ABL209, targeting EGFR and MUC1 simultaneously, takes center stage as Phase 1 trial advances in US; company to present first preclinical efficacy and toxicity data Tuesday; CEO Lee Sang-hoon vows to focus resources on next-generation dual-payload capabilities
ABL Bio, a bispecific antibody company, will present key data and development strategies for its next-generation bispecific antibody-drug conjugate candidate at one of the world's leading ADC conferences, positioning the therapy as an advance over conventional single-antibody treatments.
The company said Monday it will participate in the 5th World ADC South Korea 2026, held in Seoul's Magok district from Tuesday through Thursday, and present research findings on ABL209 — also known as NEOK002 under its US biotech subsidiary NEOK Bio.
The World ADC series is among the largest and most prestigious ADC-focused events in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, bringing together developers, researchers and buyers from around the world to discuss next-generation ADC development strategies and the latest advances in the field.
ABL209 combines a bispecific antibody structure that simultaneously targets EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) and MUC1 (mucin 1) — two key markers on cancer cells — with a topoisomerase I inhibitor payload designed to induce cytotoxicity. ABL Bio is currently exploring the drug's commercial potential through a Phase 1 trial in the United States, conducted via NEOK Bio, its US-based biotech subsidiary.
On the conference's opening day Tuesday, ABL Bio will deliver a standalone seminar at 2 p.m. on "EGFR and MUC1-targeting bispecific ADC designed for superior antitumor activity and an improved therapeutic window."
The presentation will cover the rationale behind ABL209's target combination and the company's validation strategy, while highlighting structural advantages that set it apart from existing single-target therapies. ABL Bio plans to share preclinical antitumor activity data and toxicity assessments from animal model studies for the first time, and to demonstrate a significant improvement in the therapeutic window — the dosing range that delivers efficacy while minimizing side effects — a limitation long associated with conventional single-antibody ADCs.
ABL Bio has been expanding its global footprint on the strength of its proprietary bispecific antibody platform, Grabody. The company is simultaneously running global clinical programs across the United States, China, Australia and South Korea for 10 core pipeline candidates — including ABL301, a Parkinson's disease treatment licensed to global pharma giant Sanofi that has completed a Phase 1 trial in the US, and ABL001, a biliary tract cancer therapy that has received both fast track and orphan drug designation from the US Food and Drug Administration.
"Bispecific ADCs are a next-generation modality that cross-targets two tumor antigens to maximize efficacy and overcome the narrow therapeutic window that limits single-antibody ADCs," CEO Lee Sang-hoon said. "Led by ABL206 and ABL209, which have already entered clinical stages through our US subsidiary NEOK Bio, we will concentrate our full capabilities on developing next-generation platform technologies — including dual-payload ADCs that carry two drugs simultaneously — to lead the global ADC market."
silverpaper@heraldcorp.com
