On March 19, 2026 Molecular Partners AG (SIX: MOLN; NASDAQ: MOLN), a clinical-stage biotech company developing a novel class of custom-built protein drugs known as DARPin therapeutics ("Molecular Partners" or the "Company"), reported it will hold an oral presentation outlining new preclinical data on Radio-DARPins at the 3rd Global Radiopharmaceuticals Development Summit, taking place in Shanghai, China on March 19–20, 2026.
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 presentation will outline the Radio-DARPins’ suitability to different isotopes with data on two Radio-DARPin candidates, each specific for a different tumor target. The results of studies in tumor-bearing mice show highly comparable biodistribution profiles for both Radio-DARPin candidates labeled with Lutetium-177 (177Lu) or with Lead-203 (203Pb), with similar uptake and washout rates. Imaging with 177Lu can be indicative of behavior with the therapeutic isotope Actinium-225 (225Ac), and similarly with 203Pb for 212Pb.
"Our recent data confirms that our Radio-DARPin-vector design allows interchangeability of alpha-isotopes, including 212Pb and 225Ac," said Patrick Amstutz, Ph.D., CEO of Molecular Partners. "This feature offers us the opportunity and flexibility to evaluate Radio-DARPin candidates in an isotope-agnostic manner and to choose the most suitable therapeutic isotope, as late as with initial clinical data, without having to restart the entire drug discovery and development process – a significant advantage to tailor our candidates to patient needs."
Details of the presentation
DARPins for targeted alpha therapy: from promising MP0712 first in-human data to opportunities for next Radio-DARPin candidates
Presenter: Daniel Steiner, Ph.D., SVP of Technology and Research
Time: 9:25 am CST, Friday, March 20
Location: Meeting Room B – IND Filing and Clinical Development Progress
The full presentation can be found here.
MP0712, Molecular Partners’ DLL3-targeted 212Pb-based Radio-DARPin candidate co-developed with strategic partner Orano Med, is in an ongoing Phase 1/2a trial in the US (NCT07278479). Imaging data of MP0712 carrying the diagnostic isotope 203Pb under compassionate care are supportive of clinical development plans of MP0712 carrying the therapeutic isotope 212Pb for patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and other DLL3-expressing neuroendocrine cancers.
In February 2026, Molecular Partners entered into an agreement with Eckert & Ziegler, leading specialist in isotope-related components for nuclear medicine and radiation therapy, to enable the development and manufacturing of Radio-DARPin therapeutics. Eckert & Ziegler will support Molecular Partners with a comprehensive range of services covering development activities for Radio-DARPins with 225Ac as therapeutic payload and 177Lu as imaging payload.
About Radio-DARPins
Molecular Partners’ Radio-DARPins are designed as ideal vectors for precise delivery of potent alpha-emitting isotopes to tumor lesions and have the potential to unlock a broad range of tumor targets for targeted radiopharmaceuticals. Building on the DARPins’ unique properties, Molecular Partners has developed a proprietary Radio-DARPin platform to address historic limitations of radioligand therapy, such as kidney accumulation and toxicity, and suboptimal tumor uptake. Molecular Partners’ Radio-DARPins addresses these limitations through half-life extension technologies and surface engineering approaches, while preserving the advantages of the small protein format.
(Press release, Molecular Partners, MAR 19, 2026, View Source [SID1234663707])