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- 2026-06-10 19:09:25
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- Traditional pharmas join in the Dupixent biosimilar race
- by Kim, Jin-Gu Jun 04, 2026 09:39am
- Korean pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are increasingly entering the race to develop biosimilar versions of Dupixent (dupilumab), a blockbuster biologic with annual global sales approaching KRW 27 trillion.According to industry sources, Daewoong Pharmaceutical signed an agreement on May 28 with Chime Biologics, a global Chinese contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), to collaborate on the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of a Dupixent biosimilar. Under the agreement, the companies will leverage Chime Biologics' biologics development and manufacturing capabilities to develop the biosimilar, while Daewoong Pharmaceutical will lead commercialization efforts in major international markets.Daewoong established a dedicated biosimilar business division in June last year, and the Dupixent biosimilar has reportedly been identified as one of its initial strategic targets.Chime Biologics operates KUBio, a modular biologics manufacturing platform, and is regarded as having manufacturing capabilities that meet global cGMP standards required by both the U.S. FDA and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The company has also expanded partnerships with Korean biotech firms such as MedPacto and Panolos Bioscience.CKD and Samsung Bioepis pursue ‘independent development,’ Daewoong and KyongBo seek ‘joint development’…targets global marketPrior to Daewoong's announcement, Chong Kun Dang (CKD), Samsung Bioepis, and KyongBo Pharmaceutical had already formalized their strategies for entering the Dupixent biosimilar market.In January, CKD received approval to initiate a European Phase I trial for its biosimilar candidate CKD-706. The study will evaluate pharmacokinetic equivalence to Dupixent in healthy adult volunteers while also comparing pharmacodynamics, safety, and immunogenicity. Industry observers assess CKD to be among the most advanced Korean companies in Dupixent biosimilar development.Samsung Bioepis announced at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference 2026 that it had begun development of 7 blockbuster biosimilars, including a Dupixent biosimilar.KyongBo Pharmaceutical signed a comprehensive collaboration agreement with Protium Science in September last year and formally announced its Dupixent biosimilar development program in December.The participating companies are pursuing different development models. CKD has chosen an independent development strategy aimed at maximizing long-term profitability through its own R&D capabilities. Samsung Bioepis is likewise expected to pursue an in-house development approach, in line with its previous biosimilar programs.By contrast, Daewoong Pharmaceutical and KyongBo Pharmaceutical are pursuing joint development. The companies are employing a practical strategy to lower early-stage development risks and improve process efficiency through joint development.Dupixent sales expected to reach USD 30 billion…substance patent to expire around 2030 in major countriesCommercialization strategies are also expected to differ once the companies complete development . Samsung Bioepis is likely to pursue a two-track strategy combining direct sales and global partnerships, similar to its existing biosimilar portfolio.Daewoong plans to leverage the global commercialization experience gained through its botulinum toxin product Nabota to support future marketing of a Dupixent biosimilar. KyongBo Pharmaceutical, which is relatively new to the biologics sector, is expected to explore licensing-out opportunities or co-marketing models with large multinational pharmaceutical companies through its partnership with Protium Science.Dupixent generated USD 17.8 billion in annual sales last year, making it one of Sanofi's most successful products.The drug has maintained strong growth through successive indication expansions across immune-mediated diseases, including atopic dermatitis and asthma. More recently, indications have been expanded to include ▲ chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), ▲ prurigo nodularis, ▲ eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), and ▲ chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Industry analysts project that global sales could exceed USD 20 billion (KRW 30.3 trillion) before patent expiration.Dupixent's core composition patents are scheduled to expire between 2029 and 2031 in major markets. Although Sanofi is pursuing an aggressive patent defense strategy through formulation changes and additional patent filings that could potentially extend exclusivity by up to a decade, the market generally expects a large-scale biosimilar market opportunity to emerge around 2030.
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- Hanmi, another mega out-licensing deal on a novel drug
- by Chon, Seung-Hyun Jun 04, 2026 09:39am
- Hanmi Pharmaceutical has secured another novel drug technology transfer agreement with global pharma Eli Lilly after 11 years. With an upfront payment exceeding KRW 100 billion, the deal ranks among the top 10 upfront payments in the Korean pharma and biotech industry. The upfront payment secured by Hanmi Pharmaceutical accounts for 6% of the total contract value. It is a megadeal with one of the highest upfront-to-total deal-value ratios among recent technology transfers by domestic companies.Hanmi Pharmaceutical out-licenses novel drug to Lilly after 11 years...KRW 110B upfront payment ranks in Top 10 on recordHanmi Pharmaceutical announced on June 1st that it has signed an exclusive license agreement with Eli Lilly for the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of its novel biologic candidate, ‘sonefpeglutide’.Hanmi Pharmaceutical will receive a guaranteed upfront payment of $75 million (approximately KRW 110 billion) from Lilly. The company is also eligible to receive up to an additional $1.185 billion (approximately KRW 1.8 trillion) upon achieving clinical development, regulatory approval, and commercialization milestones. Hanmi Pharmaceutical will also receive separate tiered royalties following the product launch.Under this agreement, Lilly secures exclusive global rights for the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of sonefpeglutide, excluding South Korea.AI-generated imageSonefpeglutide is a novel drug candidate developed utilizing LAPSCOVERY, Hanmi Pharmaceutical’s proprietary long-acting platform technology for biologics. Focusing on the biological effects of glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2), including the promotion of intestinal growth, alleviation of inflammation, and protection and regeneration of the intestinal mucosa. Hanmi has conducted various non-clinical studies. The candidate is currently undergoing global Phase II clinical trials for the indication of Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS). Hanmi Pharmaceutical will continue the ongoing global Phase II trial for SBS until its completion, after which Lilly will advance subsequent clinical trials based on the non-clinical and clinical data for sonefpeglutide.This novel drug out-licensing deal between Hanmi Pharmaceutical and Lilly marks the first time in 11 years. In 2015, Hanmi out-licensed its BTK inhibitor, poseltinib, to Lilly for an upfront payment of $50 million. BTK inhibitors act by blocking Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK), a protein critical to B-cell development. Lilly returned the poseltinib rights in January 2019, citing a failure to demonstrate efficacy in a Phase II clinical trial for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.The upfront payment secured by Hanmi Pharmaceutical through this deal ranks in the top 10 among the past out-licensing agreements signed by domestic pharma and biotech firms. Hanmi Pharmaceutical also holds the record for the largest upfront payment in a technology transfer by a domestic company.In November 2015, Hanmi Pharmaceutical signed an out-licensing agreement with Sanofi for three novel diabetes treatments (efpeglenatide, long-acting insulin, and an efpeglenatide + long-acting insulin combination). The initial upfront payment was valued at EUR 400 million. Although the upfront fee was subsequently reduced to EUR 204 million through an amended contract, it still holds the top spot for historical upfront payments. The long-acting obesity and diabetes treatment that Hanmi out-licensed to Janssen in 2015 for $105 million ranks second on record. The $100 million upfront payment received by SK Biopharmaceuticals in February 2019, when it signed a technology transfer agreement with Arvelle Therapeutics for the epilepsy treatment 'cenobamate,' ranks third historically. The $100 million in upfront fees secured in novel drug licensing deals by companies such as LG Chem, LigaChem Biosciences, and Orum Therapeutics also rank third-highest in historical upfront payments.In January 2024, LG Chem signed a technology transfer agreement with U.S.