ADC with Reduced Toxicity and AI-Accelerated Drug Discovery... A Snapshot of Global Anti-Cancer Trends

AACR Opens on April 17 in San Diego, USA

At the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), one of the world's top three cancer societies, domestic and international pharmaceutical and biotech companies have unveiled a slew of next-generation anti-cancer drug research achievements, including overcoming the toxicity of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and discovering new targets using artificial intelligence (AI), signaling fierce technological competition ahead.

According to the industry on April 9, major Korean companies such as Hanmi Pharmaceutical, SK Biopharmaceuticals, Legochem Biosciences, and ABL Bio are expected to present detailed preclinical and early clinical data at this academic conference, which is scheduled to take place in San Diego, USA, on April 17. This is anticipated to serve as a bridgehead for global partnerships and technology transfer.

Hanmi Pharmaceutical will present nine research outcomes across eight new drug projects based on innovative modalities, including next-generation messenger RNA (mRNA) and bispecific ADCs. The bispecific ADC is a next-generation anti-cancer drug modality that combines cell-killing drugs (payloads) with a 'bispecific antibody' technology capable of simultaneously binding to two different targets (antigens). Hanmi Pharmaceutical will announce the highest number of research results among Korean companies for the fourth consecutive year.

SK Biopharmaceuticals will unveil preclinical research results for its next-generation core anti-cancer portfolio of radiopharmaceuticals on the global stage for the first time. The company will present data for the therapeutic SKL35501, which targets NTSR1, and the imaging agent SKL35502, sharing findings regarding tumor size reduction in treated groups and patterns of drug clearance in non-target organs. Notably, based on preclinical results showing tumor exposure levels 22 times higher than in blood for the imaging agent, the company plans to accelerate clinical entry and offer innovative treatment options.

Legochem Biosciences and ABL Bio have also drawn attention by unveiling next-generation non-clinical data that overcome the limitations of existing ADC platforms. Legochem Biosciences will present results for two next-generation BCMA-targeted ADC pipeline candidates aimed at multiple myeloma, which have overcome the ocular toxicity side effects of conventional drugs. By enhancing antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity or equipping a proprietary payload, the company confirmed superior efficacy compared to control groups, and is preparing to submit a global Investigational New Drug (IND) application based on these results.

ABL Bio will showcase preclinical data for its bispecific ADCs, such as ABL206, which simultaneously target proteins B7-H3 and ROR1 and have demonstrated improved efficacy and favorable tolerability compared to single-antibody approaches. The company will also present data for ABL209, which has significantly mitigated off-target toxicity, further confirming its next-generation bispecific antibody technology capabilities.

Even before the conference, detailed research achievements from global big pharma and promising biotech firms have been drawing attention. AstraZeneca, in collaboration with Daiichi Sankyo, will release the latest data on datopotamab deruxtecan, a TROP2-targeted ADC, in the evaluation of gastric and other solid tumors. The company will also disclose clinical results for next-generation PARP1 selective inhibitor saruparib, which features dramatically improved brain penetration. Insilico Medicine, a leading AI drug development company, will present preclinical results for four new anti-cancer inhibitors, whose discovery periods have been shortened from the previous average of 4.5 years to just 12 to 18 months using its proprietary generative AI platform.

An industry official stated, "This year's AACR will be an important watershed for domestic and international pharmaceutical and biotech companies, as they tackle the challenges of toxicity control and efficacy improvement, and receive objective validation for the potential of their new technologies on the global stage."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.