On May 21, 2026 Whitehawk Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: WHWK), a clinical-stage oncology therapeutics company applying advanced technologies to established tumor biology to efficiently deliver improved antibody drug conjugate (ADC) cancer treatments, reported it entered into a new option agreement with Hangzhou DAC for access to CPT113 for use in up to five additional ADC programs. Whitehawk’s ADC platform leverages CPT113 as the core linker-payload technology, adding its own proprietary Carbon Bridge Cysteine Re-pairing (CBCR) bioconjugation process to support improved stability and therapeutic index.

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Per the terms of the option agreement, Whitehawk will select targets and source antibodies, while retaining global rights and full program control for the new ADC programs. Whitehawk anticipates submitting Investigational New Drug (IND) applications for multiple new programs over the next 12-24 months.

"This option agreement reflects our conviction in CPT113 as the core linker-payload foundation of our ADC platform, supported both by increasing external validation and by what we are seeing in our own existing programs. By layering on our proprietary CBCR bioconjugation process, we believe we further enhance ADC stability to deliver potential best-in-class ADCs," said Dave Lennon, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Whitehawk Therapeutics. "With HWK-007 and HWK-016 enrolling, and an IND for HWK-206 anticipated mid-year, we are building execution momentum across our portfolio. We now have the opportunity to further scale our pipeline and advance novel ADC programs toward the clinic in the next 12-24 months."

External Programs Validate CPT113 Linker-Payload Technology

Hangzhou DAC’s DXC006 is a CD56-directed ADC that utilizes CPT113. DXC006 is being evaluated in first-in-human Phase 1 dose escalation/expansion study in China (NCT06224855) in solid tumor populations, including small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and neuroendocrine neoplasms. Data from DXC006 were accepted for oral presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper). The abstract points to this highly potent linker-payload translating to clinical activity and a favorable safety profile characterized by an absence of key safety concerns typically associated with a Top1i class. These abstract data were as of December 26, 2025.

Separately, at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, Johnson & Johnson disclosed JNJ‑95437446, an amivantamab-based EGFR/MET ADC that uses CPT113. In the poster, JNJ‑95437446 reported preclinical findings that support its ongoing Phase 1 clinical development (NCT07107230).

Whitehawk’s ADC platform builds on the CPT113 linker-payload technology with its proprietary CBCR bioconjugation process. Based on key nonclinical measures, Whitehawk’s CBCR-based ADC platform has demonstrated higher Drug-to-Antibody Ratio (DAR) and improved therapeutic index compared to DXC006. Whitehawk recently reported comprehensive preclinical data for its existing pipeline programs at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper).

Whitehawk’s Clinical Pipeline

Phase 1 trials for PTK7-directed HWK-007 and MUC16-directed HWK-016 are advancing through dose-escalation, with data expected in the first half of 2027. Based on non-clinical modeling, both programs’ starting dose is expected to be above the anticipated minimally effective dose.

HWK-007 completed the first dose cohort at 2 mg/kg and is enrolling the second cohort at 4 mg/kg. HWK‑007 is being evaluated in patients with non-squamous, EGFR wild-type non-small cell lung cancer; platinum-resistant ovarian cancer; and endometrial cancer (NCT07444814). The design of this Phase 1 study will be presented during a Trials-in-Progress poster at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper).
Title: A phase 1 study of HWK-007, a next-generation, protein tyrosine kinase 7 (PTK7)-targeted antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), in patients with advanced solid tumors
Date & Time: May 30, 2026, 1:30-4:30 PM CDT
Poster: 292b
HWK-016 is enrolling the first dose cohort at 2.5 mg/kg. HWK‑016 is being evaluated in patients with advanced ovarian and endometrial cancers (NCT07470853).

(Press release, Whitehawk Therapeutics, MAY 21, 2026, View Source [SID1234665959])