Cadherin 17 (CDH17) is a membrane-bound cell adhesion molecule involved in tumor cell proliferation and is selectively overexpressed in several gastrointestinal malignancies, including colorectal cancer, gastric cancer and pancreatic cancer.

Formosa Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Almac Discovery Ltd. have announced a global licensing agreement for development and commercialization of ALM-401, a first-in-class engineered bispecific antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) for the treatment of solid tumors characterized by the dual expression of EGFR and ROR1.

Immutep Ltd. announced strong median overall survival of 17.6 months in cohort B of the TACTI-003 (Keynote-PNC-34) phase IIb trial that evaluated eftilagimod alfa in combination with Merck & Co.’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as first-line therapy in recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in patients with PD-L1 expression below 1.

Among three Korean biotech companies slated to sell shares on the Korea Exchange this month, Immuneoncia Therapeutics Inc. is the latest to price a ₩33.9 billion (US$24 million) Kosdaq IPO for May 19. Regenerative cell therapy maker Organoid Sciences Ltd. and antibody-drug conjugate specialist Intocell Inc. are also gearing up for respective Kosdaq listings starting next week.

Immutep Ltd. announced strong median overall survival of 17.6 months in cohort B of the TACTI-003 (Keynote-PNC-34) phase IIb trial that evaluated eftilagimod alfa in combination with Merck & Co.’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as first-line therapy in recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in patients with PD-L1 expression below 1.

Human papillomavirus (HPV), particularly the high-risk HPV16 subtype, is a major driver of certain cancers, including cervical, oropharyngeal, anal and penile cancers. The E6 and E7 proteins produced by HPV16 are known to play critical roles in the development of these malignancies, making them attractive targets for therapeutic interventions.

Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are often co-expressed in the tumor microenvironment. The combination of anti-PD-1 and anti-VEGF agents has been evaluated in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, with promising results from agents like ivonescimab, a PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody.