Addressing the limitations of current therapies

Innovative Ophthalmology and Cancer Treatment

We are developing first-in-class drugs for chemoresistant cancer and retinopathy by targeting the mitochondrial chaperone TRAP1

ATP binding
Gamitrinib

The 1st TRAP1 inhibitor (J. Clin. Invest. 2009)

DN401

The 1st inhibitor targeting both Hsp90 and TRAP1 (J. Med. Chem. 2017)

Inhibitors targeting the ATP binding site of TRAP1
Client binding
SMX and its derivatives
  • The 1st client mimic inhibitor (JACS, 2021)
  • The best TRAP1 inhibitory activities (J. Med. Chem. 2022)
Inhibitors targeting the client binding site of TRAP1

Research and Development

Pioneering Mitochondria Targeted Therapies for Intractable Diseases

Our drug target TRAP1 plays crucial roles in various human diseases associated with mitochondrial dysfunctions. Our research is focused on developing potent inhibitors targeting TRAP1 to treat chemoresistant cancers and retinopathies. Additionally, we are exploring broader applications for our drugs to other mitochondria-dysregulated human diseases such as metabolic and inflammatory diseases.

Eyedrop visual

A Journey of Biotech Excellence

With the world’s first, and world’s best TRAP1 inhibitors in mind

CEO
Dr. Byoung Heon Kang
Professor, Dept. Biological Sciences, UNIST
  • BS, Dept. Life Science, KAIST
  • MS/PhD, Dept. Life Science, POSTECH
  • PostDoc/Instructor, UMASS Medical School, USA

History

SmartinBio was established in 2019, building on foundational research conducted at UNIST on TRAP1 biology and TRAP1 inhibitor development.

Dr. Byoung Heon Kang, a professor at UNIST and the CEO of SmartinBio, possesses two decades of expertise in TRAP1 biology and inhibitor development. His UNIST research team has conducted foundational studies on the functional analysis of TRAP1 in the mitochondria of diseased cells. Driven by this expertise, he founded SmartinBio to expedite drug development. In 2024, his UNIST research team in collaboration with SmartinBio published a paper in Advanced Science highlighting the role of TRAP1 in ischemic retinopathy and the therapeutic potential of TRAP1 inhibitors through eye drop administration.

SmartinBio is broadening its scope to include a variety of metabolic and inflammatory diseases by recognizing the importance of TRAP1 in altered mitochondria. The superior therapeutic effectiveness of SmartinBio’s TRAP1 inhibitors  have been confirmed in the diseases, and these will be added to our drug pipeline.

Additionally, SmartinBio and UNIST research teams are collaborating on a novel mitochondrial targeting system. The system aims to deliver drugs to mitochondria safely and effectively. They are aiming to develop this into a now drug delivery platform technology that can effectively and easily control various targets located inside mitochondria. 

Research Team

Our team, led by CEO Prof. Byoung Heon Kang brings together expertise and dedication. We’re driven by a shared mission to develop innovative treatments for intractable human diseases.

Nam Gu Yun

Researcher

At SmartinBio’s R&D since 2022, Nam Gu Yun has dedicated two years to deriving synthetic drug candidates and crafting clinical development strategies from formulation research and analytical results.

Jin Young Im

Researcher

Jin Young Im has been part of SmartinBio since 2019, spending five years screening in vivo for high-efficacy substances and developing mouse models to assess drug toxicity.

Sun Ah Baek

Researcher

Joining in 2021, Sun Ah Baek has spent three years at SmartinBio developing cell lines for drug screening, evaluating anti-cancer candidates, and conducting in vitro toxicity assessments.

Somi Nam

Researcher

Since 2021, Somi Nam has worked at SmartinBio for three years, focusing on screening drug candidates for efficacy and pioneering treatments for RNA and DNA virus infections.

Timeline

1

TRAP1 Functions in Cancer Mitochondria

(Cell, 2007)

2

The 1st TRAP1 Inhibitor

(J. Clin. Invest. 2009)

Gamitrinib

3

Optimizing TRAP1 Inhibitors

(JACS 2015; J. Med. Chem. 2017)

DN401, SMTIN-P01

4

Novel & Potent TRAP1 Inhibitors

(JACS 2021)

SMX

5

TRAP1 Inhibitors as retinopathy therapeutics

(Adv. Sci 2024)

SB-U015

  • For two decades, we have been dedicated to research in TRAP1 biology and inhibitor development
  • More than $5 million Korean government grants for drug development targeting TRAP1 have been invested

2019. 08.

UNIST faculty member founded. CEO: Kang Byung-hun (Professor of Life Sciences, UNIST)

2019. 08.

Attracting investment from the Chungbuk Creative Economy Innovation Center

2019. 09.

Private investment-funded technology start-up support (TIPS) research funding. Study period: 2019.08 – 2021.07.

2021. 11.

Selection of non-clinical candidate material development task for the national new drug development project: 2021.11.-2023.10.

Blog

News and Updates

Papers

Targeting the Mitochondrial Chaperone TRAP1 Alleviates Vascular Pathologies in Ischemic Retinopathy

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News

Research article published in Advanced Science (Jan. 2024)

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Patents

[국내특허] TRAP-1 억제제

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Patents

[국제특허] TRAP1 억제제 및 이의 용도

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