LG Group has invested in Strand Therapeutics, a US-based company developing messenger RNA-based cancer therapies, through its venture capital arm LG Technology Ventures, according to industry sources.

Strand Therapeutics, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was founded in 2017 by synthetic biologists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The company works on programming cells to produce antigens for treating cancer, autoimmune conditions, and rare diseases.

LG Technology Ventures’ total investments in biotech startups are estimated to have exceeded US$50 million with this latest deal.

LG has also backed other biohealth startups, including ADARx Pharmaceuticals, Aetion, Eko Health, and Accellex.

The Korean conglomerate has been increasing investments in AI and biotechnology to strengthen its healthcare portfolio.

Last month, LG AI Research unveiled Exaone Pass 2.0, an AI model for cancer diagnosis.

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🔗 Source: The Korea Herald

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ mRNA therapeutics attract substantial venture funding despite early development stage

Strand Therapeutics has already raised $103.65 million in total funding since its 2017 founding, demonstrating significant investor confidence in programmable mRNA technology 1.

The company’s approach focuses on creating mRNA drugs with logic-based circuits that can control protein expression, representing a more sophisticated approach than traditional mRNA therapies 1.

This substantial funding level for a relatively young biotech company reflects the broader investment momentum in mRNA therapeutics following the success of COVID-19 vaccines, which validated the platform’s commercial potential.

LG’s participation in Strand’s Series B round showcases the interest of major corporations in next-generation therapeutic platforms that could transform cancer treatment through precise, programmable interventions.

2️⃣ AI-healthcare research acceleration creates opportunities for cross-sector integration

The convergence of AI and healthcare has gained dramatic momentum, with AI-related healthcare publications surging from 158 in 2014 to 731 by 2024 2.

This research explosion creates opportunities for technology conglomerates like LG to leverage their AI capabilities across biotech investments, as demonstrated by their recent launch of Exaone Pass 2.0 for cancer diagnostics.

LG’s dual focus on both AI development and biotech investments positions the company to capture value from the integration of these rapidly advancing fields.

The company’s strategy reflects a broader trend where technology firms are not just investing in biotech, but actively applying their core AI capabilities to accelerate drug discovery and diagnostic processes.

Recent LG Group developments

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