-based Rhythm Pharmaceuticals for its rare obesity drug candidate, LB54640. The terms of the deal included a $100 million upfront payment, with the total deal value reaching up to $305 million. LB54640 is the world's first oral MC4R agonist, and its Phase I clinical trials confirmed safety as well as a trend toward dose-dependent weight loss.In December 2023, LigaChem Biosciences signed a technology transfer agreement with Janssen Biotech for the development and commercialization of ‘LCB84’. The contract terms stipulated a $100 million upfront payment, a $200 million option exercise fee for sole development, and development, regulatory, and commercialization milestones, bringing the total potential value up to $1.7 billion. LCB84 is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) utilizing LigaChem Bio’s next-generation ADC platform technology and a Trop2 antibody in-licensed from Mediterranea Pharma.In November 2023, Orum Therapeutics signed an out-licensing deal with BMS for its novel drug candidate, ORM-6151. The total contract value reached up to $180 million, including a $100 million upfront payment. ORM-6151 is a candidate developed via Orum Therapeutics' proprietary antibody-based protein degrader platform.Chong Kun Dang signed an out-licensing deal with Novartis in November 2023 for its candidate, CKD-510; the $80 million non-refundable upfront payment ranks seventh historically. Factoring in $1.225 billion in development and regulatory milestones, the total deal value scales up to $1.305 billion. CKD-510 is a novel drug candidate discovered and developed by Chong Kun Dang, a highly selective HDAC6 inhibitor engineered with a non-hydroxamic acid platform.Hanmi Pharmaceutical received an upfront payment of $80 million under its 2016 deal with Genentech to transfer its RAF-targeted anticancer technology. In January 2022, ABL Bio secured a non-refundable upfront fee of $75 million upon signing a technology transfer agreement with Sanofi subsidiary Genzyme for ABL301, a bispecific antibody candidate targeting degenerative neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease.Hanmi Pharmaceutical received upfront fees of $50 million each in its 2015 out-licensing agreements with Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim. The $50 million upfront payment secured by Yuhan Corporation in 2018 when it out-licensed the oncology drug Leclaza to Janssen also ranks among the highest tiers.Upfront fee accounts for 6% of total deal value...among the highest levels in recent tech transfersThe upfront payment secured through Hanmi Pharmaceutical's latest technology transfer accounts for 6.0% of the total deal value. This represents a highly remarkable proportion, even when compared with historical out-licensing deals.Last year, only one technology transfer deal by a Korean pharma or biotech company achieved an upfront payment proportion exceeding 6.0%, and that was an out-licensing agreement by Hanmi Pharmaceutical.In September of last year, Hanmi Pharmaceutical signed a global technology transfer agreement granting exclusive global development and commercialization rights for ‘Encequidar’ alongside Gilead Sciences and Health Hope Pharma. Under this deal, Health Hope Pharma, which held the global rights to Encequidar outside of Korea, modified its existing strategic collaboration with Hanmi Pharmaceutical to grant Gilead an exclusive global license for product development, manufacturing, and commercialization within the field of virology. Hanmi Pharmaceutical received a non-refundable upfront payment of $2.5 million. Milestone payments tied to development stages were capped at up to $32 million. Although the upfront payment accounted for 7.8% of the total contract value in this instance, the absolute dollar amount of the upfront fee was relatively small.2025 Out-licensing deals by pharmaceutical and biotech companies. UPFRONT PAYMENT (KRW 100 million); TOTAL CONTRACT VALUE (KRW 100 million)Since last year, out-licensing of novel drug candidates has been highly active, driven primarily by biotech firms such as AimedBio, OliX Pharmaceuticals, AbClon, Alteogen, Genome & Company, ABL Bio, Rznomics, NIBEC, Abion, Sovargen, and G2GBio. However, the proportion of upfront payments in these deals remained negligible.In March of last year, Alteogen signed two agreements with MedImmune, the research and development (R&D) subsidiary of AstraZeneca, utilizing its proprietary 'ALT-B4' platform technology. The contract signed with the UK entity was valued at KRW 1.091 trillion, including an upfront payment of KRW 36.4 billion. The contract with the US entity totaled KRW 872.9 billion, including a KRW 29.1 billion upfront payment; for both agreements, the upfront fee accounted for 3.3% of the total contract value.The upfront fees for out-licensing deals signed by ABL Bio, NIBEC, and Abion were limited to 1% of their respective. Companies including AimedBio, OliX Pharmaceuticals, AbClon, Genome & Company, Rznomics, Sovargen, and G2GBio did not disclose the values of their upfront payments.The proportion of an upfront payment relative to the total value of a pharma or biotech out-licensing agreement varies widely. Typically, the closer a novel drug candidate is to commercialization, the higher the upfront fee percentage.The $100 million upfront fee received by Orum Therapeutics from BMS reached 55.6% of the total deal value. Orum Therapeutics’ technology transfer stands out as an example where the upfront payment swelled due to the outright assignment of the novel drug candidate. While conventional pharmaceutical licensing agreements structure payments around milestones triggered by future clinical advancement, Orum Therapeutics significantly maximized its upfront component by fully assigning its rights.The upfront payment for LG Chem’s LB54640 technology transfer accounted for 32.8% of the maximum potential deal value. This indicates that the licensing partner evaluated the growth potential of LB54640 exceptionally highly, allocating a substantial upfront investment.In 2019, the upfront fee proportion for cenobamate, which SK Biopharmaceuticals out-licensed to Arvelle Therapeutics, formed an exceptionally high baseline at 18.9%. Analysts attribute this high-purity contract structure to the elevated probability of commercialization, as cenobamate had already entered the review pipeline at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at the time of the deal.For the three novel diabetes treatments out-licensed to Sanofi by Hanmi Pharmaceutical, which holds the record for the largest upfront fee, the initial upfront component stood at 10.3% of the deal. When the total value of the agreement between Hanmi and Sanofi was subsequently scaled down via an amended contract, the upfront proportion dropped to 7.2%. The long-acting obesity and diabetes treatment that Hanmi out-licensed to Janssen in 2015 also recorded a high upfront proportion of 11.5%. At the time of that technology transfer, the candidate had just wrapped up Phase I clinical testing. Despite being in an early stage of clinical development, the licensing partner assigned an exceptionally high valuation to the asset.In 2020, Alteogen signed a non-exclusive license agreement for its proprietary human hyaluronidase technology (ALT-B4) with a global pharma, with a maximum value of $38.65 billion. However, the deal's upfront payment was $16 million, representing only 0.4% of the potential maximum deal size.
