South Korea is making waves in the biotech industry, with Orum Therapeutics leading the charge. The company made a significant mark by debuting on the Korea Exchange (KOSDAQ) in February 2025, raising a substantial amount in the country’s first biopharma IPO of the year. Orum’s focus on targeted protein degraders for cancer treatment positions it at the forefront of oncology innovation, as highlighted by CEO S J Lee.
Following the IPO, Orum is keen on advancing its pipeline, including ORM-1153 for hematologic cancers, and exploring new targeted protein degrader payloads to broaden its platform’s potential. The company’s unique approach, known as Dual-Precision Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD²), combines antibody precision with targeted protein degraders to address critical unmet needs in oncology and beyond.
Innovating in the field of targeted protein degradation comes with its set of challenges. Orum Therapeutics is pioneering the DAC approach to TPD, offering opportunities to enhance selectivity and expand the scope of protein degraders. Achieving precise tissue specificity and overcoming the limitations of traditional antibody-drug conjugates are key areas of focus for Orum as it strives to revolutionize cancer treatment.
Orum’s pipeline boasts promising candidates, with ORM-1153 being a standout asset in preclinical development. This GSPT1-based TPD² candidate holds potential in treating acute myeloid leukemia, addressing a critical need in the field. Plans are underway to unveil preclinical data for ORM-1153 by year-end, with an Investigational New Drug (IND) application submission to the U.S. FDA slated for the following year to kickstart clinical trials.
Beyond oncology, Orum is exploring opportunities in various therapeutic areas where protein degradation could pave the way for transformative treatments. South Korea’s rise as a biotech powerhouse is attributed to a supportive public market, government backing, and investments in innovation, bolstering biotech clusters like the one in Daejeon. The company envisions leveraging both the U.S. and South Korean ecosystems to fuel its growth.
Looking ahead, Orum aims to solidify its position in the DAC space over the next five to ten years, offering selective and effective therapies for previously challenging indications. The long-term goal is to build a robust therapeutic pipeline that enhances patient outcomes across diverse diseases, marking its ascent as a leader and innovator in cancer treatment. Ayesha Siddiqui, the author of this insightful piece, sheds light on Orum’s trajectory and the evolving landscape of biotech in South Korea.
