Bertis is accelerating a business that uses protein analysis technology to identify target proteins needed for drug development. The company is in talks with global pharmaceutical firms including MSD on cooperation such as joint development. Business opportunities are expected to widen as demand for drug target discovery grows in the development of next-generation cancer treatments such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).
"The core of our technology is finding more proteins than others and then selecting and analyzing the ones that matter in disease," Bertis CEO Han Seung-man said in an interview with The Seoul Economic Daily at the company's office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on the 22nd. "We will build a 'target foundry' model that provides specialized support from protein analysis through the discovery and validation of new therapeutic targets, and grow into a key partner in drug development."
Bertis points to proteomics — technology that comprehensively analyzes proteins expressed in cells and tissues — as its core competitive strength. Using the technology, the company analyzes large volumes of proteins from a range of samples and identifies targets that can be used in drug development. One prominent example is the muscle-preserving obesity drug candidate that Hanmi Pharmaceutical recently licensed out to Genentech. "In Hanmi Pharmaceutical's obesity drug research, we analyzed more than 10,000 proteins in muscle tissue, which is difficult to analyze, and helped establish a differentiated mechanism of action," Han said.
Bertis this year unveiled SURF, an artificial intelligence-based platform for drug target discovery, and is pursuing cooperation with global pharmaceutical companies. SURF directly analyzes proteins on the surface of cancer cells and uses the company's own AI-based search engine and analytical technology to identify and validate new drug targets. "We can reduce the time and cost needed for drug development by supporting protein analysis technology that drug developers find difficult to carry out themselves," Han said. "Discussions on cooperation with MSD are also under way."
Han plans to widen the protein analysis business in the development of next-generation cancer treatments such as ADCs and bispecific antibodies. An ADC delivers a cytotoxic drug, known as a payload, using an antibody that binds to a specific protein on the surface of a cancer cell. "With genomic analysis alone, it is difficult to distinguish whether a specific protein is located inside the cancer cell or on its surface," Han said. "By directly analyzing proteins on the cancer cell surface and comparing them with normal cells, we can identify targets for drugs such as ADCs more effectively." He added, "If we analyze which proteins are present around the antigen that an existing antibody binds to, we can expand into developing bispecific antibodies that target two antigens."
The company is also expanding a cancer diagnostics business built on biomarkers identified by analyzing proteins in blood. One example is Mastocheck, software for the early detection of breast cancer. "We will also enter the market for multi-omics diagnostic testing, which combines genomic and proteomic analysis technologies," Han said. "We are working with a U.S. genomics-based liquid biopsy company to develop a diagnostic product that combines the two technologies." Supported by growth in both its protein analysis services and its diagnostics business, Bertis posted revenue of about 5.1 billion won last year, up 63% from a year earlier.
Bertis applied on the 7th of this month for a preliminary listing review to go public on the KOSDAQ under the technology-based special listing track. "As AI technology advances, proteomics — analyzing and making use of vast amounts of protein information — will become even more important," Han said. "After listing, we aim to sign a meaningful joint development agreement within next year and turn a profit in 2028."
