Yuhan Corporation Looks Back on the 10-Year Journey of Lazertinib Development

[Financial News] To mark its 100th anniversary, Yuhan Corporation organized an event to look back on the development process of its self-developed new drug, 'Lazertinib.' The company shared the journey from compound discovery and clinical trials to the technology transfer to Janssen (a Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical brand), and the establishment of the combination therapy of Lazertinib and amivantamab as a global treatment.
Yuhan Corporation announced on the 16th that it held the 'Beyond 100 Years' event at Willow House in Daebang-dong, Seoul, on the 15th. The event was held to coincide with the World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC).
The event was attended by Yuhan Corporation CEO Cho Wook-je and R&D President Kim Yeol-hong, as well as executives and researchers involved in the development of Lazertinib. Also present were Dr. Jong-sung Ko of Genosco, who discovered the Lazertinib compound; Professor Byung Chul Cho of Yonsei University Severance Hospital, who led the clinical development; and representatives from J&J Global and Korea.
Lazertinib is a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted anticancer drug developed by Yuhan Corporation. Yuhan Corporation transferred the rights to Lazertinib to Janssen in 2018, and global development has since proceeded in combination with Janssen's amivantamab.
On this day, Dr. Jong-sung Ko introduced the discovery and optimization process for 'GNS-1480,' the development code name for Lazertinib. He explained how, following a meeting with Professor Byung Chul Cho in 2013, the team established a target candidate profile and designed the compound to enhance blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and drug selectivity, ultimately securing a development candidate.
Professor Byung Chul Cho introduced the clinical development process that spanned from 2013 to 2024. He shared the journey from the technology transfer to Janssen in 2018 and domestic approval in 2021 to the global clinical development of the combination therapy of Lazertinib and amivantamab.
Key clinical results for the combination therapy of Lazertinib and amivantamab were also presented. In the global Phase 3 MARIPOSA study, the combination therapy was shown to reduce the risk of death by 25% compared with Osimertinib. Based on these results, the combination therapy was developed as a new treatment option for first-line treatment of EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer.
CEO Cho Wook-je said, "Lazertinib is the culmination of the challenges and innovations Yuhan Corporation has built over the past 100 years and an achievement symbolizing the next 100 years to come," adding, "The combination therapy of Lazertinib and amivantamab is becoming a new hope for lung cancer patients around the world."

[email protected] Jeong Sang-hee Reporter