Shine-On BioMedical announced on September 11 that it has signed a licensing agreement with Singapore-based biopharmaceutical company ESCO Aster (EA) for its patented “exosome small-molecule drug loading” technology. Under the agreement, Shine-On will receive a licensing fee of NT$200 million as well as 5% of product sales revenue. The company estimates that, in addition to the upfront licensing fee, this agreement could generate tens of billions of NT dollars in long-term revenue over the next 10–15 years.

Shine-On stated that it aims to combine its leading exosome therapeutic drug development technology with ESCO Aster’s cGMP exosome formulation facilities and proprietary 3D Adherent Tide Motion bioreactor patents to accelerate the development and application of exosome-loaded small-molecule drugs in the licensed regions, including Southeast Asia (ASEAN) and New Zealand/Australia.

Shine-On is recognized as one of the top ten global exosome drug R&D companies. Its HLA-G-targeted exosome drug delivery vehicle, SOB100, has passed the U.S. FDA’s Phase I IND review, marking the first time an international biotech company has advanced an HLA-G cancer-targeting exosome therapy. Clinical trials for SOB100 are scheduled to begin in October 2025.

ESCO is an internationally renowned manufacturer of exosome- and stem cell-related products, operating cGMP-compliant exosome production facilities as a global CDMO. Through this licensing agreement, Shine-On demonstrates its technological advantage in exosome drug development, while ESCO Aster contributes production capabilities and global sales reach, creating a strong partnership to accelerate the deployment of Shine-On’s exosome technology and products both regionally and globally.

Shine-On BioMedical CEO Hung-Che Jiang stated, “Globally, drug delivery often relies on liposomes or viral vectors, but both carry risks of immune rejection and gene mutation. By developing exosomes specifically targeting cancer cells, which are naturally derived and highly biocompatible, we achieve targeted uptake by tumor cells, enhancing therapeutic efficacy while minimizing damage to normal cells.”

Animal studies have shown that exosome-loaded nucleic acid drugs effectively treat drug-resistant brain cancers. Loading chemotherapeutic agents—such as the so-called “little red berry” drug—into exosomes improves efficacy while reducing chemotherapy side effects such as nausea, hair loss, and cardiotoxicity. In the future, exosomes can deliver chemotherapeutics, nucleic acid drugs, or protein therapeutics, representing a large commercial potential in medicine.

Under this licensing agreement, ESCO Aster will use Shine-On’s technology to load its proprietary chemotherapeutic drugs, creating multiple exosome-based chemotherapy products targeting different cancer indications in the licensed regions, while Shine-On receives 5% of sales revenue for each product.

Shine-On noted that existing market products primarily use liposomes to deliver small-molecule chemotherapeutics, such as Liposomal Doxorubicin. According to Grand View Research and other market analyses, this drug generated US$120–130 million in 2023, with projections exceeding US$200 million between 2030 and 2034, at a CAGR of 5–7%. Exosome drug delivery is still in an early but rapidly growing stage, with market size expected to reach several million to hundreds of millions of dollars by 2024–2025, and a projected 30% CAGR over the next 5–15 years, potentially achieving tens of billions of dollars by the 2030s. Based on these estimates, Shine-On anticipates that this licensing deal could generate tens of billions of NT dollars in long-term revenue over the next 10–15 years in addition to the upfront licensing fee.

Chairman Chiu-Chin Huang said the licensing agreement marks a new chapter for Taiwanese exosome technology in partnership with global biopharma companies. Shine-On will continue to advance innovative and differentiated exosome drug development, providing safe and effective therapeutic options for cancer patients worldwide.

Resource: 聖安外泌體新藥授權國際大廠 ESCO 授權金達2億元、外加5%銷售分潤