ADAM9 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 9) is overexpressed in several gastrointestinal cancers, with expression levels correlating with suppressive tumor microenvironment, metastasis and poor prognosis. DB-1317, under development at Duality Biologics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., is an ADAM9-targeting antibody-drug conjugate including a topoisomerase inhibitor payload P1003 at a drug-antibody ratio of 8.

Alterations in HER2 are known oncogenic drivers in several solid tumors, including breast, lung and gastric cancers, among others. VRN-101099 is an oral and HER2-selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor developed by Voronoi Inc. that had demonstrated brain permeability and preclinical safety.

KIF18A is a kinesin motor protein that moves toward the plus-end of spindle microtubules during mitosis. Inhibition of KIF18A disrupts spindle microtubule dynamics and chromosome alignment, selectively inducing mitotic catastrophe in chromosomally unstable cancer cells while sparing normal cells.

The overexpression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2b (FGFR2b) is tied to tumor progression in several malignancies, such as cholangiocarcinoma, HER2-negative gastric cancer and breast cancer. Lunan Pharmaceutical Group Corp. has developed a novel IgG1 monoclonal antibody against FGFR2b, LNF-2102, for the potential treatment of cancer.

KRAS acts as a key molecular switch in cell signaling, activated by the guanine nucleotide exchange factor SOS1. Mutant KRAS drives many cancers, yet has been difficult to target directly. SOS/pan-KRAS modulators represent a new approach that blocks the SOS1-KRAS interaction, preventing KRAS activation and suppressing oncogenic signaling across multiple KRAS variants.