K-Bio firms converge on Europe’s largest biotech event, seeking out-licensing and co-development deals

[Financial News] Korean pharmaceutical and biotech companies will converge on Europe’s largest biotech partnering event. Going beyond presenting drug candidates for out-licensing, they will showcase their respective technological strengths—from drug-delivery platforms and bispecific antibodies to cell therapies and artificial intelligence (AI)-based drug discovery—as they seek co-development and commercialization opportunities with global pharmaceutical companies. The event is drawing attention as Korean companies’ business development strategies become increasingly diversified in the global technology-licensing market.
 According to the pharmaceutical and biotech industry on the 8th, a large number of Korean companies will attend BIO-Europe 2026, which will be held in Cologne, Germany, from the 9th to the 11th (local time). BIO-Europe is an event where global pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms and investment institutions gather to discuss business partnerships, including technology transfers, joint research and investment.
 The scale of Korean companies’ participation has already reached that of major countries. According to the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, about 240 Korean companies attended BIO-Europe last year, making Korea fourth in the number of participating companies, after the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. This year, Korea also accounted for 8% of participants in the country-by-country breakdown published on the event’s official website.
 Each company’s strategy varies according to its technologies and stage of development. ABL Bio Inc. is highlighting its bispecific antibody platform, Grabody. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) shuttle platform Grabody-B is expanding its applications beyond antibodies to include short interfering RNA (siRNA). Grabody-T is a 4-1BB-based immuno-oncology platform. Drawing on clinical data—including a Phase 2 trial of givastomig (ABL111), a candidate treatment for metastatic gastric cancer, and development of a combination therapy involving the PD-L1/4-1BB bispecific antibody ragistomig (ABL503)—the company will discuss potential collaborations with global firms. Its strategy is to explore pipeline-specific co-development opportunities as well as platform technology licensing.
 G2GBIO is focusing on commercializing its drug-delivery technology. It will present InnoLAMP, a long-acting injectable platform, and InnoBioLAMP, a platform for highly concentrated antibody formulations for subcutaneous injection. After signing a platform technology evaluation agreement with China’s UBT, the company plans to expand the pool of partners for evaluation and commercialization collaborations at BIO-Europe as well.
 Y-Biologics is seeking technology licensing centered on MultiAbKine, its platform for multispecific antibodies and cytokine fusion proteins. Its strategy is to demonstrate development potential before the clinical stage and translate that into technology licensing or co-development.
 ViGenCell is highlighting both its cell therapy pipeline and its in-house manufacturing facilities. The company will present autologous cell therapy VC-101, for which it announced Phase 2 results at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the European Hematology Association (EHA) this year, as well as VC-302, a glioblastoma candidate, and VC-420, a hepatocellular carcinoma candidate. As Europe pursues policies to foster its advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMP) industry, the company is seeking to build connections with more local firms.
 3billion Inc. is extending into drug development the genomic data it has collected through rare disease diagnosis. The company will present a strategy that combines at least 120,000 patient genomic records and 600,000 case records with its proprietary AI technology to identify new therapeutic targets and design small-molecule drug candidates.
 An industry official said, “More companies are seeking not only to out-license drug candidates with clinical results, but also to open up their platforms at the early research stage or pursue co-development models that combine data and manufacturing capabilities. Overseas partnering events are becoming increasingly important as a starting point for demonstrating a technology’s distinctiveness, clinical efficacy and commercial potential, and moving on to follow-up due diligence and negotiations.”
[email protected] Jung Sang-hee Reporter