On March 18, 2026 Leveragen, a Boston-based biotechnology company developing next-generation in vivo platforms for antibody discovery, reported a collaboration agreement with Daiichi Sankyo (TSE: 4568) to support research efforts in advanced biologics.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Under the collaboration, Daiichi Sankyo will work with Leveragen to apply Leveragen’s in vivo antibody discovery capabilities in support of selected research programs. The collaboration reflects a shared interest in exploring innovative discovery approaches that may enable the generation and evaluation of antibody-based biologics across multiple therapeutic areas.

"We are pleased to collaborate with Daiichi Sankyo, a global leader in antibody therapeutics with deep scientific expertise and a strong commitment to innovation," said Dr. Weisheng Chen, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Leveragen. "This collaboration reflects growing interest in next-generation in vivo discovery platforms and their potential to support diverse biologic research efforts. We look forward to working together to advance new discovery programs."

The collaboration further supports Leveragen’s strategy of working with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to apply its in vivo discovery platforms in early-stage research and preclinical development.

(Press release, Leveragen, MAR 18, 2026, https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260318034240/en/Leveragen-Announces-Collaboration-with-Daiichi-Sankyo-to-Support-Development-of-Advanced-Biologics-Using-Next-Gen-In-Vivo-Antibody-Discovery-Platforms [SID1234663720])

On March 18, 2026 Crossbow Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company developing a novel class of potent and precise antibody therapies to treat a broad range of cancers, reported it has raised $77 million in a Series B financing that will support the completion of the CROSSCHECK-001 Phase 1 clinical trial of the company’s lead program, CBX-250, and accelerate development of additional T-Bolt immunotherapies designed to extend the reach of antibody therapy across a broad range of cancers.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

This Series B financing was co-led by Taiho Ventures and Arkin Bio Capital, with participation from new investors Sixty Degree Capital, Hamilton Square Partners Management LP, LifeLink Ventures, Libbs Ventures, and Blood Cancer United’s Therapy Acceleration Program (TAP), as well as existing investors MPM BioImpact, Pfizer Ventures, BVF Partners, Polaris Partners, Eli Lilly and Company, and Mirae Asset Venture Investment. As part of the financing, Sakae Asanuma, President & CEO of Taiho Ventures, and Pini Orbach, Managing Partner of Arkin Bio Capital, have joined Crossbow’s Board of Directors.

Crossbow is developing a broad portfolio of novel T-cell engager (TCE) therapies that potently target peptide human leukocyte antigen (pHLA) on cancer cells, using antibodies that mimic T-cell receptors (TCR-mimetics). These investigational products, known as T-BoltTM molecules, can be adapted to address a broad range of malignancies, potentially targeting the entire universe of cancer proteins.

"This financing not only strengthens our ability to advance CBX-250 through clinical development but also accelerates our mission to bring next-generation TCR-mimetic immunotherapies to patients who urgently need new options," said Briggs Morrison, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Crossbow Therapeutics. "We greatly appreciate our investors for sharing our conviction in the transformative potential of our T-BoltTM platform. We look forward to efficiently expanding our pipeline to address cancers that remain beyond the reach of today’s therapies."

The Series B financing will allow Crossbow to complete a Phase 1 clinical trial of CBX-250, Crossbow’s first-in-class TCE therapy, which targets a pHLA specific to myeloid cancer cells. The ongoing Phase 1 study (CROSSCHECK-001) is evaluating CBX-250 in patients with relapsed and refractory myeloid malignancies including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). Initial clinical data from the CROSSCHECK-001 trial are expected around the end of 2026.

The financing will also enable submission of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application and initiation of a Phase 1 trial of CBX-663, a first-in-class TCE targeting a telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT)-derived pHLA for the treatment of multiple hematologic and solid tumors. The initiation of the Phase 1 study evaluating CBX-663 is projected for Q3 2026.

Crossbow researchers will present preclinical findings for CBX-250 in myeloid malignancies as well as the characterization of CBX-663 in models of solid tumors at the upcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2026 Annual Meeting in San Diego, Calif., which takes place April 17-22, 2026.

"Crossbow’s arsenal of T-cell engagers represents a differentiated and promising approach to anti-cancer immunotherapy by addressing the wide variety of intra-cellular targets and broadens the potentials of TCE modality," commented Sakae Asanuma, President & CEO of Taiho Ventures and Crossbow board member. "The company’s experienced team and versatile platform position it to overcome the limitations of current treatments and deliver impact for patients in need. We are excited to continue supporting Crossbow as it advances its lead programs into the clinic."

(Press release, Crossbow Therapeutics, MAR 18, 2026, View Source [SID1234663719])

On March 18, 2026 Freenome, an early cancer detection company developing blood-based screening tests, reported initial development data for its investigational lung cancer screening test. The data demonstrate the potential of a multiomics approach that combines DNA methylation analysis and protein markers to detect lung cancer in high-risk individuals.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Freenome investigators will present the data at next month’s AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in San Diego. Poster presentation details:

Abstract Number: 1107
Title: Development and performance of a multiomics lung cancer screening blood test
Presenter: Ofer Shapira, Freenome director of computational biology
Session Title: Early Detection Biomarkers 1
Session Date and Time: Sunday, April 19, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM PDT
For the study, an AI/ML classifier was trained on tissue (n=136) and plasma (n=6,716) samples. The test’s accuracy was evaluated in 673 plasma samples, including 363 lung cancer cases across all stages and 310 cancer-negative controls, from individuals matching the intended screening population (adults aged 50-80 with high-risk smoking history).

