Novelty Nobility
Novelty Nobility is a clinical-stage South Korean biotech developing antibody-based therapeutics targeting the SCF/c-KIT pathway for ophthalmology and oncology indications. The company licenses drug candidates to pharmaceutical partners using its proprietary PREXISE-D antibody discovery and PREXISE-L ADC linker platforms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSeongnam, South Korea
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Novelty Nobility does
Novelty Nobility Inc. is a clinical-stage South Korean biotechnology company founded in September 2017 and headquartered in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do (Pangyo), with a research institute also located in Seongnam's Sujeong-gu area near Ajou University. The company focuses on discovering and developing antibody-based therapeutics against novel angiogenesis targets, with primary emphasis on the SCF/c-KIT signaling pathway — a mechanism the founding team first identified in 2012 as a VEGF-independent driver of angiogenesis and vascular permeability, offering a potential answer to the up to 40% of patients refractory to anti-VEGF therapy. Its therapeutic focus spans ophthalmology (wet AMD, diabetic macular edema, geographic atrophy) and oncology (small cell lung carcinoma, GIST, leukemia, glioblastoma, ovarian cancer, and via NN3206, Ras-mutant pancreatic cancer), with mast cell-driven autoimmune disease (chronic urticaria) addressed through its licensed NN2802 program.
The company's technology stack rests on two proprietary platforms. PREXISE-D is a fit-for-purpose antibody design and discovery engine using a Humice-based discovery system, while PREXISE-L is a patent-protected linker technology employing an Fc-III peptide (FcBP) with p-benzoylphenylalanine (pBpa) for photoaffinity cross-linking to Met252 of IgG antibodies, enabling site-specific payload conjugation and stable drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR) control for antibody-drug conjugates. The pipeline comprises four disclosed candidates: NN4101, a first-in-class bispecific antibody combining anti-c-Kit with a VEGF trap for neovascular retinal disease; NN2101, an anti-c-KIT monoclonal antibody for retinal disease preparing IND submission; NN3201, an anti-c-Kit ADC for c-KIT-positive tumors; and NN3206, a CDCP1-targeting ADC for pancreatic cancer. NN2802 (VB517), a fully human anti-c-KIT mAb for mast cell-driven autoimmune diseases, has been licensed exclusively to ValenzaBio.
Novelty Nobility operates a B2B licensing and partnership business model. Revenue is generated through upfront payments, development and commercialization milestones, and royalties from licensing drug candidates to larger pharmaceutical partners, rather than through direct product sales. The company has raised approximately USD 58.8 million cumulatively across equity rounds — Series B of 34.1 billion KRW in May 2022 at approximately 79 billion KRW valuation, and Series C of 23.3 billion KRW in November 2024 at approximately 1,200 billion KRW post-money valuation — supplemented by a USD 7 million upfront payment from the February 2022 ValenzaBio licensing agreement, which carries a headline value of up to USD 733.25 million in milestones plus royalties. Distribution is exclusively through enterprise licensing arrangements, with manufacturing and process development supported by AGC Biologics in Denmark and Japan. The company is pursuing a KOSDAQ IPO after a previous filing was voluntarily withdrawn in June 2025, with a lead manager contract signed with Hana Securities in April 2026.
Novelty Nobility firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Novelty Nobility
- Legal name
- NOVELTY NOBILITY Inc.
- Website
- https://noveltynobility.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Novelty Nobility is a clinical-stage South Korean biotech developing antibody-based therapeutics targeting the SCF/c-KIT pathway for ophthalmology and oncology indications. The company licenses drug candidates to pharmaceutical partners using its proprietary PREXISE-D antibody discovery and PREXISE-L ADC linker platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Novelty Nobility industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Biopharmaceuticals (Antibody Therapeutics)
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Antibody Discovery & Engineering Platforms (display tech, bispecifics, Fc engineering) (HLAAAIAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) & Antibody Conjugates (HLAAAAAE), Ophthalmology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAK), Oncology & Hematology Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAC)
Keywords
Where Novelty Nobility is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seongnam
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
Novelty Nobility business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Licensing Revenue: Novelty Nobility generates revenue through licensing out its drug candidates to pharmaceutical partners. The company receives upfront payments, milestone payments tied to clinical development and commercialization, and royalties on net sales.