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- Personalized cancer vaccines show promising clinical results
- by Son, Hyung Min Jun 04, 2026 09:39am
- Personalized messenger RNA (mRNA)-based cancer vaccines are drawing increasing attention as a potential new treatment strategy for melanoma after long-term follow-up data confirmed their ability to reduce disease recurrence.Particularly noteworthy is the combination of personalized cancer vaccines with the immuno-oncology drug Keytruda (pembrolizumab). Clinical data demonstrated a long-term reduction in recurrence risk among high-risk melanoma patients following surgery, highlighting the growing clinical feasibility of personalized cancer vaccine approaches.According to industry sources, Moderna and MSD presented five-year follow-up results from the Phase IIb KEYNOTE-942/mRNA-4157-P201 study, which evaluated patients with high-risk stage III and IV melanoma, at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.The trial compared adjuvant therapy consisting of intismeran autogene (mRNA-4157/V940), an investigational personalized mRNA neoantigen therapy, plus Keytruda versus Keytruda alone in patients who had undergone complete surgical resection.At a median follow-up of 60.3 months, the combination therapy continued to improve the primary endpoint of recurrence-free survival (RFS) and reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 49% compared with Keytruda monotherapy.The regimen also demonstrated significant benefit in the key secondary endpoint of distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), reducing the risk of distant metastasis or death by 59%.An exploratory analysis of overall survival (OS) suggested a trend toward improved survival with the combination therapy. However, as there are not yet sufficient cases within the follow-up period, an evaluation of long-term survival benefits is expected to require further observation.MSD’s immuno-oncology drug, ‘Keytruda’In fact, additional analysis showed that the combination therapy promoted the generation and expansion of new T-cell clonotypes compared with Keytruda alone.Long-term follow-up revealed that the combination group had a ratio of newly expanded T-cell clones that was approximately twice as high. This increase in immune response was particularly pronounced among patients who remained recurrence-free. These findings support the hypothesis that personalized neoantigen-based therapies can activate meaningful anti-tumor immune responses.The safety profile remained consistent with previous analyses. The most commonly reported adverse events included fatigue, injection site pain, and chills, and most were Grade 1 or 2 in severity. The incidence of immune-related adverse events was comparable to that observed with Keytruda alone, suggesting that the addition of the vaccine did not substantially increase toxicity.Unlike infectious disease prevention vaccines, cancer vaccines are not intended to prevent cancer development. Instead, they are individualized therapeutic approaches tailored to each patient's tumor characteristics. The process involves analyzing tumor-specific genetic mutations and neoantigens and then designing a treatment that stimulates an immune response against those unique targets.Intismeran autogene is specifically designed using mutation data obtained from a patient's tumor DNA and can incorporate up to 34 personalized neoantigens. The therapy is intended to activate T-cell-mediated immune responses, enabling the immune system to recognize and eliminate cancer cells more effectively.Major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are increasingly focusing on personalized cancer vaccines as a means of enhancing treatment outcomes rather than preventing disease. The strategy centers on combining cancer vaccines with immuno-oncology drugs and potentially with other therapeutic platforms such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) to maximize anti-tumor efficacy.Moderna and MSD are currently evaluating the combination of intismeran autogene and Keytruda not only in melanoma but also in a variety of solid tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), bladder cancer, and renal cell carcinoma. A total of nine Phase II and Phase III clinical programs are currently underway. Patient enrollment has already been completed for certain melanoma and renal cell carcinoma studies, and follow-up clinical trials are also continuing for non-small cell lung cancer as adjuvant therapy and perioperative strategies.