In this cohort, Freenome’s proprietary multiomics platform — using base-resolution methylation sequencing of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and plasma protein immunoassays — achieved adjusted sensitivity* of 90.7% at 50% specificity and 80.4% at 75% specificity for detecting lung cancer. The multiomic approach outperformed a methylation-only version of the test, which showed adjusted sensitivities of 85.8% and 78.2% at the same specificity thresholds.

The multiomics test detected lung cancer across all three subtypes evaluated in this study (adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and small-cell lung cancer) and across all disease stages, including an adjusted sensitivity of 77.1% at 50% specificity for Stage I cases.

"Less than 20% of eligible high-risk adults are currently screened for lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.," said Jimmy Lin, M.D., Ph.D. MHS, chief scientific officer at Freenome. "A blood-based screening test could provide a more accessible option to increase screening participation. In this study, our multiomics approach demonstrated the potential of our test to detect lung cancer across stages and subtypes, and we’re encouraged as we continue to advance to a larger validation study in a previously unseen evaluation cohort."

Freenome is developing a flexible multi-cancer detection platform designed to support a personalized test offering tailored to each individual’s health status, risk factors and screening recommendations. Leveraging a single blood draw and a common assay, this approach utilizes machine and deep learning classifiers to optimize diagnostic accuracy across a diverse range of cancer types.

*Reported sensitivities are adjusted to address differences between the evaluation cohort and literature-reported distributions for stage and histological subtype

(Press release, Freenome, MAR 18, 2026, View Source [SID1234663718])

On March 18, 2026 Sapience Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of peptide therapeutics to address oncogenic and immune dysregulation that drive cancer, reported three poster presentations at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2026, taking place April 17-22, 2026, in San Diego, California. Sapience will present clinical and non-clinical results from ST316, a first-in-class antagonist of β-catenin, as well as results from its preclinical Fra1 antagonist peptide (FraAP) program, a first-in-class antagonist of the activator protein 1 (AP-1) complex.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Poster Presentation Details:

Title: "ST316, a first in class β-catenin antagonist, demonstrates safety and efficacy in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC)"
Session Title: Phase II and Phase III Clinical Trials
Location: Poster Section 52, Poster Board Number 20
Abstract Number: CT156
Date and Time: Monday, April 20, 2026, 2:00PM – 5:00PM PST

Title: "Antagonism of β-catenin/BCL9 interaction suppresses polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cell generation and maintenance"
Session Title: Oncogenic Pathways and Cancer Immunity
Location: Poster Section 7, Poster Board Number 5
Abstract Number: 5562
Date and Time: Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 2:00PM – 5:00PM PST

Title: "Targeted antagonism of the activator protein 1 transcription factor complex results in potent anti-tumor activity in HNSCC models"
Session Title: Oncogenic Transcription Factors and Cancer Programs
Location: Poster Section 24, Poster Board Number 17
Abstract Number: 4767
Date and Time: Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 9:00AM – 12:00PM PST

More information can be found on the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2026 website.

About ST316

ST316 is a first-in-class antagonist of the interaction between β-catenin and its co-activator, BCL9, a complex responsible for driving oncogene expression and immune exclusion in multiple cancers where aberrant Wnt/β-catenin pathway signaling is observed. Aberrant activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is a critical driver of tumor progression and immune evasion in tumors including colorectal cancer (CRC). Targeting this pathway is challenging for multiple reasons including its role in normal tissue physiology. BCL9 is a co-activator essential for oncogenic β-catenin activity, but not its physiologic functions, highlighting the β-catenin/BCL9 interaction as a therapeutic target. ST316 was designed to selectively disrupt the β-catenin and BCL9/9L interaction, resulting in disruption of oncogenic Wnt/β-catenin transcriptional activity and potent antitumor activity, with no negative impact on intestinal or bone physiology.

ST316-101 (NCT05848739) is a first-in-human, open-label, Phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion study designed to determine the safety, tolerability, PK, PD and early efficacy of ST316. The Phase 1 dose escalation portion of the study tested various dose levels of ST316 in patients with selected advanced solid tumors that are known to harbor abnormalities of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, including colorectal cancer (CRC). ST316 is currently being evaluated in the Phase 2 portion of the study in CRC patients in combination with relevant standards of care and in multiple lines of treatment. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation to ST316 for the treatment of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).

