What AULBIO does

AULBIO Co., Ltd. is a South Korean biotechnology company founded in 2018 and headquartered in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, that develops long-acting injectable (LAI) drug-delivery formulations for peptide therapeutics. Its proprietary ExTenna™ platform is a third-generation hybrid microsphere technology combining microfluidic processing with solvent-free PLGA encapsulation, enabling high drug loading and once-monthly administration of peptide active ingredients while maintaining sustained plasma exposure and improved patient adherence versus conventional delivery systems. The company maintains a GMP production plant in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, alongside an R&D institute in Seongnam, forming an integrated smart manufacturing system designed for large-scale, uniform microsphere production.

The company operates as a Contract Research, Development, and Manufacturing Organization (CRDMO), generating revenue through co-development agreements, technology licensing, and GMP manufacturing services for pharmaceutical partners. Its customer base is concentrated in pharmaceutical enterprises seeking advanced drug-delivery solutions in obesity and metabolic disease, with named disclosed partners including KyungDong Pharmaceutical (Co., Ltd.) for a semaglutide-based once-monthly injectable and a Nasdaq-listed US biopharmaceutical company for a once-monthly next-generation GLP-1 receptor agonist program. Distribution is conducted through direct enterprise engagement rather than product channels, supplemented by participation in industry partnering events such as the BIO International Convention via Korea's KHIDI Project NOVA open-innovation initiative.

AULBIO is privately held, founder-controlled (co-founded by Dr. Cherng-Ju Kim and Dr. Taekun An), and is preparing for a KOSDAQ listing targeted for 2027 with KB Securities as lead underwriter, following an October 2025 leadership restructuring that elevated Dr. Kim to CEO and assigned Dr. An to a CSO role focused on corporate strategy, partnerships, and commercialization. Cumulative disclosed equity funding to date totals approximately $5.7M across Series 1 and Series 2 rounds between 2019 and 2022.

Name

AULBIO

Legal name

AULBIO Co., Ltd.

Website

https://aulbio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AULBIO (Seongnam, South Korea) is a 2018-founded CRDMO that develops long-acting injectable peptide therapeutics using its proprietary ExTenna™ hybrid microsphere and solvent-free PLGA platform, serving global and Korean pharmaceutical partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contract Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing (CRDMO) for Long-Acting Injectables

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Clinical CROs (Phase I–IV) (HLAGAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Drug Delivery Connectivity, Sensors & Digital Add-Ons (Smart Caps/Companion Apps) (HLAHAIAM)

Keywords

• Long-acting injectables
• Microsphere drug delivery
• Contract biopharmaceutical manufacturing
• Peptide sustained release
• PLGA microsphere CRDMO

Headquarters

HQ city

Seongnam

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Co-development and Contract Research Services: AULBIO generates revenue through co-development agreements with pharmaceutical partners, providing formulation development and manufacturing services for long-acting injectable therapeutics based on its ExTenna™ platform.
2. Technology Licensing and Transfer: The company earns revenue through technology-transfer collaborations with global and Korean pharmaceutical companies, licensing its proprietary microsphere drug delivery platform for partner drug candidates.
3. CRDMO Services: Contract research, development, and manufacturing organization services offering end-to-end support from formulation development through GMP production of long-acting injectable products.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AULBIO develops and operates a proprietary ExTenna™ microfluidic-based long-acting injectable (LAI) drug delivery platform built on solvent-free PLGA microsphere technology. The company operates as a CRDMO, providing formulation development, technology transfer, and GMP manufacturing services for peptide-based long-acting injectables such as once-monthly GLP-1 receptor agonists and semaglutide formulations, in collaboration with global and Korean pharmaceutical partners. Its offering combines proprietary platform IP, a capital-intensive Smart Manufacturing System, and co-development partnerships to convert partner drug candidates into long-acting therapeutics with improved patient adherence.

