Samsung Bioepis and IntoCell Sign Definitive Agreement for Joint ADC New Drug Development
Definitive Agreement Signed for First Candidate
in Joint Development of Up to Five ADC New Drug Candidates
Samsung Bioepis and IntoCell announced on July 22 that they have signed a definitive agreement for their first antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) novel drug candidate as part of their joint development project.
The two companies previously entered into a joint research agreement in December 2023 to discover up to five ADC novel drug candidates. This latest agreement covers follow-up research and development as well as commercialization for 'SBE303,' a Nectin-4 protein-targeted solid tumor treatment candidate currently undergoing global Phase 1 clinical trials.
Nectin-4 is a cell surface protein involved in cell-to-cell adhesion. It is found in a variety of cancers, including urothelial carcinoma, breast cancer, and lung cancer. Because Nectin-4 is overexpressed in cancer cells compared to normal cells, it is considered suitable for application in ADC technology, which uses 'linker' technology to bind specifically to certain cells and destroy cancer cells.
The agreement includes development and sales milestone payments (compensation for research and development achievements) and sales-based royalty terms. However, the total contract size and specific conditions have not been disclosed in accordance with mutual agreement between the two companies.
Kim Kyung-Ah, CEO of Samsung Bioepis, stated, "This agreement represents an important milestone in Samsung Bioepis's expansion into the next-generation anti-cancer drug sector through collaboration with domestic companies. We will continue to pursue innovation in research and development to address diverse unmet medical needs."
Park Taekyo, CEO of IntoCell, commented, "We hope that, through the collaboration between our two companies, IntoCell's linker platform technology will achieve significant results in the global market. We will continue to work closely together on subsequent programs currently progressing smoothly with Samsung Bioepis to ensure they bear fruit."
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In April 2026, Samsung Bioepis participated in the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting and presented pre-clinical research results for SBE303. The company confirmed the potential of SBE303 to improve antibody binding specificity to tumor cells and enhance intracellular drug delivery efficiency compared to existing Nectin-4-targeted anti-cancer drugs.
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