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- AbbVie's 'Rinvoq' receives expanded reimb for ankylosing spondylitis
- by Son, Hyung Min Jun 04, 2026 09:39am
- Product photo of 'Rinvoq' AbbVie Korea (CEO So Young Kang) announced that the scope of national health insurance reimbursement for its selective JAK1 inhibitor, 'Rinvoq (upadacitinib)', has been expanded to include biologic-naive patients with active ankylosing spondylitis, effective from the 1st of this month according to a notification from the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW). Under the expanded reimbursement criteria, Rinvoq can now be reimbursed for adult patients (aged 18 or older) with severe active ankylosing spondylitis who have had an inadequate response to at least three months of treatment with two or more nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), or who discontinued such medications due to side effects, regardless of their prior treatment experience with biological agents or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (tsDMARDs). Rinvoq previously obtained reimbursement in December 2023 for adult patients with active ankylosing spondylitis who showed an inadequate response to or discontinued treatment with one or more TNF-alpha inhibitors or interleukin (IL)-17 inhibitors due to adverse events or contraindications. With this expanded reimbursement, Rinvoq became an oral treatment option that can be initiated earlier, even in biologic-naive patients. Ankylosing spondylitis is a primary spondyloarthritis characterized by chronic inflammation of the spine and sacroiliac joints, primarily onset in the young population in their 10s to 30s. Representative symptoms include chronic pain and stiffness in the lower back and buttock areas, typically worsening in the morning. The pain of ankylosing spondylitis goes beyond mere discomfort, directly impacting overall daily living, including sleep, physical function, and work performance, thereby deteriorating the patient's quality of life. According to statistics from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA), the number of ankylosing spondylitis patients in South Korea is approximately 56,000 as of 2024 and has been steadily climbing over the past five years. Professor Seung-Jae Hong of the Department of Rheumatology at Kyung Hee University Hospital stated, “Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that frequently manifests in the younger demographic, severely impacting the patient's daily life and quality of life due to pain and stiffness," and added, "Under the domestic reimbursement landscape, JAK inhibitors could only be introduced following the failure of biological therapies, which restricted the formulation of optimal therapeutic strategies.” Professor Hong continued, “The expanded reimbursement criteria for oral JAK inhibitors hold significant clinical value as they establish a pathway to oral treatment post-NSAID therapy without requiring a prior transition through injectable therapies," and added that "Furthermore, given Rinvoq's rapid pain relief and long-term efficacy demonstrated in its clinical trials, it is expected to enhance treatment adherence and improve patient quality of life. As a cost-effective therapeutic option, it will also play a positive role in terms of maximizing the fiscal efficiency of the national health insurance budget.” AbbVie Korea CEO So Young Kang stated, “The development of Rinvoq's expanded reimbursement criteria is significant as it offers ankylosing spondylitis patients to explore a wider range of therapeutic options at an earlier stage," and added, "As a global innovative pharmaceutical enterprise, AbbVie Korea will continue putting efforts to expand the clinical value of innovative therapeutics in alignment with the evolving treatment paradigms and patient unmet medical needs, thereby contributing to enhancing treatment options for patients in South Korea.”
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- Vyloy receives DREC review for reimbursement
- by Eo, Yun-Ho Jun 04, 2026 09:39am
- The reimbursement process for the gastric cancer targeted therapy Vyloy (zolbetuximab) has made significant progress.According to industry sources, Vyloy, Astellas Pharma Korea’s targeted therapy for Claudin 18.2-positive gastric cancer, passed the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA)'s Pharmacoeconomic Evaluation Subcommittee on May 22 and is scheduled to be reviewed by the Drug Reimbursement Evaluation Committee today (June 4).This development appears to have renewed momentum for a reimbursement process that had stalled after the drug passed the Cancer Drug Review Committee in October of last year.Approved in Korea in September 2024, Vyloy initially failed to pass the Cancer Drug Review Committee during its first reimbursement application in February last year. The company immediately resubmitted its application and ultimately secured approval. However, subsequent delays in the reimbursement process have led to expectations that final listing approval may still take considerable time.Vyloy is the world's first approved Claudin 18.2-targeted therapy. It is an immunoglobulin monoclonal antibody that selectively binds to Claudin 18.2, a protein expressed and exposed in gastric cancer cells.The Phase III SPOTLIGHT trial, which served as the basis for approval, showed that the combination of Vyloy and mFOLFOX6 (oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and fluorouracil) achieved a median progression-free survival (mPFS) of 10.61 months, compared with 8.67 months in the placebo group. Median overall survival (mOS) was 18.23 months versus 15.54 months, respectively.Similarly, in the GLOW trial, the combination of Vyloy and CAPOX (capecitabine plus oxaliplatin) achieved an mPFS of 8.21 months, reducing the risk of disease progression or death by approximately 31%.Professor SunYoung Rha of Yonsei Cancer Center commented,"Approximately 90% of patients with metastatic gastric cancer are HER2-negative, creating an urgent need for therapies targeting new biomarkers. Given that roughly 40% of HER2-negative patients are reported to be Claudin 18.2-positive, the introduction of Vyloy, which selectively binds to Claudin 18.2, offers a new therapeutic possibility."Meanwhile, the Korean Gastric Cancer Association revised its treatment guidelines published in the Journal of Gastric Cancer (JGC) on January 6, 2025, recommending Vyloy at the highest level for first-line treatment of patients who are HER2-negative and Claudin 18.2-positive.Vyloy has also been listed as a standard treatment option in Japanese gastric cancer treatment guidelines and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) clinical practice guidelines. In addition, it has been listed as a Preferred Regimen in the U.S. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines, rapidly establishing itself as the global standard-of-care treatment for gastric cancer.
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- Oscotec licenses new autoimmune disease drug to a US company
- by Chon, Seung-Hyun Jun 02, 2026 08:55am
- Oscotec announced on June 1st that it has entered into a technology transfer agreement with U.S. biotech company Agios Pharmaceuticals for its autoimmune disease drug candidate, cevidoplenib.Under the agreement, Oscotec will transfer to Agios the exclusive clinical development and global commercialization rights for cevidoplenib. Oscotec will receive a non-refundable upfront payment of $25 million (approximately KRW 37.5 billion) from Agios. Including future development, regulatory, and commercialization milestones based on specific contract terms, the total potential deal value amounts to $665 million (approximately KRW 1 trillion). Following commercialization, Oscotec will additionally receive separate tiered royalties.Cevidoplenib, which was co-discovered and developed through a collaborative research effort between Oscotec and Genosco, is an oral small-molecule novel drug candidate that selectively inhibits spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK). It has been designed to modulate immune-mediated platelet destruction, a primary pathogenic mechanism in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Global Phase II clinical trials for both ITP and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have been completed.The technology fees, including the upfront payment and milestone payments received from Agios, will be distributed between Oscotec and Genosco at 75% and 25%, respectively, in accordance with the terms of a 2016 agreement between the two companies.Agios is a global biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development and commercialization of therapies for rare diseases. Its primary pipeline includes the pyruvate kinase (PK) activator mitapivat. This drug has secured regulatory approvals as a treatment for adult thalassemia in the United States, the European Union, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, and for adult PK deficiency in the United States and Europe.Taeyoung Yoon, CEO of Oscotec, stated, "Following the completion of the Phase II clinical trials for cevidoplenib, we have discussed out-licensing with multiple companies worldwide. We determined that Agios, a global biopharmaceutical company with outstanding expertise in rare hematologic diseases, is the optimal partner to maximize the therapeutic and commercial value of cevidoplenib."
