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Kangstem Biotech strives to develop an innovative new drug for patients suffering from rare and incurable diseases.
OSCA Selected as a Multi-Ministry Project
08
2025.05
OSCA Selected as a Multi-Ministry Project
Kangstem Biotech announced that the clinical trial for its disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug "OSCA" has been selected as a project under the Korean Fund for Regenerative Medicine(KFRM). With the support of this project, the company aims to swiftly complete the domestic Phase 2a clinical trial of OSCA and proceed with the IND approval process for Phase 2b.
Through this selection, Kangstem Biotech will receive funding to support research expenses necessary for conducting the Phase 2a trial of OSCA, including the cost of clinical drug manufacturing. During the project period, the company plans to complete dosing for 108 patients with knee osteoarthritis and conduct clinical evaluations such as data analysis to enable progression to the Phase 2b trial.
The KFRM supports the development of advanced regenerative medicines for intractable and severe diseases by fostering key foundational technologies such as stem cells, gene therapy, and tissue engineering, as well as facilitating the development of therapeutics for domestic and international clinical applications. OSCA,
currently being developed as an advanced bio-convergent therapy for knee osteoarthritis, was selected for this project due to its potential as a groundbreaking treatment that offers structural improvement through symptom relief, functional recovery, and cartilage regeneration.
A research director at Kangstem Biotech stated, “With the aging population, there is a growing national demand for the development of new drugs for knee osteoarthritis. Existing treatments mainly provide pain relief and reduce inflammation, but there are no fundamental cures, making it a difficult-to-treat condition. This government-level support was initiated in response to that need. Through this project selection, we have secured significant support, including a reduction in clinical development costs, and we will do our utmost to accelerate the development of this innovative osteoarthritis treatment.”