GBIOLOGICS, a biotechnology company developing novel therapies for autoimmune diseases, announced that it has been selected for the General Track of the 2026 Investment-Linked Technology Development Program (Scale-up TIPS), an initiative led by Korea’s Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS).
Scale-up TIPS is a private investment-linked technology innovation program in which private investors identify and invest in promising SMEs with strong technological capabilities and growth potential, while the Korean government provides matching R&D support. The program is designed to accelerate technological innovation and scale-up by combining private-sector investment expertise with government R&D funding.
The 2026 Scale-up TIPS General Track targets SMEs that have attracted private investment based on their technological capabilities and growth potential. Selected companies are eligible to receive up to KRW 2 billion (approximately USD 1.5 million) in R&D funding over a period of up to 36 months.
GBIOLOGICS’ selection follows a follow-on investment and recommendation by T Investment, an operator of the Scale-up TIPS program. Earlier this year, GBIOLOGICS secured a follow-on investment from T Investment and subsequently applied to the Scale-up TIPS General Track based on its recommendation. With its final selection, the company will be able to further accelerate the development of its core pipeline through government R&D support linked to private investment.
GBIOLOGICS is a biotechnology company developing next-generation therapies for autoimmune diseases based on recombinant stabilized Galectin-9 (sGal-9). Since its establishment in 2018, the company has continued to advance sGal-9-related R&D, intellectual property protection, and manufacturing process development. Its pipeline currently covers multiple autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
The company’s lead pipeline candidate, GB910, is a novel therapeutic candidate designed to directly modulate fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), which play an important role in the pathological progression of rheumatoid arthritis. GBIOLOGICS’ sGal-9 binds to CD44 expressed on FLS and inhibits the MIF-CD44 signaling axis, thereby suppressing the proliferation and migration of hyperactivated FLS. Through this differentiated mechanism, the company is developing GB910 as a potential First-in-Class therapy for rheumatoid arthritis, distinct from conventional treatments targeting TNF, IL-6, JAK, and other immune or inflammatory pathways.
Through its selection for Scale-up TIPS, GBIOLOGICS plans to establish a more robust R&D foundation by combining private investment with government R&D support and focus on advancing the technologies required for the preclinical and clinical development of its sGal-9-based core pipeline. The company intends to accelerate the development of its autoimmune disease pipeline, including GB910, while continuing to strengthen its R&D capabilities for successful advancement into clinical development.
