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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the paradigm of new drug development. The process of discovering new drug candidate substances, which used to take years, has been shortened to a few months by AI learning from vast data. However, in an era where AI's rapid predictions are becoming common, there is a company advocating the 'value of verification.' The small molecule drug development startup 'Novorex' is a representative example.



Novorex actively utilizes AI technology in the drug development process, including the discovery of new drug candidate substances. However, they emphasize that AI technology is merely a 'tool' to shorten the drug development process, with 'verification' being the most important aspect. This is interpreted as a focus on safety since it involves treating human diseases. To hear about Novorex's thoughts on AI drug development and related achievements, CEO Son Woo-sung was interviewed.

Passion and Dreams for Drug Development

“I taught pharmacy for 10 years but realized that theoretical knowledge alone cannot solve the challenges of real-world drug development. I wanted to return to the initial passion I had when I first started pharmacy and directly realize the dream of drug development, which is why I founded Novorex.”

CEO Son Woo-sung gave up a stable professorship to venture into entrepreneurship to achieve his dream of drug development. People around him discouraged the startup, even bluntly calling it a reckless choice. However, Son Woo-sung stated that he relinquished his professorship with the belief that one must struggle to gain even a small change or opportunity in any situation. He foresaw that the market would expand if he gained practical experience in the rapidly changing drug development field and passed on related knowledge to future generations.

Novorex has focused on establishing a 'predict-verify' integrated system that completes the core process of drug development, from drug idea conception to actual substance verification, internally. They chose a method that seamlessly connects AI and biophysical experimental verification centered on Fragment-Based Drug Discovery (FBDD) technology.



Fragment-Based Drug Discovery (FBDD) technology is one of Novorex's core businesses. This technology can efficiently analyze challenging target proteins as an alternative to the industry-standard High Throughput Screening (HTS) technology.

The principle of Fragment-Based Drug Discovery (FBDD) is as follows: Unlike HTS technology, which seeks a single large drug molecule matching the target protein, FBDD technology first discovers small fragments that fit the binding site of the target protein. These fragments are then pieced together like a puzzle to design the final drug candidate substance. This building block approach allows for more systematic and rational drug design.

The advantage of Fragment-Based Drug Discovery (FBDD) technology is its efficiency. HTS technology requires a massive physical library of compounds, consisting of millions of compounds, necessitating significant capital and infrastructure, making it primarily used by large pharmaceutical companies. In contrast, FBDD technology can explore a much broader chemical space with only a few thousand small fragment compound libraries compared to HTS technology.

FBDD technology is capable of targeting 'Undruggable Target' proteins, which are deemed impossible for drug development. These target proteins, which account for about 80% of all proteins, often lack spaces where traditional drugs can bind. The small size of the fragment compounds used in FBDD technology allows them to bind to shallow grooves or localized spots, opening new possibilities for therapeutic development. A notable example is the development of the cancer drug Sotorasib, targeting the KRAS protein, a previously undruggable target protein, which received FDA approval, demonstrating the technological potential.

In the Era of AI Drug Development, 'Verification Data' is Crucial

“Novorex is a small molecule drug development company, but proteins are the starting point. We have established an approach to find drug candidate substances through understanding and thorough verification of the target proteins, which are the starting point of drug development. This is a clear differentiation from many drug development companies that remain at the 'AI prediction' stage.”

Although Novorex has introduced AI technology into drug development, they avoid a technology-centric approach that emphasizes the performance of AI algorithms. AI is used to enhance the efficiency of the drug development process. Instead, they focus on 'scientific verification,' aiming to develop drugs based on a deep biological understanding of the target proteins, which are the source of drug efficacy. CEO Son Woo-sung stated, “In an era where rapid and extensive AI predictions of drug candidates are becoming common, the value of deeper and more precise verification is even more important.”

Novorex has established an end-to-end system integrating AI prediction and experimental verification. To enhance the synergy between AI prediction (Dry Lab) and experimental verification (Wet Lab), they have established research infrastructure at the Pangyo Synthesis Research Institute and the Jeongeup Protein Research Institute.



