Genome & Co.

What Genome & Co. does

Genome & Company (주식회사 지놈앤컴퍼니, KOSDAQ: 314130) is a South Korea-based biopharmaceutical company founded in September 2015 that develops microbiome-based therapeutics and first-in-class novel-target immuno-oncology and antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) drug candidates. The company's discovery engine is the proprietary GNOCLE™ platform, which combines multi-omics analysis (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) with a curated library of more than 10,000 disease-relevant clinical samples to identify novel drug targets and bacterial strain candidates. Its clinical pipeline includes the microbiome oncology asset GEN-001 (Phase 2 in gastric and biliary tract cancers), the gut-brain axis program SB-121 (Phase 1b in autism), the CNTN4-targeting immuno-oncology candidate EP0089/GENA-104 (Phase 1/2a via Ellipses Pharma), and multiple preclinical novel-target ADCs (GENA-120, GENB-120, GENA-121, GENA-122, plus Debio 0633 with Debiopharm). The company also operates US affiliates List Labs and List Biotherapeutics (microbiome CDMO, with a planned large-scale Fishers, Indiana facility) and majority-owned Scioto Biosciences (ABT platform), and sells the UIQ microbiome cosmeceutical consumer brand in 19 countries.

The company makes money through a hybrid of out-licensing and technology transfer revenue (upfront payments, development and regulatory milestone payments, and royalties from partners including LG Chem, Debiopharm, and Ellipses Pharma), CDMO and clinical API supply fees from its List Labs/List Bio affiliates and partner programs, and direct-to-consumer sales of UIQ cosmeceuticals through its own e-commerce store and Korean and international retail partners (notably Olive Young). Its go-to-market in pharmaceuticals is enterprise field sales via business development attendance at BIO USA, JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, AACR, and World ADC. The consumer go-to-market is direct-to-consumer and retail. Strategic customers and collaborators include Ellipses Pharma, Debiopharm, LG Chem, Merck KGaA, Pfizer, MSD, and Samsung Medical Center, with the company targeting at least one new technology transfer per year as a core business strategy.

Name

Genome & Co.

Legal name

주식회사 지놈앤컴퍼니

Website

https://genomecom.co.kr

Company type

Public

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Genome & Company (KOSDAQ: 314130) is a South Korean biopharmaceutical company developing microbiome therapeutics and first-in-class novel-target immuno-oncology and ADC drug candidates via its proprietary GNOCLE™ multi-omics platform, serving global pharmaceutical partners through out-licensing and consumer markets through its UIQ cosmeceutical brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biopharmaceuticals (Microbiome Therapeutics and Novel-Target Oncology)

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Oncology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Immunology & Inflammation Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAD), Biologics (mAbs/Recombinant Proteins) CDMO (HLAGABAC), Antibody Discovery & Engineering Platforms (display tech, bispecifics, Fc engineering) (HLAAAIAB), Neurology & CNS Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAC)

Keywords

• Microbiome therapeutics
• Novel target oncology
• Antibody drug conjugates
• Immune checkpoint inhibitors
• Microbiome cosmeceuticals

Headquarters

HQ city

Suwon

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Licensing and Technology Transfer Revenue: Genome & Company generates revenue through out-licensing agreements with global pharmaceutical companies, receiving upfront payments, milestone payments tied to development and regulatory achievements (e.g., IND filing, clinical trial phases, approval), and ongoing royalties on net sales of commercialized products. Two confirmed licensing deals: Debiopharm (ADC, May 2024) and Ellipses Pharma (EP0089, February 2025). The company targets at least one technology transfer per year as a core business strategy.
2. CDMO and Manufacturing Services: Through affiliates List Labs (acquired September 2021) and List Biotherapeutics (established October 2021), the company provides contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) services for microbiome-based therapeutics, including live bacterial therapeutics (LBTs). The CDMO business supports both internal pipeline development and external clients globally.
3. Consumer Product Sales (UIQ Cosmeceuticals): The company generates revenue from direct sales and distribution of its microbiome-based cosmeceutical brand UIQ through e-commerce (official store), major Korean retail chains (Olive Young), and international markets (19 countries). Brand launched in January 2021 and expanded globally over three years.
4. Clinical Supply and Manufacturing Revenue: Revenue from supplying clinical trial materials (API, drug substance) to licensing partners as development milestones are achieved under the technology transfer agreements. For example, supply of API for EP0089 (GENA-104) to Ellipses Pharma in 2026 generated revenue.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Genome & Company discovers and develops novel-target immuno-oncology drugs (antibody-drug conjugates and immune checkpoint inhibitors) and microbiome-based therapeutics, then out-licenses these to global pharmaceutical partners. The company also sells its UIQ microbiome cosmeceutical brand through retail and e-commerce channels and provides CDMO manufacturing services for microbiome therapeutics through US affiliates.

