What Kine Sciences does

Kine Sciences (카인사이언스) is a clinical-stage Korean biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, that develops ultra-peptide medicines targeting chronic immune and neuroinflammatory diseases. The company operates two R&D divisions: the Immune Disease Division, which develops regulatory T-cell (Treg) activating peptides that restore immune homeostasis by modulating Treg, Th2, Th17, and NK cell activity, and the Central Research Institute (CRI), which develops peptides for neuroinflammatory diseases with a focus on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

The pipeline comprises 15 named peptide drug candidates spanning autoimmune (KINE-101A rheumatoid arthritis, KINE-101B IBD, KINE-101C CIDP, KINE-101D NASH), dermatology and respiratory (KINE-201A atopic dermatitis, KINE-201B asthma, KINE-201C COPD, KINE-301A psoriasis), oncology (KINE-401A solid tumor), CNS (KINE-501A Alzheimer's, KINE-501B FTD, KINE-501C LBD, KINE-501D Parkinson's), and other indications (KINE-601A wound healing, KINE-601B alopecia). The most advanced asset, KINE-101 for CIDP, entered Phase 1b/2a clinical trials in September 2024 after Phase 1 approval in July 2024.

Kine Sciences is pre-revenue and derives no current commercial income. Revenue model is effectively grant-equity funded, with approximately 26 billion KRW raised cumulatively since 2019 through convertible preferred and common share issuances. The company has no third-party distribution or commercial partnerships; all pipeline assets are advanced internally through clinical trials managed by its R&D divisions. As of September 2024, Kine Sciences has appointed Dongsung Accounting Corporation as external auditor in preparation for a Korean stock exchange listing (상장예정).

Name

Kine Sciences

Legal name

주식회사 카인사이언스 (Kine Sciences Co., Ltd.)

Website

https://kinesciences.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biopharmaceutical Peptide Therapeutics

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Therapeutic Peptides & Protein/Peptide Biologics (HLAAAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Neurology & Psychiatry (CNS) Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAF), Rare Immunology, Autoimmune & Autoinflammatory Therapies (HLAIAIAE), Multiple Sclerosis & Neuroimmunology (HLAKAIAF), Movement Disorders (Parkinson’s, Tremor, Dystonia) (HLAKAIAC)

Keywords

• Peptide therapeutics
• Autoimmune disease drugs
• Neuroinflammatory treatments
• Clinical stage biotech
• Regulatory T-cell peptides

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

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Pre-Revenue / Clinical Stage: Kine Sciences is a pre-revenue clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. All drug candidates are in preclinical or clinical development phases. No commercialized products or revenue streams are currently disclosed.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Kine Sciences is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing ultra-peptide drug candidates to treat chronic immune and neuroinflammatory diseases. Through its Immune Disease Division and Neurological Disease Division (Central Research Institute, CRI), it advances a pipeline of peptide therapeutics targeting regulatory T-cells, Th2, Th17, and NK cell pathways for autoimmune, dermatological, respiratory, metabolic, oncologic, and CNS indications. Its most advanced candidate, KINE-101, is in a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial for Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP).

Product overview

Kine Sciences is a biotech company developing peptide-based therapeutics through two main R&D divisions: the Immune Disease Division (focusing on autoimmune, inflammatory, dermatological, respiratory, and metabolic diseases) and the Neurological Disease Division (focusing on neuroinflammatory diseases including Alzheimer's and other dementias). The company's pipeline includes multiple drug candidates across therapeutic areas: KINE-101 series (autoimmune/metabolic: RA, IBD, CIDP, NASH), KINE-201 series (inflammatory skin and respiratory: atopic dermatitis, asthma, COPD), KINE-301 (psoriasis), KINE-401 (solid tumors), KINE-501 series (CNS/neurodegenerative: Alzheimer's, FTD, LBD, Parkinson's), and KINE-601 series (wound healing, alopecia). The most advanced candidate KINE-101 for CIDP is in Phase 1b/2a clinical trials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KINE-101A
• KINE-101B
• KINE-101C (KINE-101)
• KINE-101D
• KINE-201A
• KINE-201B
• KINE-201C
• KINE-301A
• KINE-401A
• KINE-501A
• KINE-501B
• KINE-501C
• KINE-501D
• KINE-601A
• KINE-601B

Quantifiable outcome

• First patient dosed in Phase 1b/2a clinical trial of KINE-101 for CIDP

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Samsung Medical Center (삼성서울병원)minorOthers · 26 June 2024Song Sang-yong (송상용), formerly of Samsung Medical Center, was recruited as Head of Business Operations at Kine Sciences. This is a talent acquisition rather than a formal institutional partnership.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Denali Therapeutics: Denali Therapeutics is a well-funded CNS biotech developing therapies for neurodegeneration including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Overlaps with Kine Sciences' KINE-501 series, though at much later stage of development and broader modality coverage.
• Celltrion: Celltrion is a major Korean biopharmaceutical company developing biosimilars and novel biologics including autoimmune therapeutics. Korea-based incumbent in autoimmune biologics that dwarfs Kine Sciences' scale but competes for the same domestic ecosystem and talent pool.

Direct peers

• Zealand Pharma: Zealand Pharma specializes in peptide-based therapeutics, including stable, modified peptides for metabolic and specialty indications. Directly comparable as a peptide-platform biotech advancing multiple programs through clinical development.
• Argenx: Argenx is a leading immunology biotech with an approved drug (Vyvgart) for CIDP. Direct overlap with Kine Sciences' lead CIDP indication (KINE-101) makes it the closest functional peer.
• Protagonist Therapeutics: Protagonist Therapeutics develops proprietary peptide therapeutics for diseases including autoimmune (e.g., JAK inhibitor peptides and hematology). Comparable as a peptide-platform biotech pursuing inflammatory and rare disease indications.
• Bicycle Therapeutics: Bicycle Therapeutics develops bicyclic peptide-based therapeutics with a proprietary discovery platform. Highly comparable on core technology — engineered peptides for targeted disease modulation — though focused on oncology rather than autoimmune/CNS.
• PeptiDream: PeptiDream operates a proprietary non-standard peptide discovery platform (PDPS) used widely through pharma collaborations. Closest technology analogue to Kine Sciences' peptide discovery platform with licensing model dynamics.

Emerging players

• Alector: Alector is a clinical-stage biotech developing immuno-neurology treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. Overlaps with Kine Sciences' CNS neuroinflammatory pipeline (Alzheimer's, FTD), though using antibody approaches rather than peptides.

Regional players

• Helixmith: Helixmith is a Korean clinical-stage biotech advancing gene therapy and biologics for neurological and rare diseases. Regional peer based in Seoul, similarly focused on autoimmune/neuro indications and pursuing clinical-stage Korean biotech dynamics.
• Genexine: Genexine is a Korean biotech developing biopharmaceuticals including immuno-oncology and autoimmune candidates with multiple clinical assets. Regional comparable — Korean biotech ecosystem peer with similar clinical-stage profile and pipeline breadth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/people/%EC%B9%B4%EC%9D%B8%EC%82%AC%EC%9D%B4%EC%96%B8%EC%8A%A4/100095134716678
• Instagraminstagram.com/kinesciences
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kinesciences

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 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 Kine Sciences