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- Yuhan’s gains Phase I approval for returned MASH candidate YH25724
- by Lee, Seok-Jun Jun 01, 2026 09:04am
- Yuhan Corp announced on the 29th that it has received approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to conduct a domestic Phase I trial of its metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) treatment candidate ‘YH25724.’YH25724 is a novel biologic candidate that combines dual mechanisms targeting fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). The candidate incorporates Yuhan’s proprietary protein engineering technology together with Genexine’s long-acting antibody fusion platform, HyFc.Preclinical studies have confirmed that the dual action of FGF21 and GLP-1 improves steatohepatitis, exerts anti-fibrotic effects, and reduces hepatocyte damage and liver inflammation.This Phase 1 trial marks the first clinical study of YH25724 in Korea. The study consists of a single-dose part and a 12-week multiple-dose part involving healthy adult participants. Yuhan plans to evaluate safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD).Yeol-Hong Kim, Head of R&D at Yuhan Corp, stated, “We plan to evaluate safety and tolerability across various dose levels in Korean participants and explore preliminary proof-of-concept potential based on pharmacodynamic markers. We plan to start recruitng subjects within this year.”The YH25724 pipeline was originally licensed out to Boehringer Ingelheim in 2019 but was returned in 2025. Since then, Yuhan has resumed in-house development of the candidate.Prior to the return of the program, Boehringer Ingelheim had conducted three Phase I clinical trials evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic characteristics of YH25724.
- Company
- Lorviqua shows sustained beneift in 7-year follow up
- by Son, Hyung Min Jun 01, 2026 09:04am
- Pfizer’s non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment Lorviqua has demonstrated efficacy in a 7-year follow-up study, confirming its potential for long-term disease control.According to industry sources on the 30th, Pfizer presented 7-year follow-up results from the Phase III CROWN study of Lorviqua (lorlatinib), a targeted therapy for ALK-positive NSCLC, at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.ALK-positive NSCLC is a rare genetic subtype accounting for approximately 3–5% of all NSCLC cases. It tends to affect younger patients and is characterized by a high incidence of central nervous system (CNS) metastases during the course of the disease. As a result, long-term disease control and prevention of brain metastases are considered key measures of treatment success.Targeted oral therapies for ALK-positive lung cancer include Pfizer’s first-generation Xalkori (crizotinib), second-generation therapies such as Alecensa (alectinib) and Takeda’s Alunbrig (brigatinib), and third-generation Lorviqua.The global CROWN study directly compared Lorviqua and Xalkori in 296 treatment-naïve patients with advanced ALK-positive NSCLC. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either Lorviqua 100 mg once daily or Xalkori 250 mg twice daily.‘Lorviqua,’ treatment for ALK-positive NSCLCSeven-year follow-up results showed that the median progression-free survival (PFS) in the Lorviqua group remained not reached (NR), while the median PFS in the Xalkori group was 9.1 months. This indicates that more than half of patients treated with Lorviqua maintained treatment benefit without disease progression throughout the follow-up period.At 7 years, progression-free survival rates were 55% in the Lorviqua group versus 3% in the Xalkori group, demonstrating a substantial difference.In particular, for patients who showed no disease progression up to 24 months after receiving Lorviqua, the probability of surviving without disease progression at the 7-year mark was estimated to be 79%.Lorviqua also demonstrated a pronounced benefit in preventing brain metastases. No new cases of intracranial disease progression were reported after 30 months of treatment. The median time to intracranial progression was not reached in the Lorviqua group, compared with 16.4 months in the Xalkori group.Given that ALK-positive NSCLC carries a high risk of brain metastases from early stages and CNS progresses frequently during treatment, durable CNS control is considered highly meaningful in clinical practice.In terms of safety, the adverse event profile remained comparable with the previously reported 5-year follow-up data. Grade 3 or 4 adverse events occurred in 77% of patients receiving Lorviqua and 57% of those receiving Xalkori. However, permanent treatment discontinuation due to treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) was relatively low at 5% and 6%, respectively. Furthermore, no new treatment-related permanent discontinuations were reported after 26 months in the Lorviqua group.Overall survival (OS), however, has not yet reached the pre-specified analysis threshold, and additional follow-up is ongoing. Accordingly, while these results are significant in that they strengthen the evidence for the potential for long-term disease control, further data will be needed to confirm the ultimate survival benefit.