- Series Funding: The company raises capital through equity financing rounds. Series B raised 34.1 billion won in 2022 with ~79 billion won valuation. Series C raised 23.3 billion won in 2024.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Novelty Nobility product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Novelty Nobility is a clinical-stage biotech that discovers and develops antibody-based therapeutics — monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) — targeting the SCF/c-KIT pathway for oncology (c-KIT-positive tumors such as SCLC, GIST, leukemia) and ophthalmology (neovascular retinal diseases including wet AMD and diabetic macular edema). The company monetizes its pipeline through exclusive worldwide licensing and co-development deals with larger pharmaceutical partners, while advancing internal candidates through preclinical and IND-enabling stages.
Product overview
Novelty Nobility is a clinical-stage biotech company developing monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting primarily oncology and ophthalmology indications. The company's technology platform consists of PREXISE-D (antibody discovery) and PREXISE-L (ADC linker technology). The pipeline includes NN4101 (bispecific antibody for retinal diseases), NN3201 (ADC for c-Kit positive tumors), NN3206 (CDCP1-targeting ADC), and NN2802 (licensed to ValenzaBio for autoimmune diseases).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PREXISE-D: Fit-for-purpose antibody design and discovery platform technology
- PREXISE-L
Products and services
- PREXISE-D Fit-for-purpose antibody design and discovery platform using a Humice-based antibody discovery engine. Used internally by Novelty Nobility to identify and optimize novel therapeutic antibodies against specific targets such as c-KIT and CDCP1.
- PREXISE-L Patent-protected proprietary linker platform technology that enables site-specific conjugation of various payloads to an intact antibody. PREXISE-L uses an Fc-III peptide (FcBP) incorporating p-benzoylphenylalanine (pBpa) for photoaffinity cross-linking reaction with Met252 of IgG antibody, resulting in stable control of drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR) for antibody-drug conjugate development.
- NN4101 First-in-class bispecific antibody combining an anti-c-Kit monoclonal antibody fused with a VEGF trap for the treatment of neovascular retinal diseases. Cell line development completed at AGC Biologics' Copenhagen facility with technology transfer to Chiba, Japan for next-phase GMP manufacturing.
- NN2101 Monoclonal antibody targeting the c-KIT receptor for retinal disease treatment. Being prepared for IND application submission to the U.S. FDA.
- NN3201 Anti-c-Kit antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) for treatment of c-Kit-positive tumors including small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST).
- NN3206 CDCP1-targeting antibody-drug conjugate demonstrating efficacy in Ras-mutant pancreatic cancer models, outperforming standard therapies.
- NN2802 (VB517) Fully human anti-c-Kit monoclonal antibody for mast cell-driven autoimmune diseases. Licensed exclusively worldwide to ValenzaBio in February 2022 for development of chronic urticaria and other autoimmune indications, with $7 million upfront and up to $733.25 million in development and commercialization milestones plus royalties on net sales.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 40% of patients are refractory to anti-VEGF treatment
Companies that use Novelty Nobility
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Novelty Nobility technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Novelty Nobility partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- AGC BiologicscoreNovelty Nobility expanded its manufacturing partnership with AGC Biologics for process development and GMP production of its bispecific antibody candidate NN4101. Cell line development was completed at AGC Biologics' Copenhagen facility, with technology transfer to Chiba, Japan location for next-phase manufacturing. NN4101 is a first-in-class anti-c-Kit monoclonal antibody fused with a VEGF trap for neovascular retinal diseases.
- GC BiopharmamajorNovelty Nobility entered into a joint research and development agreement with GC Biopharma for geographic atrophy therapies. This partnership leverages Novelty Nobility's antibody technology with GC Biopharma's manufacturing and development capabilities.