For molecular design, they use their self-developed DeepDesigner and NovoPicker. Once molecular design candidates are selected through AI, they confirm binding with the actual target protein using various biophysical analysis techniques such as Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and X-ray crystallography. They invest significant time in clearly identifying how candidate substances actually bind and interact with target proteins at the molecular level. They also have the capability to rapidly produce high-purity proteins for various experimental purposes through their proprietary protein engineering technology 'NovoIFPro.'

By improving the efficiency of the prediction and verification process, they have begun to accelerate challenges against target proteins previously deemed undruggable. A representative strategy is converting high-cost injectable antibody drugs into oral small molecule compounds, known as the BtoS (Biodrug to Small molecule) strategy.

However, not all development processes are smooth. Novorex's concern is securing stable capital necessary for drug development. Drug development requires significant time and cost. CEO Son Woo-sung mentioned the case of Chinese bio startups standing out in the global technology transfer market. He stated, “The amount and quality of data that can be secured are determined by capital strength. I don't think the reason domestic bio startups cannot secure global-level data is due to a lack of technology or knowledge. It is a time for public and private sectors to consider supporting high-quality drug development startups.”

Novorex is making efforts to secure corporate competitiveness and growth drivers. First, they are ensuring financial stability through platform commercialization. They are securing sales by enhancing the protein production and verification capabilities obtained through research. They are also strengthening the core competencies internally. Just as core muscles are important for athletes, they plan to continuously strengthen expertise in the small molecule drug field, which is the foundation of drug development. They are focusing on investing in the discovery of candidate substances based on FBDD and biophysical verification capabilities to continuously secure high expertise and competitiveness.

They are also working to secure future growth potential. They plan to expand technology into new areas such as mini proteins (proteins) and pepteins (peptides) to secure future growth drivers. They are focusing on the capability to rapidly produce various proteins. Unlike biosimilars that produce single items in tons, Novorex is focusing on enhancing the capability to rapidly produce dozens or hundreds of essential proteins for research and development in small quantities. CEO Son Woo-sung foresaw that the current business direction of Novorex would act as a competitive edge in the future global drug development market.

Strengthening the Foundation in the Small Molecule Drug Field

Novorex is steadily building achievements. From 2024 to the first half of 2025, they were selected for various government projects, including the Advanced Bio Promotion R&D Support Project, the National New Drug Development Project (KDDF), and the Global Corporate Collaboration Program, recognizing their technological prowess and growth potential. The Parkinson's disease treatment candidate substance (NRX-NGT002) developed by Novorex was selected for the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) support program, enhancing global collaboration potential. In May 2025, they laid the foundation for growth by signing a platform technology service contract with a domestic company.



The background of Novorex's growth includes support from the Seoul Startup Center Dongjak, operated by the Seoul Business Agency. They provided opportunities to promote Novorex's technology by arranging meetings and networking with domestic and international companies. They also helped participate in various mentoring programs and startup growth support programs for early-stage startups. CEO Son Woo-sung stated, “The various programs of the Seoul Startup Center Dongjak have been very helpful not only in the technical aspects of Novorex but also in business operations and strategic direction setting. It has been an opportunity to widely promote Novorex's drug development technology and business model, making it easier to approach investors and partners.”

“Drug development is not merely a technology-intensive field but a fusion of highly complex specialized fields. Everyone says that the current bioindustry environment is difficult, but I believe that drug development always feels challenging internally, no matter how good the environment is. Novorex is a small molecule drug development company, but the starting point is protein. Our goal is to continue to grow into a company that develops various new drugs.”

Novorex plans to focus on developing new drugs with practical value, not just technology development. CEO Son Woo-sung emphasized, “Among the numerous prediction data, what determines the success or failure of drug development is highly reliable experimental data,” and stated, “We will lead innovation in the drug development field with efficient AI technology and reliable data.”

IT Donga Reporter Kang Hyung-seok (redbk@itdonga.com)

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