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- Korean companies pursue tailored and muscle-preserving strategies
- by Cha, Ji-Hyun May 29, 2026 09:14am
- Korean pharmaceutical and biotech companies are steadily producing tangible results in obesity and metabolic disease. Rather than simply chasing Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, which dominate the global market, domestic firms are drawing attention with differentiated development strategies ranging from GLP-1 therapies tailored to Koreans to muscle-preserving obesity drugs and histology-improving MASH therapies.D&D Pharmatech achieves all three key mash biopsy endpoints…positive signal for global partneringAccording to the pharmaceutical and biotech industry on the 29th, D&D Pharmatech presented 48-week biopsy results from the U.S. Phase II trial of its MASH candidate “zabopegdutide” (DD01) at the EASL Congress 2026 held in Barcelona, Spain, on the 27th (local time).In this study, DD01 met all three key efficacy endpoints required for MASH treatment approval. The proportion of patients achieving “MASH resolution without fibrosis progression” reached 62.5%, far exceeding the placebo group’s 5.3%. The proportion achieving “fibrosis improvement without worsening MASH” was 50.0%, outperforming placebo by 34.2 percentage points (placebo: 15.8%). The composite endpoint achieving both criteria simultaneously was also significantly higher at 37.5% versus 5.3% in the placebo group.DD01 is a dual agonist targeting both the GLP-1 receptor, which promotes insulin secretion and appetite suppression, and the glucagon receptor, which increases energy metabolism. It is being developed as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection. Earlier interim 12-week results already showed that 75.8% of treated patients achieved at least a 30% reduction in fatty liver, meeting the primary endpoint. The latest results also confirmed improvement in actual liver tissue.Overview of D&D Pharmatech’s MASH candidate “zabopegdutide” (DD01) (Source: D&D Pharmatech)This announcement is considered medically and commercially meaningful because DD01 demonstrated histological evidence of fibrosis improvement rather than merely reducing liver fat. In MASH development, liver fat reduction serves as an early signal of efficacy, but biopsy data showing resolution of steatohepatitis and fibrosis improvement are more important for approval and licensing.Notably, DD01 reduced intrahepatic fat by 37.0% at Week 12, even among patients with body weight reductions of less than 5%. This has led to interpretations that DD01’s effect may not simply be a secondary effect of weight loss but may also involve direct hepatic metabolic improvement through glucagon receptor stimulation. In obesity drug candidates, a key differentiator for MASH expansion potential is whether the drug itself improves liver metabolism beyond weight reduction, and these results are viewed as evidence supporting DD01’s direct metabolic effect on the liver.Industry expectations are also rising for a large-scale licensing deal for DD01. Competition among big pharma companies to secure MASH pipelines has intensified globally. Last year, Roche acquired 89bio for up to USD 3.5 billion to obtain the MASH candidate pegozafermin, while Novo Nordisk acquired Akero Therapeutics for up to USD 5.2 billion to secure efruxifermin.GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) also invested up to USD 2 billion to acquire rights to Boston Pharmaceuticals’ FGF21-based MASH candidate efimosfermin alfa. Efimosfermin alfa failed to achieve statistical significance in the composite endpoint, simultaneously measuring MASH resolution and fibrosis improvement, yet still resulted in a major deal, making it a comparison case that highlights DD01’s asset value.D&D Pharmatech was co-founded in 2014 by Professor Seulgi Lee of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and others. The company develops therapies for obesity, MASH, and neurodegenerative diseases based on GLP-1 peptide technologies. It also possesses ORALINK, a platform for converting injectable drugs into oral formulations, as well as PEGylation technology. In May 2024, the company successfully listed on Korea’s KOSDAQ market through a technology-special listing.D&D Pharmatech has also attracted market attention after its partner company was acquired by a global big pharma company. In April 2023, D&D signed a technology transfer agreement with U.S. obesity treatment developer Metsera for an oral obesity treatment candidate, establishing a global development partnership. Metsera was later acquired by Pfizer in November last year and became a wholly owned subsidiary, with its obesity pipeline integrated into Pfizer’s portfolio. For D&D Pharmatech, the partnership established with an early-stage biotech effectively became linked to a global big pharma development network.Beyond DD01, D&D Pharmatech also possesses oral obesity treatment pipelines. Using its ORALINK peptide oral delivery platform, the company is developing oral GLP-1 obesity candidate “DD02S” and oral GLP-1/GIP/glucagon triple agonist candidate “DD03.” DD02S is currently being developed by Metsera as MET-224, and first patient dosing in a North American Phase I/II trial has already been completed. DD03 became part of Pfizer’s portfolio as an oral triple agonist candidate, though its specific development stage has not been disclosed.Hanmi seeks approval for efpeglenatide…also reveals muscle-increasing novel obesity drugHanmi Pharmaceutical recently unveiled its second muscle-increasing obesity drug candidate. The company plans to present 8 research results related to its next-generation obesity candidates ‘HM17321’ and ‘HM500197’ at the American Diabetes Association (ADA 2026) meeting to be held in New Orleans from June 5 to 8.Newly disclosed HM500197 is a peptide-based candidate that inhibits myostatin. Myostatin is a protein that suppresses muscle growth, and Hanmi believes controlling it could increase muscle mass and improve muscle function. Unlike existing myostatin inhibitors developed mainly as antibodies or Fc fusion proteins, Hanmi designed the candidate as a peptide-based therapy to increase the potential for combination or fixed-dose therapies.Hanmi is also developing another muscle-increasing obesity candidate, HM17321. Rather than targeting incretin receptors such as GLP-1, HM17321 is a urocortin-2 (UCN2) analog selectively targeting the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 2 (CRF2 receptor). Hanmi believes HM17321 can simultaneously induce weight loss and muscle gain, addressing the muscle loss limitations often associated with existing GLP-1 obesity therapies.Hanmi Pharmaceutical's major pipeline overview (Source: Hanmi Pharmaceutical)Hanmi is accelerating new drug development in obesity and metabolic disease. The company has branded its obesity initiative as ‘H.O.P’ (Hanmi Obesity Pipeline) and is rapidly building a customized obesity and