration for the CD171 antibody).
History
The company was incorporated on 2018-12-13. In March 2019 it took a KRW 500 million angel investment from clinical CRO C&R Research, and by July 2019 had closed a KRW 4 billion seed round from Kolon Investment and Neoplux, for a combined KRW 4.5 billion. It in-licensed a first-in-class antibody drug candidate against a novel target from Kangwon National University's industry-academic cooperation foundation, and completed a US provisional patent filing and a PCT filing in June 2019. In 2020 it was selected for Korean SME ministry programs (BIG innovation-field startup package and an SME technology innovation development project). In February 2021 it closed a KRW 14 billion Series A with nine institutional investors. A CDMO agreement with Binex for its targeted immuno-oncology antibody followed. In 2023 APB-A001 received domestic Phase 1 clinical trial approval in Korea for solid tumors, and in June 2024 the company was selected for a KDDF research program for a CD171 ADC.
Risks & controversies
The pipeline is early-stage, with the lead asset at Phase 1 approval stage and the ADC program at lead-optimization, so value depends on clinical outcomes and on securing licensing partners. Timelines have shifted relative to earlier guidance: in 2019 the company targeted non-clinical entry in Q4 2020 and Phase 1 in 2022, and in 2021 it targeted 2022 IND approval, whereas domestic Phase 1 approval was reported in 2023. The size of KDDF funding support was not disclosed.
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 · 14
launches, deals, and filingsThe Korea Drug Development Fund selected APITBIO for its drug-discovery base expansion research program, providing two years of support toward deriving a lead CD171 (L1CAM) ADC candidate for refractory solid tumors unresponsive or poorly responsive to ADCs against other target antigens. Payload research to be conducted with partner Pinotbio. Funding amount not disclosed.
APITBIO planned joint research with partner Pinotbio on various payloads to derive a CD171 ADC lead compound.
The CD171 antibody candidate APB-A001 received domestic Phase 1 clinical trial approval in Korea for solid tumors.
Nine institutions participated, including existing seed investors Kolon Investment and Shinhan Venture Investment plus UTC Investment, LSK Investment, KDB Capital, Mirae Equity Partners, Laguna Investment, Hyundai Technology Investment and KB Securities. Proceeds allocated to non-clinical research and Phase 1 IND preparation for APB-A001, follow-on R&D for bispecific and CAR-T pipelines, and new monoclonal antibody discovery with expansion into ADCs.
Selected for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' BIG innovation-field startup package support program and the SME technology innovation development project.
Kolon Investment and Neoplux invested KRW 4 billion in a seed round about eight months after founding, bringing total angel plus seed funding to KRW 4.5 billion, to be used for R&D hiring and non-clinical study preparation.
The company completed a US provisional patent application and a PCT application for its novel-target antibody.
Strategic investor and clinical CRO 씨엔알리서치 (C&R Research) provided KRW 500 million in angel funding; C&R Research also formed a drug development support team to assist clinical work at biotechs it backed.
APITBIO licensed a novel-target (first-in-class) antibody drug candidate from Kangwon National University's industry-academic cooperation foundation; the target is associated with tumor metastasis, proliferation, drug resistance, poor prognosis and the tumor microenvironment, and the antibody had been improved through optimization for higher productivity, higher antigen binding and lower aggregation.
에이피트바이오 주식회사 established; registered business number 128-88-01251, CEO 윤선주, located in Songpa-gu, Seoul; classified as an SME with venture certification.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- 에이피트바이오apitbio.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does 에이피트바이오 do?
- Korean biotech developing antibody-based cancer therapeutics and offering antibody discovery services from its own synthetic human Fab library.
- Who are 에이피트바이오's investors?
- 에이피트바이오's investors include Hyundai Venture Investment Corporation, Laguna Investment.