On October 15, 2026 Callio Therapeutics ("Callio" or "the Company"), a global, clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing dual-payload antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) as the next frontier of rationally designed targeted cancer therapy, reported it has won Best New ADC Drug Developer at the 13th World ADC Awards. The award was presented at the World ADC Awards Gala on Wednesday evening, October 14, held during World ADC San Diego 2026. Callio also delivered three presentations and two panel discussions at the conference.
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Powered by a proprietary platform featuring modular, adaptable linker technology, Callio is actively developing a pipeline of dual-payload ADCs with rationally selected payload combinations designed to overcome treatment resistance in hard-to-treat tumors. CLIO-8221 is the first program from Callio’s dual-payload ADC pipeline to enter the clinic, with the first patient dosed in March 2026, approximately one year after the Company’s launch.
"We are honored to accept this award, as this recognition reflects what the Callio team has built as we advance dual-payload ADCs for patients whose cancers stop responding to current therapies," said Zachary Hornby, Chief Executive Officer of Callio Therapeutics. "World ADC has emerged as the premier forum for the ADC community to come together and share the latest advancements in the field."
Callio’s Presence at World ADC San Diego 2026
The 17th World ADC San Diego summit brought together more than 1,300 industry attendees from over 400 companies, with seven tracks of end-to-end ADC content from discovery through manufacturing and supply. Callio’s leadership and scientific team participated in the following panel discussions and presentations:
Presentation: Harnessing the Promise of Dual-Payload ADCs to Combat Resistance to Traditional ADCs
Presenter: Chris Hassig, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer
Presentation: Leveraging a Modular & Adaptable Linker Design to Evaluate Translation of Rationally Selected Dual-Payload Combinations
Presenter: Alyson Smith, Vice President of Research
Panel Discussion: What’s the New Path to the Next Generation of ADCs?
Panelist: Jeremy Sauer, Vice President of Strategy
Panel Discussion: Building the Next Generation of ADC Linkers & Payloads: What Do Innovators Need from Development & Manufacturing Partners?
Panelist: Srinath Thirumalairajan, Executive Director of CMC
Presentation: From Complexity to Manufacturability: Considerations to Rapidly Develop & Manufacture Dual-Payload ADCs
Presenter: Srinath Thirumalairajan, Executive Director of CMC
(Press release, Callio Therapeutics, OCT 15, 2026, View Source [SID1234673509])