- ValenzaBiocoreNovelty Nobility granted exclusive worldwide license to ValenzaBio for VB517 (NN2802), a potentially best-in-class anti-c-KIT monoclonal antibody for mast cell-driven autoimmune diseases. Deal terms included $7 million upfront payment and up to $733.25 million in milestones plus royalties. ValenzaBio assumed all development and commercialization costs.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Novelty Nobility competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pyxis Oncology: Clinical-stage ADC developer with multiple pipeline candidates in oncology. Direct peer to Novelty Nobility in ADC technology and business model, with overlapping focus on novel targets for cancer treatment.
- LegoChem Biosciences: Korean clinical-stage biotech developing antibody-drug conjugates using proprietary linker and conjugation technologies. Direct peer to Novelty Nobility in ADC platform technology and geographic market, both focused on oncology applications of ADC technology.
- Adagene: Clinical-stage antibody biotech with computational discovery platform for developing antibody therapeutics against difficult targets. Similar size and stage as Novelty Nobility, with comparable business model of developing innovative antibody candidates.
- Mersana Therapeutics: Clinical-stage ADC developer with proprietary platforms (Dolasynthen, Immunosynthen) and multiple pipeline candidates. Direct peer to Novelty Nobility in ADC technology and clinical stage, with similar focus on novel linkers and payloads.
- ABL Bio: Korean clinical-stage biotech developing bispecific antibodies using proprietary Grabody platform. Direct peer to Novelty Nobility in bispecific antibody technology and Korean market, with similar focus on oncology and immunology.
- MacroGenics: Clinical-stage biotech with proprietary DART platform for bispecific antibodies. Direct peer to Novelty Nobility in bispecific antibody technology, with similar focus on oncology applications and clinical-stage development.
Broad incumbents
- Genmab: Danish biotechnology company that pioneered bispecific antibody technology (DuoBody platform) and developed multiple approved antibodies. Broader incumbent in the antibody space with overlapping bispecific antibody focus relevant to Novelty Nobility's NN4101 program.
- Hanmi Pharmaceutical: Korean pharmaceutical company with established biologics pipeline including antibody therapeutics. Broader incumbent with relevant biologics manufacturing and development capabilities, and a known licensing partner for many Korean biotechs.
Emerging players
- AbCellera Biologics: Canadian antibody discovery platform company with AI-enabled technology. Comparable in antibody discovery and engineering approach, though larger and at later stage than Novelty Nobility. Relevant as a platform peer for the PREXISE-D technology.
Regional players
- Genexine: Korean clinical-stage biotech developing antibody and protein therapeutics. Regional peer to Novelty Nobility in Korean biotech market, with similar clinical stage and antibody focus, though different therapeutic targets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Novelty Nobility social profiles
Digital presenceNovelty Nobility financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Novelty Nobility leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Novelty Nobility funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors23 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Novelty Nobility M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Novelty Nobility
What does Novelty Nobility do?
Novelty Nobility is a clinical-stage biotech that discovers and develops antibody-based therapeutics — monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) — targeting the SCF/c-KIT pathway for oncology (c-KIT-positive tumors such as SCLC, GIST, leukemia) and ophthalmology (neovascular retinal diseases including wet AMD and diabetic macular edema). The company monetizes its pipeline through exclusive worldwide licensing and co-development deals with larger pharmaceutical partners, while advancing internal candidates through preclinical and IND-enabling stages.
Is Novelty Nobility a public or private company?
Novelty Nobility is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Novelty Nobility founded?
Novelty Nobility was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Novelty Nobility based?
Novelty Nobility is headquartered in Seongnam, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does Novelty Nobility make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Licensing Revenue is the primary driver. The others are series Funding.
Who are Novelty Nobility's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pyxis Oncology, LegoChem Biosciences, Adagene, Mersana Therapeutics, ABL Bio and MacroGenics. Broad incumbents are Genmab and Hanmi Pharmaceutical. AbCellera Biologics is listed as an emerging player. Genexine is listed as a regional player.
Does Novelty Nobility have an API?
No public API is recorded for Novelty Nobility.
What industry is Novelty Nobility in?
Novelty Nobility's product category is Biopharmaceuticals (Antibody Therapeutics). Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAIAB, Antibody Discovery & Engineering Platforms (display tech, bispecifics, Fc engineering), with a secondary code of HLAAAAAE, Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) & Antibody Conjugates. Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2834.