Recent share price performance of NGenBio. (Source: KG Zeroin MP DOCTOR)
◇NGenBio Hits Upper Limit but Remains Penny Stock
NGenBio jumped 29.89% to close at 804 won, hitting the daily upper limit after announcing a Korean patent for next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology used to detect FLT3-ITD mutations associated with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
The technology uses a proprietary algorithm to recheck mutation candidates identified by existing analysis software, filtering out false positives and duplicate results. NGenBio said its evaluation showed a 94.5% reduction in false-positive mutations, although it did not disclose the number of samples tested or detailed false-negative results.
The patented technology is already incorporated into the company's MRD AccuPanel AML FLT3 diagnostic panel and analysis software. It will also be applied to a new HEME panel scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2027. However, the new panel is intended for research use only, leaving uncertainty over its near-term revenue contribution.
Despite the rally, NGenBio remains under a regulatory warning. The company was designated a managed stock on October 1 after its market capitalization fell below 20 billion won. The Korea Exchange subsequently warned that its shares had traded below 1,000 won for 25 consecutive sessions, potentially triggering an additional designation criterion.
Even after hitting the upper limit, NGenBio closed at just 804 won, requiring a further 24.4% gain to regain the 1,000-won threshold. Its market capitalization remained around 12.9 billion won.
A company official said there was no additional positive development beyond the patent announcement, adding that the stock's ability to maintain its upper-limit gain through the close was surprising.
Recent share price performance of Proteina. (Source: KG Zeroin MP DOCTOR)
◇Proteina Surges 23.7% on $26M Funding
Proteina surged 23.74% to 52,900 won after announcing plans to raise 36.5 billion won, just 15 months after its Kosdaq listing.
The company disclosed after the November 4 market close that it would issue 29.2 billion won in convertible bonds (CBs) and approximately 7.3 billion won in convertible preferred shares (CPS).
Participants include funds and investment firms associated with Mirae Asset, Celltrion, Aju IB Investment, Kiwoom Investment and Timefolio. Notably, several existing institutional investors are participating in the financing.
"The fact that institutional investors who have followed us for a long time are investing again is highly meaningful," a Proteina official said. "We raised the funds primarily from existing investors to finance new capital expenditures."
The CBs carry a zero coupon and a 1% annual yield to maturity. The initial conversion price for both the CBs and CPS is 48,061 won, a 12.4% premium to the November 4 closing price of 42,750 won.
Of the total proceeds, 26 billion won will fund an artificial intelligence (AI) biofoundry, while 10.5 billion won will support research on the company's PPI Landscape protein-interaction analysis platform and proprietary drug candidates.
Proteina said the biofoundry investment is linked to its August memorandum of understanding with Twist Bioscience to collaborate on large-scale experimental validation of AI-generated drug candidates.
However, the financing comes despite the company having raised approximately 21 billion won in its July 2025 IPO and still holding roughly 19.4 billion won in unspent IPO proceeds in deposits at the end of the first half.
Its financial performance has also fallen well short of listing projections. First-half revenue was approximately 500 million won, compared with a full-year forecast of 14.8 billion won. Its first-half operating loss reached 8.7 billion won, already exceeding the projected full-year loss of 2 billion won. The company declined to provide specific revenue guidance for the new investment.
Recent share price performance of AdBioTech. (Source: KG Zeroin MP DOCTOR)
◇AdBioTech Plunges 18.5% on Bond Delays, Dilution Risks
AdBioTech tumbled 18.53% to 1,385 won as repeated delays in convertible bond funding and newly added conversion-price reset provisions weighed on investor sentiment.
On November 3, the company submitted three revised disclosures covering its 10th through 12th CB issuances, totaling 14.3 billion won. The payment date was pushed back five days, from November 6 to November 11, while the issuance terms were also revised. All proceeds are earmarked for acquiring securities in another company.
The 10th CB issuance, worth 2 billion won, has been revised 10 times since its initial announcement in May. The 11th issuance, worth 11.3 billion won, has undergone eight revisions since June. The 12th issuance, worth 1 billion won, was also delayed just five days after its initial announcement.
More significantly, the revised terms allow conversion prices to be adjusted downward every seven months, potentially falling 30% from the initial 1,999 won to 1,400 won.
If all bonds are converted into shares, the number of newly issued shares could increase from approximately 7.15 million to as many as 10.21 million, raising dilution risks for existing shareholders.
The revised terms also shift interest payments from quarterly to monthly. The 11th and 12th CBs carry a 6% annual coupon, while the 10th carries a 3.5% coupon. If all three issuances are completed, annual coupon interest expenses would total approximately 808 million won.
The 11th and 12th CBs also contain provisions requiring early repayment if AdBioTech reports a consolidated operating loss in the first quarter of 2027.
"Repeated payment delays have raised uncertainty over whether the financing will actually be completed as scheduled," a biotech industry source said. "The additional dilution risk from the reset clauses appears to have further weakened investor sentiment."
