Chong Kun Dang announced on October 22 that it has established a new subsidiary, Archela Inc., dedicated to new drug development and held an inaugural ceremony.
The name Archela combines the ancient Greek word “arche,” meaning “beginning” or “origin,” with the suffix “la,” symbolizing life and expansion. The name reflects the company’s vision of nurturing life from its roots and contributing to human health through pharmaceutical technology.
Archela will operate as an NRDO (No Research, Development Only) organization, focusing on securing new pipelines, conducting clinical development, negotiating technology transfers, and driving commercialization. The subsidiary aims to enhance development efficiency and secure future growth by applying a select-and-focus strategy to promising drug candidates.
Initially, Archela will concentrate resources on three main pipelines: the CETP inhibitor CKD‑508, the oral GLP‑1 agonist CKD‑514, and the HDAC6 inhibitor CKD‑513.
CKD‑508 is a candidate for dyslipidemia treatment that demonstrated safety and efficacy in a Phase 1 trial in the U.K. and has received U.S. FDA approval for Phase 1 studies. CKD‑514 is an oral GLP‑1 agonist targeting obesity and diabetes. CKD‑513 is an HDAC6 inhibitor designed to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB), offering potential for treating intractable neurological disorders.
Archela’s first CEO is Dr. Joo‑hee Lee, a former researcher at Chong Kun Dang’s research institute. Dr. Lee earned her doctorate from Seoul National University and has research experience at Samsung Cancer Research Institute and the U.S. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC).
Dr. Lee described the launch as a new milestone for Chong Kun Dang’s drug development efforts and said Archela will boost development efficiency and global competitiveness through its focused pipeline strategy.