Product overview

Genome & Company is a biopharmaceutical company that operates across two main divisions: pharmaceutical therapeutics and consumer products. The pharmaceutical division centers on the GNOCLE™ platform for drug discovery and includes a portfolio of novel target therapeutics comprising microbiome-based immunotherapies (GEN-001), first-in-class immune checkpoint inhibitors (GENA-104/EP0089), and antibody-drug conjugates (GENA-120, GENB-120, GENA-121, GENA-122, Debio 0633), as well as a small molecule program (GENC-116). The consumer division encompasses the UIQ microbiome cosmeceutical brand. The company has successfully executed technology transfers to global pharmaceutical partners including Debiopharm (Switzerland) and Ellipses Pharma (UK), generating licensing revenue while advancing its pipeline.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UIQ: Microbiome-based cosmeceutical brand launched in January 2021, targeting skin health through beneficial bacteria. Available in 19 countries with global expansion.
• GNOCLE™

Products and services

• GNOCLE™ Platform Proprietary multi-omics and real-world clinical data-driven drug discovery platform combining a library of 10,000+ disease-relevant clinical samples with bioinformatics analysis to discover novel drug targets and microbiome candidates. Used internally for pipeline development.
• GEN-001 Oral microbiome therapeutic candidate consisting of a single strain of Lactococcus lactis bacteria isolated from healthy humans, designed to activate immune responses against cancer cells. Demonstrated efficacy in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors in Phase 2 clinical trials for gastric cancer (Bavencio combination) and biliary tract cancer (Keytruda combination).
• GENA-104 / EP0089 First-in-class novel target immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting CNTN4 (Contactin-4). Preclinical research confirmed anti-cancer effects with superior T-cell activation compared to PD-L1 inhibitors. Currently in Phase 1/2a clinical trials for solid tumors with approximately 190 planned patients across 4 countries.
• GENA-120 Novel target ADC (Antibody-Drug Conjugate) targeting ITGB4 with TOP1 inhibitor payload. Demonstrated high expression in head and neck cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, and gastric cancer. Preclinical data presented at World ADC San Diego and AACR 2026.
• GENB-120 Bispecific ADC targeting both ITGB4 and TROP2 simultaneously. Next-generation approach designed to overcome limitations of TROP2-only ADC therapies, showing stronger cytotoxicity in double-positive cancer cells compared to single-target approaches in preclinical studies.
• Debio 0633 Novel target ADC candidate developed by combining Genome & Company's novel target antibody with Debiopharm's Multilink™ ADC platform. Licensed to Debiopharm (Switzerland) in May 2024 for global ADC development. IND filing targeted for late 2027-2028.
• SB-121 Microbiome therapeutic candidate using Lactobacillus reuteri strain developed by subsidiary Scioto Biosciences. Targets gut-brain axis disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Uses proprietary ABT™ (Activated Bacterial Therapeutics) platform technology.
• UIQ Cosmeceutical Brand Microbiome-based cosmeceutical brand leveraging microbiome science for skin health applications, including pore reset cooling pads, all-in-one ampoule cleansers, and anti-aging lines. Available in 19 countries through retailers including Olive Young and direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
• GENA-121 ADC (Antibody-Drug Conjugate) candidate targeting undisclosed novel antigen for solid tumors. Part of company's novel target ADC pipeline.
• GENA-122 ADC (Antibody-Drug Conjugate) candidate targeting undisclosed novel antigen for solid tumors. Part of company's novel target ADC pipeline.
• GENC-116 Small molecule new chemical entity (NCE) targeting NUAK1 kinase being developed for fibrosis indications. Part of company's novel target pipeline beyond biologics.