metabolic disease portfolio unique to Hanmi. The goal is to establish differentiated obesity drug pipelines using its proprietary long-acting LAPSCOVERY platform and next-generation peptide design capabilities.Currently, Hanmi Pharmaceutical has established a related obesity and metabolic disease pipeline, which includes HM500197 and HM17321, as well as ▲ the GLP-1 agonist ‘Epfeglenatide’ ▲ , the next-generation triple-action agent ‘HM15275’, which simultaneously targets GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon, and ▲a combination therapy of HM15275 and HM17321.Among these, efpeglenatide is the most advanced asset in development. Efpeglenatide is a long-acting GLP-1 therapy utilizing Hanmi’s LAPSCOVERY technology and is being developed for both obesity and diabetes indications.Hanmi is specifically positioning efpeglenatide as a “Korean-style GLP-1 obesity drug” tailored to Korean obesity patients, who generally have a lower prevalence of severe obesity compared with Western populations. In a domestic Phase III trial involving 448 obese adults without diabetes, efpeglenatide achieved an average body weight reduction of 9.8% at week 40, compared with 1.0% in the placebo group. The proportion of patients achieving at least 5% weight loss was 79.4% versus 14.5% in placebo, while rates of at least 10% and 15% weight loss were 46.0% and 19.9%, respectively.Based on these Phase III results, Hanmi filed a marketing authorization application for Hanmi Efpeglenatide Auto Injector last December with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Last month, it launched the company-wide “EFPE-PROJECT-Seosa” task force to unify development, clinical, manufacturing, and distribution strategies for commercialization. On the 18th, Hanmi also began dosing the first patient in a domestic Phase III trial aimed at expanding indications into diabetes treatment.The obesity drug war shifts to metabolic disorders and muscle preservation, with Korean latecomers joining the frayThe global market for metabolic disease treatments is rapidly restructuring around GLP-1 agonists, intensifying competition. While Novo Nordisk’s ‘Wegovy’ and Eli Lilly’s ‘Zepbound’ lead the obesity treatment market, competition is expanding beyond single-mechanism GLP-1 agonists to include dual- and triple-action agents that target GIP and glucagon.Eli Lilly’s triple-action drug ‘Retatrutide’ demonstrated an average weight loss of 28.3% over 80 weeks in Phase III clinical trials, re-emphasizing the direction for next-generation obesity drug development. According to global market research firm Research and Markets, the global obesity treatment market is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 22% from USD 12.8 billion (KRW 18 trillion) last year to reach USD 100 billion (KRW 130 trillion) by 2030.Against this backdrop, Korean companies are increasingly raising expectations for licensing deals and commercialization by generating concrete clinical results in obesity and metabolic disease. Notably, Korean firms are not simply attempting to imitate leading global products but are differentiating their strategies through Korean-specific GLP-1 therapies, muscle-preserving obesity drugs, histology-improving MASH therapies, oral peptides, and long-acting formulations.In addition to Hanmi and D&D Pharmatech, pipelines from other domestic latecomers are also drawing attention.MetaVia, the U.S. subsidiary of Dong-A ST, is developing ‘DA-1726,’ a dual agonist simultaneously targeting GLP-1 and glucagon receptors. MetaVia recently presented additional Phase I data at EASL Congress 2026. In a multiple-dose escalation study conducted in healthy obese adults, the DA-1726 48 mg group showed an average weight loss of 6.1% at Day 26 and 9.1% at Day 54, with waist circumference reductions of 5.8 cm and 9.8 cm, respectively.No serious adverse events or treatment discontinuations occurred, and no clinically meaningful changes were observed in cardiovascular indicators such as heart rate and QTcF. Non-invasive liver assessments also showed improvements in CAP, VCTE, and FAST scores, suggesting potential applications for obesity-related liver disease and MASH. MetaVia is currently conducting Phase I Part 3 to optimize safety and tolerability at higher doses. The company is also collaborating with ImmunoForge on developing a once-monthly long-acting formulation of DA-1726.ProGen is also considered one of the major players in the multi-agonist competition. Its candidate “PG-102” is a dual agonist targeting both GLP-1 and GLP-2 receptors. In addition to weight-loss effects through GLP-1, the therapy aims to leverage GLP-2’s role in intestinal mucosal recovery and nutrient absorption to promote healthy weight loss without muscle loss.Overview of Yuhan’s oral GLP-1 receptor agonist candidate ‘YH-GLP-1RA’ (Source: Yuhan Corp)Yuhan Corp has also entered the obesity and metabolic disease treatment race. The company has outlined three pillars for its obesity treatment development strategy: ▲ ultra-long-acting injectables ▲ oral synthetic new drugs ▲ next-generation mechanisms. The company states that it has confirmed superior oral bioavailability, as well as greater food intake reduction and weight loss effects compared to competitor drugs in an obese mouse model using its oral GLP-1 receptor agonist candidate ‘YH-GLP-1RA.’ Yuhan Corp aims to begin preclinical studies of this candidate in the third quarter of this year and enter Phase 1 clinical trials by the end of next year.Formulation technology companies are also moving quickly. As the obesity market shifts beyond simple weight-loss efficacy toward long-term maintenance and dosing convenience, once-monthly long-acting formulations are emerging as a major focus.Peptron signed a technology evaluation agreement with Eli Lilly in 2024 regarding its drug delivery platform ‘SmartDepot.’ Although the specific target products were not disclosed, the collaboration reportedly involves applying Peptron’s long-acting technology to Lilly’s peptide drugs.G2GBio plans to present preclinical data at the ADA meeting for one-month sustained-release formulations of CagriSema, tirzepatide, and retatrutide developed using its proprietary “InnoLAMP” platform. Although G2GBio has not directly signed a co-development agreement with Lilly, it aims to demonstrate platform competitiveness by using globally leading obesity candidates as validation models. Meanwhile, Inventage Lab is developing one-month sustained-release injections ‘IVL3021’ based on semaglutide and ‘IVL3024’ based on tirzepatide together with Yuhan.An industry official explained, “Competition in the obesity drug market is shifting from simple weight-loss rates toward safety, durability, muscle preservation, and improvement of accompanying metabolic diseases. Domestic companies are securing differentiated strengths such as MASH histological improvement and long-acting formulations, so future clinical results and partnering outcomes will be critical.”
