Over the course of the year, and continuing into the latest scientific meetings, an extraordinary breadth of new antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) designs was reported, with innovations spanning targets, linkers, payloads, conjugation chemistries and overall architectures. Once defined by a simple “one target, one payload” model, the field is lately expanding into a more versatile and diverse therapeutic space.
Hanx Biopharmaceuticals Inc. has identified antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) consisting of an antibody targeting TRBV12 covalently linked to cytotoxic drugs through linkers reported to be useful for the treatment of T-cell leukemia and T-cell lymphoma.
Shenzhen Chipscreen Biosciences Ltd. has synthesized MAPK-interacting kinase 1 (MNK1) and/or MAPK-interacting kinase 2 (MNK2) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
Shenzhen Grit Biotechnology Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Vitalgen Biopharma Co. Ltd. recently presented their work to develop and evaluate a novel anti-CD19 in vivo CAR T candidate, named GT-801.
GAS41, the chromatin-associated protein encoded by YEATS4, is frequently overexpressed in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Beyond its association with epigenetic dysregulation, GAS41 plays an active role in modulating transcriptional programs that are essential for NSCLC pathogenesis, underscoring its suitability as a mechanistically well-supported therapeutic target.
Harbour Biomed and Yantai Lannacheng Biotechnology Co. Ltd. have entered into a long-term strategic collaboration to jointly advance the development of next-generation radionuclide-drug conjugates for the treatment of cancer.
Adlai Nortye Ltd. has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Jiangsu Aosaikang Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Ask Pharm) for its proprietary pan-RAS(ON) inhibitor AN-9025, an oral small molecule designed to target a broad spectrum of RAS mutations across various tumor types.
Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common malignant brain tumor, remains difficult to treat because cancer stem cells (CSCs) drive resistance and recurrence. Although the Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib suppresses GBM cell growth and stem-like traits, its limited selectivity and off-target activity raise safety concerns, highlighting the need for more specific BTK inhibitors.
Shenzhen Targetrx Inc. has divulged proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) compounds comprising a cereblon (CRBN)-binding moiety covalently linked to Raf kinase B (V600E mutant)-targeting moiety through linker reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
Researchers at Institute of Materia Medica Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College have identified 5’-nucleotidase (CD73) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer, fibrosis, cerebral ischemia, depression, sleep disorders, Parkinson’s disease, immunological disorders and inflammatory disorders, among others.