GC Labcell said Tuesday that it obtained a domestic patent for a composition concerning the delivery of genetic drugs that treat brain diseases.

The patent is for a recombinant protein with a particular structure that can efficiently deliver the drug to the brain's nervous system by administering into the nose and gene technology that uses the protein.

GC LabCell’s technology obtained a patent that goes through the blood-brain barrier and delivers a drug to the brain. (GC LabCell)

In treating brain disease, transferring a drug to the nervous system of the brain is significant. However, there is a limit in improving symptoms as the medicine fails to go through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in the traditional administration method.

The BBB is a vascular membrane with a highly selective permeability that separates the central nervous system's regulatory function, including the brain, from pathogens such as viruses and potentially dangerous substances that can travel through the blood.

GC Labcell confirmed the efficacy of the technology for its composition in an animal study.

The company found a high rate of gene expression in brain tissues when the drug was injected into an animal with GM1 gangliosidosis, a rare genetic disorder that destroys nerve cells.

"Our technology is characterized by high validity and safety," said Hwang Yu-kyung, director of GC LabCell's Cell Therapy Research Center. "As we have secured source technology that can be applied to an extensive range of brain and nervous system diseases, we will begin developing next-generation gene therapies."

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