ABL Bio struck a $2.6 billion licensing and research pact with Eli Lilly for its blood-brain barrier shuttle technology, seven months after signing a similar deal with GSK. The agreement includes a $40 million (56 billion won) upfront payment, with the South Korean biotech eligible to collect milestone payments tied to development and regulatory approvals, plus royalties on commercial sales.
The companies plan to develop therapies using the Grabody-B platform, which facilitates drug delivery across the protective membrane surrounding the brain. That barrier shields the organ from harmful substances but also blocks many potential treatments for neurodegenerative conditions. Pharmaceutical companies have intensified their focus on shuttle technologies after Roche disclosed encouraging early-stage data in 2023 for an Alzheimer’s antibody using similar capabilities.
ABL Bio’s approach targets insulin-like growth factor 1 receptors to transport therapeutic molecules. The platform attracted GSK’s attention earlier this year through a 4.1 trillion won technology transfer, positioning the Seongnam-based company among South Korea’s most active biotechnology exporters in 2025.
Chief Executive Officer Lee Sang-hoon said the company aims to expand applications beyond neurological diseases into obesity and muscle disorders. The claim remains unproven, as the technology has yet to generate any approved products through partnerships with Lilly, GSK, or previous collaborator Sanofi.
