RudaCure selected as an A-Venture for developing treatments for dry eye disease and pain in companion animals

RudaCure, which is developing treatments for dry eye disease and osteoarthritis pain in companion animals, has been selected as the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ “A-Venture of the Month.”

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said on the 30th that it had selected RudaCure Co., Ltd., which is opening up the domestic veterinary drug market based on its research and development capabilities in human therapeutic technologies, as the 87th “A-Venture of the Month.” A-Ventures is a program for identifying and promoting outstanding venture and startup companies, with the name referring to “Avengers” in the field of agriculture.

RudaCure’s leading veterinary drug pipeline is the dry eye disease treatment RCI001-AH. The treatment works by suppressing inflammation and helping damaged ocular tissue recover. The company signed a co-development agreement with a global veterinary drug developer, Company C, in July 2024.

The company is also developing RCI002-AH, a nonopioid treatment for osteoarthritis pain. The candidate is a long-acting injectable whose effects last for 3 months after a single administration.

RudaCure’s technological capabilities stem from its history of developing human medicines. The company licensed its dry eye disease treatment candidate RCI001 to Hanlim Pharmaceutical in 2021 and received approval for a domestic Phase 1 clinical trial in 2024 and for a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Phase 2 investigational new drug (IND) trial plan in 2025.

“We will take the lead in the untapped companion animal drug market by developing treatments for intractable diseases,” RudaCure CEO Yong-ho Kim said. “Through the global expansion of domestically developed veterinary drugs whose efficacy and safety have been demonstrated, we will extend animals’ lives and promote shared growth in related industries.”