ABL Bio Publishes Preclinical Data on ABL209 in AACR International Journal

ABL Bio, a company specializing in bispecific antibodies, announced on April 21 that a paper containing preclinical data on ABL209 (NEOK002) has been published in 'Molecular Cancer Therapeutics,' an international journal in the field of cancer therapy issued by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

ABL209 is a bispecific antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) candidate that combines a bispecific antibody targeting both EGFR and MUC1 with a topoisomerase I inhibitor (TOP1i). Currently, a Phase 1 clinical trial is underway in the United States, led by NEOK Bio, a U.S. biotech company established by ABL Bio.

The title of the published paper is "TOP1i-Based EGFR×MUC1 Bispecific ADC ABL209 with Promising Antitumor Activity and a Wider Safety Margin," and it was released online on April 20 (local time).

EGFR is an anticancer target expressed in various types of cancer but tends to cause skin toxicity as a side effect. MUC1 is also one of the main anticancer targets; however, its expression levels can vary depending on the cancer type, and the property that fragments of the MUC1 antigen can be shed may reduce therapeutic efficacy, presenting a limitation.

According to the company, compared to single-antibody ADCs targeting either EGFR or MUC1, ABL209 exhibited improved cancer cell binding and intracellular drug delivery efficiency, with no skin-related toxicity observed in in vitro studies. In patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) animal models (in vivo), the company reported that ABL209 demonstrated excellent antitumor effects across a variety of cancers, including lung, esophageal, pancreatic, colorectal, bladder, and head and neck cancers. In monkey models, a pharmacokinetic (PK) profile with a half-life of 5.2 days was observed at a dose of 10 mg/kg, and tolerability was confirmed up to 40 mg/kg.

Lee Sanghoon, CEO of ABL Bio, stated, "We are pleased that the ABL209 paper has been published in AACR's internationally recognized journal in the field of cancer therapy. ABL Bio actively encourages our researchers to publish their work in order to enhance technological credibility and raise the company's profile. Currently, NEOK Bio is conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial of ABL209 in the United States, with the goal of announcing initial clinical data in 2027. We hope that ABL209 will establish itself as a new innovation in the ADC field."

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