Product overview

AULBIO is a biotechnology company specializing in microfluidic-based long-acting injectable (LAI) formulations. The company's core offering is the Extenna platform, a third-generation hybrid microsphere drug delivery technology that enables high-load encapsulation of therapeutic agents within ultra-fine microspheres for sustained plasma exposure and improved patient adherence. AULBIO operates as a CRDMO (Contract Research, Development, and Manufacturing Organization), offering its platform technology and smart manufacturing infrastructure to transform partners' drug candidates into world-class long-acting therapeutics. The current pipeline includes GLP-1 receptor agonist programs for obesity treatment and semaglutide-based formulations, developed through partnerships with US-listed biopharmaceutical companies and KyungDong Pharmaceutical.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ExTenna™ Microsphere Drug Delivery Platform Proprietary third-generation hybrid PLGA microsphere drug delivery platform enabling high-load encapsulation of therapeutic agents within ultra-fine, highly uniform microspheres for long-acting injectable formulations; licensed to pharmaceutical partners and used as the foundation of AULBIO's CRDMO and co-development offerings.
• CRDMO Services (Contract Research, Development & Manufacturing) Contract Research, Development, and Manufacturing Organization services that transform partners' drug candidates into long-acting therapeutics using the ExTenna platform, covering formulation development, technology transfer, and GMP production; targeted at pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical partners seeking LAI formulation capabilities.
• Smart Manufacturing System Capital-intensive GMP-grade manufacturing infrastructure at AULBIO's Chuncheon production plant that enables large-scale, uniform production of microspheres and is offered as part of the company's CRDMO service to partners.
• Once-Monthly GLP-1 RA Injectable Program Co-developed once-monthly long-acting injectable program based on a next-generation GLP-1 receptor agonist peptide analog, enabled by AULBIO's solvent-free PLGA microsphere platform and targeted at obesity and metabolic disease.
• Semaglutide Long-Acting Injectable Program Semaglutide-based once-monthly long-acting injectable formulation co-developed with KyungDong Pharmaceutical using the ExTenna microsphere platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• Once-monthly sustained plasma exposure demonstrated through co-development of GLP-1 RA program with Nasdaq-listed US biopharma partner.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• KHIDI / Project NOVAsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026AULBIO participated in KHIDI-organized one-on-one partnering sessions between Korean biotechnology firms and AstraZeneca experts at the BIO International Convention in San Diego under Project NOVA. The initiative is part of Korea's open innovation strategy and K-Biopharma Next Bridge initiative launched with Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare.
• KyungDong Pharmaceutical (경동제약)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2025AULBIO is working closely with KyungDong Pharmaceutical to advance the development of a semaglutide-based long-acting injectable therapy at an accelerated pace. This partnership leverages AULBIO's ExTenna™ microsphere platform for formulation development.
• Nasdaq-listed US biopharmaceutical companycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 February 2025AULBIO entered into a co-development agreement with a US-listed biopharmaceutical company to advance a next-generation GLP-1 receptor agonist (RA) program designed for once-monthly administration. The collaboration integrates AULBIO's solvent-free PLGA microsphere platform with the partner's innovative peptide analog, achieving sustained plasma exposure for obesity and metabolic disease treatment. This represents AULBIO's first global co-development milestone.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Camurus: Swedish specialty pharma with the FluidCrystal® injectable depot platform for sustained-release peptides and small molecules. A leader in long-acting injectables and directly comparable technology/market overlap with AULBIO.
• Forbon Pharma: China-based PLGA microsphere drug delivery and CRDMO specialist serving peptide and small-molecule partners. Most directly comparable Chinese peer to AULBIO's ExTenna™ PLGA microsphere CRDMO business.
• Nanomi: Dutch microsphere/PLGA-based LAI formulation specialist offering contract development and GMP manufacturing services to pharma partners. Directly comparable to AULBIO's ExTenna™ platform and CRDMO model for long-acting injectable peptides.
• Tolmar Pharmaceuticals: US specialty pharma operating Eligard (leuprolide acetate LAI for prostate cancer) with proprietary ATRIGEL® and other polymer depot delivery systems. Closely comparable LAI platform company with similar peptide-depot use cases to AULBIO's obesity/semaglutide pipeline.
• Luye Pharma Group: China-headquartered pharma with a long-acting injectable technology platform (microspheres/liposomes) and global partnerships. A directly comparable LAI specialist operating in a similar Asia-anchored CRDMO/co-development model.

Emerging players

• Avadel Pharmaceuticals: Ireland/US specialty pharma built around extended-release/once-nightly injectable technologies. Comparable emerging player pursuing reduced dosing frequency as a market wedge, similar to AULBIO's once-monthly positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Alkermes: Ireland/US-based LAI specialist with approved products (Vivitrol, Aristada) and proprietary polymer-based depot technology plus inhaled drug delivery. Established global incumbent in long-acting injectables whose technology and CRDMO-like partnerships map closely onto AULBIO's ambitions.
• Catalent: Global CDMO offering formulation development and GMP manufacturing for complex injectables including sustained-release/sterile products. Comparable as a broad contract development and manufacturing incumbent competing for the same LAI partner work AULBIO pursues.
• Evonik Health Care: German specialty chemicals leader with the RESOMER® portfolio of PLGA polymers used in microsphere LAIs and GMP manufacturing services. Comparable as an enabling technology/contract manufacturing incumbent in the PLGA long-acting injectable supply chain.
• Ipsen: French specialty pharma with multiple long-acting injectable franchises (e.g., Somatuline, Decapeptyl) and established LAI manufacturing capability. A global incumbent comparable on LAI platform use cases and partner supply models.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors5 records

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about AULBIO