- Company
- 'Latest data on anticancer drugs to be unveiled'…ASCO
- by Son, Hyung Min May 29, 2026 09:14am
- Major studies on next-generation oncology treatment strategies, including targeted therapies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and bispecific antibodies, will be unveiled at the world's largest cancer conference.At the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting (ASCO 2026), which will be held in Chicago, USA, for five days starting on the 29th of this month, the latest data on various novel anticancer drugs will be presented, including long-term survival and treatment optimization data for the 'Leclaza (lazertinib)' + 'Rybrevant (amivantamab)' combination therapy, cancer type expansion strategies for TROP2-targeted ADCs, and novel bispecific antibody-based therapeutic approaches.With research presentations in gastric, liver, breast, and head and neck cancers involving Korean researchers scheduled, the role of Korean researchers will be confirmed as well as global trends in cancer treatment.At this year's ASCO, the attention in oncological strategies appears to be shifting beyond therapeutic efficacy competition toward long-term survival, convenience of administration, biomarker-based patient selection, and novel platform battles. In particular, EGFR-mutated lung cancer and the TROP2 ADC field are considered the most fiercely competitive arenas for next-generation treatment strategies.Leclaza and Rybrevant, from long-term survival to SC conversionNon-small cell lung cancer treatments Leclaza and RybrevantJanssen will present multiple studies on the Leclaza + Rybrevant combination strategy at this conference. In particular, the company will present full life-cycle data spanning long-term survival outcomes, subcutaneous (SC) conversion, adverse event management strategies, and cost-effectiveness, moving beyond mere improvements in historic therapeutic outcomes.Leclaza is a novel EGFR-positive non-small cell lung cancer drug developed by Yuhan Corp. This drug is a third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) targeting exon 19 deletions and exon 21 (L858R) mutations.Janssen has secured the global commercial rights to Leclaza and has been conducting clinical studies evaluating its efficacy in combination with Rybrevant. This targeted therapeutic option targets exon 20 insertion and MET mutations. This combination therapy previously demonstrated the longest overall survival (OS) outcomes in the Phase III MARIPOSA study.At this year's conference, results from the CHRYSALIS-2 study will be unveiled. This clinical trial analyzed the long-term OS outcomes of the Leclaza/Rybrevant combination in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer harboring atypical EGFR mutations.Considering that patients with atypical EGFR mutations have been classified as a poor-prognosis subgroup with relatively low response rates to conventional EGFR-targeted therapies, these data will serve as a benchmark to assess the potential expansion of the scope of combination therapy.Furthermore, findings from the COPERNICUS study, which evaluated the initial safety of the Rybrevant SC and Leclaza combination, will be presented. The core focus is determining the extent to which administration time, infusion-related reactions (IRRs), thromboembolism, and dermatological toxicities (previously flagged as burdens in intravenous-based therapy) can be mitigated under concurrent prophylactic skin toxicity management and anticoagulation therapy. A key point is whether converting Rybrevant to a subcutaneous formulation can enhance treatment sustainability and patient convenience.For EGFR-positive lung cancer targeted therapies, most approved options, including Leclaza, 'Tagrisso (osimertinib)', and 'Giotrif (afatinib)', are oral medications, whereas Rybrevant is an injectable. This explains why focus is being placed on the commercialization of the Rybrevant SC formulation, which significantly reduces administration time.Furthermore, an economic analysis comparing the cost-effectiveness against Tagrisso-based therapeutic strategies will be disclosed. This research explores which strategy will provide a competitive edge, accounting for treatment costs and healthcare expenditures alongside clinical efficacy.TROP2 ADC competition intensifies following Trodelby…Expanded indication acceleratesView of ASCO 2025 (Source: ASCO).Competition among TROP2-targeted ADCs is also a key topic at ASCO. With Gilead's 'Trodelby (sacituzumab govitecan)' and Daiichi Sankyo·AstraZeneca's 'Datroway (datopotamab deruxtecan)' having preempted the market, MSD, Astellas, and Chinese biotechs are accelerating the development of next-generation candidates.MSD will present a digital pathology-based biomarker study for its TROP2-targeted ADC, 'sacituzumab tirumotecan'. The research explores whether using artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance the predictability of treatment response compared with legacy TROP2 expression assessment methodologies, suggesting the potential refinement of future patient stratification strategies.Currently, sacituzumab tirumotecan is being evaluated across a total of 17 global Phase III programs, including endometrial cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, gastric cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, and bladder cancer. Among these, 10 Phase III trials are ongoing in gynecological and breast malignancies areas.Recently disclosed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) data are regarded as a key example demonstrating the expansion potential of sacituzumab tirumotecan.According to the abstract released at ASCO, the combination of sacituzumab govitecan and Keytruda reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 65% compared with Keytruda monotherapy in treatment-naïve, PD-L1-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients in the Chinese OptiTROP-Lung05 study.Additionally, move toward expanding scope of applicable cancer types are anticipated. With research analyzing TROP2 expression and exploring therapeutic targeting viability in metastatic anal cancer, where subsequent treatment options are highly constrained, being unveiled, attention is focused on whether TROP2 ADCs can expand beyond breast and lung cancers into orphan malignancies. In thyroid cancer, research on TROP2-based PET imaging technology will be presented, demonstrating potential expansion into the diagnostic realm.Platform competitions among latecomers are also intensifying. Astellas will present initial clinical data for 'ASP2998', a TROP2 ADC conjugated with a stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonist payload, showcasing a next-generation ADC strategy. Alphamab Oncology, a Chinese biotech, plans to present data on its TROP2·HER3 bispecific ADC (JSKN016), highlighting its potential to target HER2-negative breast cancer. The competitive landscape is broadening beyond cytotoxic payload delivery toward dual-targeting and immune-activation strategies.Presentations by several Korean researchers...Unveiling research in major solid tumorsNumerous presentations involving Korean researchers are also scheduled.Professor Hong Jae Chon of Bundang Cha Medical Center will unveil the first clinical data for BeOne Medicines' GPC3 × 4-1BB bispecific antibody 'BGB-B2033', which is currently under development primarily for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The core endpoints focus on initial safety profiles and anti-tumor activity signals in a liver cancer cohort with limited options following prior immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.Professor Sun Young Ra of Yonsei Cancer Hospital will present the PD-L1 subgroup analysis results of a BeOne Medicines' 'Ziihera (zanidatamab)'-containing combination therapy in the first-line treatment of HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer. This research examines whether the clinical benefit is sustained regardless of PD-L1 expression status, which could inform potential future expansions of the target patient population.Ziihera is a bispecific antibody that simultaneously binds to two distinct domains of the HER2 receptor, developed to enhance signal blockade and immune response induction concurrently compared to legacy monospecific antibodies.In particular, this strategy has the potential combination with BeOne Medicines' immuno-oncology agent, 'Tevimbra (tislelizumab)'. The approach aims to maximize therapeutic efficacy by proposing a triplet regimen combining HER2-targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibition.Professor Yeon Hee Park of Samsung Medical Center will present clinical outcome analysis based on treatment durability and response of an 'Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan)' combination therapy. Professor Hye Ryun Kim of Yonsei Cancer Hospital will present a combination strategy combining Tiumbio's TGFβRI/VEGFR2 dual inhibitor 'tosposertib' with an immune checkpoint inhibitor. Lastly, Professor Han Sang Kim of Yonsei Cancer Hospital will introduce a study examining the predictability of biomarker-based response in second-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer.