Quantifiable outcome

• GEN-001 Phase 2 gastric cancer trial showed ~19% ORR (8/42 patients partial response), including 37.5% ORR (3/8) in patients previously refractory to immunotherapy, with manageable safety.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ellipses Pharma LimitedcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 February 2025Genome & Company out-licensed its CNTN4-targeting immuno-oncology candidate EP0089 (formerly GENA-104) to UK-based Ellipses Pharma in February 2025. Ellipses Pharma is advancing a global Phase 1/2a trial in solid tumors across Korea, Australia, UK, and US, enrolling approximately 190 patients. Genome & Company supplied API for the clinical trial in April 2026, marking the first revenue recognition under this partnership.
• DebiopharmcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 May 2024Genome & Company out-licensed a novel-target ADC antibody (now Debio 0633) to Swiss-based Debiopharm in May 2024. The asset combines Genome & Company's novel-target antibody with Debiopharm's proprietary Multilink™ ADC technology. Preclinical development is progressing with a favorable safety margin and promising efficacy. IND filing targeted for late 2027–2028. The partnership originated from a February 2021 research collaboration.
• MSD (Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2022Clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement signed in March 2022 for a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating GEN-001 in combination with pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) in biliary tract cancer patients. Genome & Company is the sponsor; MSD supplies Keytruda. This adds a second cancer indication to the GEN-001 clinical development program alongside the gastric cancer study with Merck KGaA/Pfizer.
• List Biotherapeutics (List Bio)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 November 2021Genome & Company established US affiliate List Biotherapeutics (List Bio) in October 2021 to focus on microbiome CDMO business. A large-scale manufacturing facility (59,504 sqm) is planned in Fishers, Indiana, at the Fishers Life Science & Innovation Park. The facility will create 210 new jobs and receive incentives including free land and 50% property tax reduction. List Bio had a Series A financing round.
• List Biological Laboratory (List Labs)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 September 2021Genome & Company acquired microbiome CDMO List Labs in September 2021 as part of its strategy to build an integrated microbiome value chain from R&D to manufacturing. List Labs brings 40+ years of experience in microbiome product development and manufacturing, and serves as the foundation for the company's CDMO business strategy alongside newly established affiliate List Biotherapeutics.
• Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021Second clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement (CTCSA) signed in March 2021 for a Phase 2 study (Study 201) of GEN-001 in combination with avelumab (Bavencio®) for advanced gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. Genome & Company is the sponsor; Merck KGaA/Pfizer supply avelumab. This followed a first agreement in December 2019 for a Phase 1/1b trial (Study 101). The collaboration represents the first consecutive clinical development collaboration for an immuno-oncology microbiome treatment by two major global pharma partners.
• Scioto BiosciencescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2020Genome & Company acquired a majority stake in US-based Scioto Biosciences in August 2020, becoming its largest shareholder. Scioto Biosciences brings the proprietary ABT (Activated Bacterial Therapeutics) platform for enhanced live bacterial therapeutics delivery. Pipeline includes SB-121 for autism spectrum disorder (Phase 1b initiated August 2021) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). The acquisition expanded Genome & Company's microbiome pipeline into brain/gut-brain axis diseases.
• Samsung Medical Center (미래의학연구소)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2020MOU signed in May 2020 between Genome & Company and Samsung Seoul Hospital's Future Medicine Institute (AWRI) for joint research and development of immuno-oncology treatments. The MOU combines Genome & Company's technology platform with Samsung Medical Center's clinical expertise and patient populations to advance the 'bench-to-bedside' R&D strategy.
• LG Chem Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 December 2019Genome & Company entered into a license-out agreement with LG Chem in December 2019 for GEN-001 (microbiome oncology therapeutic) in East Asia. LG Chem acquired exclusive rights for clinical development, regulatory approval, and commercialization in Korea and other East Asian territories. This was the world's first microbiome oncology license deal. Revenue includes upfront payment, milestone payments, royalties, and manufacturing supply fees.
• QuayPharma (UK)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a UK-based partner in Genome & Company's global business development network map, with operations in Deeside, UK.
• Biose Industrie (France)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a France-based manufacturing collaborator in Genome & Company's global business development network map.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Seres Therapeutics: US-based microbiome therapeutics company developing live biotherapeutic products for oncology and inflammatory diseases. Directly comparable to Genome & Company's GEN-001 microbiome oncology platform with similar combination checkpoint inhibitor strategy and out-licensing approach.
• Vedanta Biosciences: Clinical-stage microbiome therapeutics company developing defined bacterial consortia for immuno-oncology and autoimmune diseases. Closely comparable to Genome & Company's ABT/Scioto platform and microbiome + checkpoint inhibitor combination strategy.
• MaaT Pharma: European microbiome therapeutics company focused on gut microbiome restoration in oncology and inflammatory diseases. Comparable business model with microbiome CDMO-adjacent capabilities and immuno-oncology combination trials.
• 4D pharma: UK-based microbiome therapeutics company developing live biotherapeutics for oncology, respiratory, and CNS indications. Comparable to Genome & Company's SB-121 gut-brain axis program and similar licensing/out-licensing model for first-in-class microbiome assets.
• ABL Bio: South Korean biotech developing bispecific antibodies and ADCs for oncology. Comparable to Genome & Company's GENB-120 bispecific ADC strategy and similar novel-target discovery approach in the Korean biotech ecosystem.
• LegoChem Biosciences: Korean biotech with proprietary ADC linker-payload platform (ConjuAll) used by multiple pharma partners. Comparable to Genome & Company's novel-target ADC approach and out-licensing model to global pharma.
• Finch Therapeutics: US microbiome therapeutics company developing oral live biotherapeutics derived from consortia. Comparable to Genome & Company's List Labs CDMO model and microbiome pipeline breadth.

Broad incumbents

• Hanmi Pharmaceutical: Major Korean pharmaceutical company with significant ADC, oncology, and biologics capabilities including global out-licensing deals. Comparable broad portfolio strategy and Korean biotech incumbent positioning.
• Celltrion: Largest Korean biotech with biosimilars and novel biologics portfolio plus CDMO subsidiary. Comparable as a Korean biotech with vertically integrated manufacturing and global pharma partnerships.

Emerging players

• Lunit: Korean oncology-focused AI medical imaging company listed on KOSDAQ. Comparable as a Korean publicly listed oncology innovator, though with a different modality (AI diagnostics vs. microbiome/ADC).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/genomeandcompany

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors16 records

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about Genome & Co.