LG Chem aims to begin AI-driven cancer vaccine trials in 2029

LG Chem plans to begin clinical development of a personalized cancer vaccine in 2029 as it expands the use of artificial intelligence from drug discovery to selecting patients most likely to benefit from treatment, aiming to improve the success rate of clinical trials.

The South Korean chemical and pharmaceutical company is developing AI models to identify tumor-specific targets for personalized messenger RNA (mRNA) cancer vaccines while using the technology to refine patient selection and treatment strategies in oncology.

LG Chem outlined its plans at the inaugural 2026 LG AI Bio Conference, held Tuesday at LG Sciencepark in western Seoul, the company said Wednesday.

The event, jointly hosted by LG Chem, LG AI Research and U.S. life sciences venture capital firm Flagship Pioneering, brought together about 140 representatives from Korean and international AI biotechnology companies to promote collaboration and build an AI-driven biotech innovation ecosystem in South Korea.

“AI is evolving from a tool for drug development into a core engine that determines competitiveness,” said Son Jee-woong, president of LG Chem Life Sciences, in his opening remarks.

“Future competitiveness in drug development will depend not only on identifying the right drug with superior structural properties, but also on using AI to identify the right patients who are most likely to benefit from treatment,” he said.

LG Chem plans to focus its AI-driven clinical development efforts on cancer treatments, where the complex biological characteristics of tumors make patient selection particularly important.

The company aims to improve the precision of biomarker-based patient screening and incorporate AI into treatment planning. Biomarkers are biological indicators that can help identify disease characteristics and predict responses to therapy.

By extending AI-based decision-making beyond drug candidate discovery into clinical development, LG Chem hopes to increase the likelihood of successful trials.

The company is also applying AI to personalized mRNA cancer vaccines, which are designed to stimulate an immune response against cancer cells specific to individual patients.

A central part of the project involves developing and refining AI models that accurately predict neoantigens, or newly formed tumor-specific antigens that can serve as targets for the immune system.

LG Chem aims to use the models to identify optimal therapeutic targets for individual patients, advance the vaccine program through preclinical studies in 2027 and enter clinical development in 2029.

The conference also highlighted AI-driven drug development initiatives at global biotechnology companies.

Andr? Andonian, chairman of Flagship Pioneering Asia Pacific, said LG Chem and Flagship Pioneering were expanding their life sciences partnership with AI serving as a shared engine of innovation.

He cited Moderna and Lila Sciences as examples of companies pursuing AI-driven innovation.

Jue Wang, global head of business development at Insilico Medicine, presented a case in which a drug candidate discovered using generative AI advanced into clinical development.

Ryan Leung, head of life sciences products at Lila Sciences, introduced the concept of an autonomous laboratory, where AI agents repeatedly carry out cycles of experimental design, synthesis, testing and learning.

During a panel discussion, Korean biotechnology executives outlined their approaches to using AI in precision medicine.

Lee Jeong-seok, CEO of Inocras, discussed identifying patient populations through whole-genome cancer data, while Na Kwon-joong, chief medical officer of Portrai, presented strategies for discovering biomarkers and selecting patients using AI-powered spatial biology technologies.