Galux, a South Korea-based biotech developing AI-driven protein therapeutics design, said it has closed a $29 million (KRW 42 billion) Series B financing, bringing the company’s total capital raised to $47 million (KRW 68 billion).
Galux said the new capital will be used to advance a next-generation approach to protein design that moves beyond “binder design” by incorporating functional activity and developability, with the aim of producing molecules that are more robust and therapeutically viable. The company also plans to expand R&D infrastructure and accelerate preclinical validation for proprietary programs.
The Series B included participation from existing backers InterVest, DAYLI Partners, and PATHWAY Investment, along with new investors including Yuanta Investment, Korea Development Bank (KDB), SL Investment, NCORE Ventures, SneakPeek Investments, Korea Investment & Securities, and Mirae Asset Securities. Galux previously raised an $18 million (KRW 21 billion) Series A in 2022, which it said helped expand its AI platform and R&D capabilities ahead of the Series B.
At the center of Galux’s strategy is GaluxDesign, an AI-driven platform focused on de novo antibody design. The company said the platform has generated high-affinity antibodies across multiple therapeutic targets and that an AI-designed antibody structure was highly consistent with a cryo-EM experimental structure, which Galux characterized as evidence of both precision and generalizability. Galux added that it is pairing its AI work with experimental feedback from an internal wet lab to improve platform performance, while extending efforts to more challenging target classes such as GPCRs and ion channels.
On the business development front, Galux said it is expanding strategic partnerships, citing co-development relationships with Celltrion and LG Chem and a recently announced collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim as part of its push to grow globally.
KEY QUOTES
“Since our initial seed investment, Galux has consistently demonstrated strong technical depth and disciplined execution.
The company’s capability to build a globally competitive AI platform for de novo protein design strengthens our conviction in its technology and its long-term potential to transform drug discovery.”
Sang-gyun Kim, Ph.D, Executive Managing Director, InterVest
“Rapidly evolving AI technologies are driving a paradigm shift in drug discovery—from empirical discovery to rational drug design. This funding will accelerate the development of next-generation AI that goes beyond binder design to incorporate functional activity and developability, enabling the creation of more robust and therapeutically viable molecules.”
Cha-ok Seok, CEO, Galux
