GI Innovation

Name

GI Innovation

Legal name

주식회사 지아이이노베이션 (GI Innovation, Inc.)

Website

https://gi-innovation.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bispecific Fusion Protein Therapeutics

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Bispecific & Multispecific Antibodies (HLAAAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Antibody Discovery & Engineering Platforms (display tech, bispecifics, Fc engineering) (HLAAAIAB), Protein Interaction & Structural Biology Platforms (cryo-EM, X-ray, NMR, biophysics) (HLAAAIAH), Fusion Proteins & Fc-Engineered Biologics (HLAAAAAD)

Keywords

• Bispecific fusion proteins
• Immuno-oncology therapeutics
• Drug discovery platforms
• Biotech licensing
• Clinical stage biopharmaceuticals

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Technology Transfer / Licensing-out: The company generates revenue through licensing-out its drug candidates to global pharmaceutical companies. Completed deals include GI-101 to Simcere (China, ~9,500亿 KRW), GI-301 to Yuhan (Korea, ~1.4조 KRW), GI-301 to Maruho (Japan, ~3,000亿 KRW), and GI-301 to Simcere (China, ~1.146조 KRW). Ongoing negotiations with Merck/MSD for GI-101, GI-102, and GI-301 pipelines.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

GI Innovation develops bispecific fusion protein therapeutic candidates for immuno-oncology, allergic disease, and pulmonary hypertension using its proprietary GI-SMART™ and GI-SMARTab™ high-throughput screening platforms. The company currently advances clinical-stage assets GI-101A, GI-102, GI-108, GI-301, and preclinical GI-214, and monetizes its pipeline primarily through technology transfer and licensing-out deals with global pharmaceutical companies.

Product overview

GI Innovation is a KOSDAQ-listed South Korean biotech company developing a portfolio of bispecific fusion protein therapeutics based on its proprietary GI-SMART™ and GI-SMARTab™ platforms. Its core clinical pipeline includes: GI-101A (efdelikofusp alfa), a CD80-IL-2 variant bispecific fusion protein for immuno-oncology; GI-102, a related CD80-IL2v3 agent being advanced in subcutaneous formulation and in multiple combination regimens; GI-108, a CD73-IL-2 variant targeting the adenosine pathway; and GI-301, a next-generation IgE-trap for allergic diseases licensed to Yuhan and Maruho. The company is also expanding into pulmonary arterial hypertension with GI-214. Pipeline candidates are evaluated as monotherapies and in combination with checkpoint inhibitors (Keytruda), ADCs (Enhertu), and T-cell engagers (pasritamig/J&J) across a broad range of solid tumor indications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GI-SMART™: Proprietary high-throughput screening platform technology for bispecific fusion protein drug discovery
• GI-SMARTab™

