KAIST has successfully achieved a global technology export valued at KRW 780 billion. On the 9th, KAIST announced that Sobagen, a faculty-founded startup by Professor Lee Jeong-ho of the Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, has transferred technology for a new drug candidate aimed at treating intractable epilepsy to Italian pharmaceutical company Angelini Pharma. The total contract value is USD 550 million (approximately KRW 780 billion).

The transferred substance is an RNA (ribonucleic acid) therapeutic candidate targeting the mutant gene 'MTOR', identified as a cause of epilepsy. Epilepsy is a disorder characterized by temporary abnormalities in brain nerve cells, resulting in symptoms such as seizures and behavioral changes. This achievement is significant as it demonstrates the progression from Professor Lee's basic medical science research to the development of a therapeutic candidate and further to global technology transfer.

Professor Lee, a 'physician-scientist' conducting basic science research, stated, “While domestic medical schools focus on patient care culture, KAIST has a research culture that emphasizes innovation and industrialization, allowing us to achieve both basic research and new drug technology export simultaneously.”

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