(Press release, Sapience Therapeutics, MAR 18, 2026, View Source [SID1234663717])

On March 18, 2026 Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. ("Kelun-Biotech" or the "Company", 6990.HK), reported that the final OS analysis from the pivotal study (OptiTROP-Lung03) of sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT, also known as SKB264/MK-2870) (佳泰莱), a TROP2 ADC has been selected as a Late-Breaking Abstract (LBA) (Presentation Number: LBA4) at the 2026 European Lung Cancer Congress (ELCC) to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, from March 25 to 28, 2026 (local time). Professor Yunpeng Yang from the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center will present the findings to the global research community during a Mini Oral Session. The abstract was published on the ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Open.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The OptiTROP-Lung03 study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of sac-TMT monotherapy (5 mg/kg every other week) versus docetaxel for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutant NSCLC who have previously treated with an EGFR-TKI and platinum-based chemotherapy. Previously reported results presented at the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2025 meeting in 137 randomized participants demonstrated that sac-TMT achieved statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared to docetaxel——the hazard ratio (HR) for BICR-assessed PFS was 0.30 (95% CI: 0.20–0.46, one-sided p<0.001) and HR for OS was 0.49 (95% CI: 0.27–0.88, one-sided p=0.007)[1]. Based on these positive results, sac-TMT received approval from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for this indication, which has also been included in China’s National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL).

At the 2026 ELCC, the final OS analysis, along with updated PFS and additional data from the OptiTROP-Lung03 study will be presented. As of December 11, 2025, the median follow-up was 23.8 months. Key highlights are as follows:

In the docetaxel control group, 41.3% of patients crossed over to receive sac-TMT after disease progression.
Considering the impact of OS from crossover treatment in the control group, adjusted and analysed by the pre-specified rank-preserving structural failure time (RPSFT) model, the median OS was 20.0 months in the sac-TMT group vs 11.2 months in the docetaxel group (HR 0.45, 95% CI: 0.28–0.73), with 18-month OS rate of 54.7% vs 9.1%. Without adjustment for subsequent sac-TMT treatment in the control group, median OS was 20.0 months vs 13.5 months (HR 0.63, 95% CI: 0.40–0.98).
Median PFS assessed by investigators (INV) was 7.9 months vs 2.8 months (HR 0.23, 95% CI: 0.15-0.35).
Notably, based on another study, the OptiTROP-Lung04 study, sac-TMT has been approved by the NMPA for the treatment of advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutant NSCLC after progression on EGFR-TKI therapy, with the findings concurrently published in The New England Journal of Medicine[2]. In this study among the EGFR-mutant NSCLC population who have progressed after prior EGFR-TKI and platinum-based chemotherapy, sac-TMT demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful increase in overall survival，with a median OS of 20 months. The consistent positive findings from two pivotal registrational studies further reinforce sac-TMT’s leading position in the treatment landscape for pre-treated EGFR-mutant NSCLC, offering a more definitive and long-term survival benefit option for patients with advanced lung cancer.

About Sac-TMT

Sac-TMT, a core product of the Company, is a novel human TROP2 ADC in which the Company has proprietary intellectual property rights, targeting advanced solid tumors such as NSCLC, breast cancer (BC), gastric cancer (GC), gynecological tumors, among others. Sac-TMT is developed with a novel linker to conjugate the payload, a belotecan-derivative topoisomerase I inhibitor with a drug-to-antibody-ratio (DAR) of 7.4. Sac-TMT specifically recognizes TROP2 on the surface of tumor cells by recombinant anti-TROP2 humanized monoclonal antibodies, which is then endocytosed by tumor cells and releases the payload KL610023 intracellularly. KL610023, as a topoisomerase I inhibitor, induces DNA damage to tumor cells, which in turn leads to cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. In addition, it also releases KL610023 in the tumor microenvironment. Given that KL610023 is membrane permeable, it can enable a bystander effect, or in other words kill adjacent tumor cells.

In May 2022, the Company licensed the exclusive rights to MSD (the tradename of Merck & Co., Inc, Rahway, NJ, USA) to develop, use, manufacture and commercialize sac-TMT in all territories outside of Greater China (which includes Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan).

To date, four indications for sac-TMT have been approved and marketed in China for: EGFR mutant-positive locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous NSCLC following progression on EGFR-TKI therapy and platinum-based chemotherapy; unresectable locally advanced or metastatic TNBC who have received at least two prior systemic therapies (at least one of them for advanced or metastatic setting); EGFR mutant-positive locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous NSCLC who progressed after treatment with EGFR-TKI therapy; unresectable or metastatic HR+/HER2- (IHC 0, IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH-) BC who have received prior ET and at least one line of chemotherapy in advanced setting. The first two indications listed above have been included in China’s National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL). This inclusion is expected to bring clinical benefits to a greater number of patients with BC and NSCLC. Additionally, sac-TMT has been granted six Breakthrough Therapy Designations (BTDs) by the NMPA.

Sac-TMT is the world’s first TROP2 ADC drug approved for marketing in lung cancer. As of today, Kelun-Biotech has initiated 9 registrational clinical studies in China. MSD is evaluating 17 ongoing Phase III global clinical studies of sac-TMT as a monotherapy or with pembrolizumab or other anti-cancer agents for several types of cancer. These studies are sponsored and led by MSD.

(Press release, Kelun, MAR 18, 2026, View Source [SID1234663716])