Products and services

• GI-101A (efdelikofusp alfa) CD80-IL-2 variant bispecific fusion protein immuno-oncology drug candidate administered intravenously; evaluated in Phase 1/2 trials as monotherapy and in combination with Keytruda (pembrolizumab), showing 40% ORR in kidney cancer and complete response in bladder cancer.
• GI-102 (CD80-IL2v3) CD80-IL2v3 bispecific fusion protein immuno-oncology agent; evaluated as monotherapy and in combination with Keytruda and ADC drugs such as Enhertu; developed in subcutaneous (SC) formulation; showing complete responses and partial responses across multiple solid tumor types with 43% response rate in melanoma and 6x lymphocyte expansion.
• GI-108 CD73-IL-2 variant bispecific fusion protein targeting the adenosine pathway for metabolic immuno-oncology; demonstrating safety and tolerability in Phase 1/2a clinical trials for metastatic solid tumors.
• GI-301 (resigersept) Next-generation IgE-trap allergy treatment candidate targeting the IgE Fc region; partnered with Yuhan Corporation (Korea) and Maruho (Japan) for regional development and commercialization.
• GI-214 Next-generation pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) treatment candidate targeting the activin signaling pathway (same pathway as MSD's sotatercept), designed with improved selectivity to minimize BMP-9/10 binding and reduce bleeding side effects.
• GI-SMART™ Platform Proprietary high-throughput screening system enabling efficient discovery of lead bispecific fusion protein candidates and development of production cell lines; includes SMART-cLego™ (high-efficiency expression vector construction) and SMART-Selex™ (library-based screening of up to 24,190 bispecific protein variants from libraries of 41 hinges, 10 Fc, and 59 linkers).
• GI-SMARTab™ Platform Extension of the GI-SMART™ platform that fuses optimal antibody fragments with the bispecific fusion protein scaffold to create bispecific antibodies with superior structural stability, activity, and scalable manufacturing capability.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% ORR and 70% DCR in kidney cancer patients with GI-101A + Keytruda combination, with responses lasting 16.7+ months
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Johnson & Johnson (Janssen)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Clinical supply agreement for combination therapy evaluation in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). GI-102 combined with Janssen's bispecific T-cell engager pasritamig (KLK2-CD3) in Phase 1b/2 trial. GI Innovation serves as trial sponsor. Study conducted at Asan Medical Center, Severance Hospital (Korea), and Columbia University Irving Medical Center (USA).
• GI BiomecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2025Joint team selected as semi-finalist in XPRIZE Healthspan competition. Combining GI-102 (immune-boosting drug) with GIB-7 (microbiome-based synbiotic) for anti-aging therapy. Collaboration with Garvan Institute of Medical Research for clinical trial under Dr. Katherine Samaras.
• MSD (Merck)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2024Ongoing negotiations for technology transfer of GI-301, GI-101, and GI-102. Previously provided Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for combination trials with both GI-101A and GI-102. Clinical collaboration for multiple indications including melanoma, kidney cancer, and liver cancer.
• GI CellcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Combination therapy clinical trial combining GI Innovation's GI-101A with GI Cell's allogeneic NK cell therapy T.O.P. NK for solid tumor treatment. Plans for additional GI-102 and T.O.P. NK combination trial.
• MaruhocoreTechnology or Integration · 17 October 2023Japan licensing deal for GI-301 allergy treatment worth approximately 320 billion KRW. Maruho holds Japan development and commercialization rights.
• Yonsei Medical CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2022MOU for cell therapy center establishment with GI Cell and Yonsei Medical Center to create GMP facilities for advanced bio-medicine production at Severance Hospital and Songdo Severance Hospital.
• AstraZenecacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 December 2021Global joint clinical trial combining GI-101 with AstraZeneca's Imfinzi (durvalumab) in three-drug combination therapy for small cell lung cancer, gastric cancer, biliary tract cancer, and breast cancer.
• Samsung BiologicsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2021Manufacturing partnership for GI-101 clinical trial material production and potential commercial supply.
• Yuhan CorporationcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019Technology transfer deal for GI-301 allergy treatment worth approximately 1.4 trillion KRW. Yuhan holds rights for Korean market.
• Simcere (China)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019Technology transfer deal for GI-101 worth approximately 1.146 trillion KRW. Simcere holds China regional rights for GI-101.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ABL Bio: South Korean clinical-stage biotech developing bispecific antibodies and fusion proteins for oncology and neurodegenerative diseases. Most directly comparable peer given similar bispecific platform approach and Korean origin serving global pharma BD.
• Akesobio: China-headquartered biotech with multiple approved/commercialized bispecific antibodies (e.g., ivonescimab PD-1/VEGF) and broad oncology pipeline. Closely comparable in bispecific antibody modality and IO focus, with complementary geographic footprint to GI Innovation's Korea/Asia out-licensing matrix.
• Genexine: KOSDAQ-listed Korean biotech developing therapeutic proteins including IL-2 variants and Fc-fusion biologics (e.g., GX-H9, GX-I7). Strategic investor in GI Innovation and overlapping investor base; directly comparable pipeline focus on long-acting cytokines and fusion proteins.
• I-Mab Biopharma: Clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing bispecific antibodies and differentiated biologics for solid tumors. Comparable in IO focus, clinical-stage profile, and Asia/US dual-track development model targeting global pharma BD.
• Akeso (Akeso Inc.): Note: previously listed; Chinese biotech with marketed PD-1/VEGF bispecific (ivonescimab/summetilimab) demonstrating strong Phase 3 data versus Keytruda. Highly relevant comparable given dual-pathway IO bispecific mechanism overlap with GI-101A/GI-102's CD80-IL-2 mechanism.

Emerging players

• Compugen: Israel-based immuno-oncology company with computational platform for novel target discovery (PVRIG, TIGIT) and clinical-stage bispecific antibodies. Comparable in IO mechanism focus and bispecific pipeline, though differentiated by computational target-discovery rather than fusion-protein engineering.

Regional players

• Alteogen: KOSDAQ-listed Korean biotech specializing in biosimilars and long-acting biobetters (ALT-P7, hyaluronidase technology). Comparable Korean biotech R&D-heavy profile and biologic drug development focus, though oriented to biosimilars rather than novel bispecifics.

Broad incumbents

• Celltrion: Korean biosimilars leader with growing novel biologics pipeline and KOSDAQ listing. Comparable Korean biotech with established commercial biologics manufacturing and BD infrastructure, though at vastly larger scale and focused on biosimilars/biobetters.

Others

• Synaffix (Lonza): ADC and bispecific antibody conjugation technology platform provider (now part of Lonza). Comparable as an enabling protein-engineering platform in the biologics CDMO/tech-licensing space serving similar pharma BD customers.
• Samsung Biologics: GI Innovation's manufacturing partner for GI-101 clinical material and potential commercial supply. Comparable Korean biologics manufacturing peer serving global pharma customers; ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/results?search_query=GI+Innovation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors10 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GI Innovation