According to the pharmaceutical and biotech industry on the 21st, ESMO—taking place in Madrid, Spain, from the 23rd to the 27th (local time)—is expected to feature a series of presentations on technologies and pipelines designed to target the unique characteristics of each patient’s cancer and broaden the scope of treatment.
ESMO is considered one of the world’s three major cancer conferences, alongside the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). This year, companies such as Moderna, MSD, AstraZeneca, Akeso, and Amgen will present key clinical results, and South Korean companies will also showcase their research achievements.
Will Cancer Vaccines Change the Concept of Cancer Treatment?mRNA
cancer vaccinesare therapies designed to identify cancer cell-specific antigens by analyzing a patient’s genetic information and enabling immune cells to recognize them. Even for the same type of cancer, the targets are determined based on the unique genetic mutations present in each patient. Because the drug itself is designed to match the patient’s tumor profile, this approach is also referred to as “personalized medicine.”
The significance of cancer vaccine development lies in inducing the immune system to locate and attack microscopic cancer cells that may remain after surgery, thereby suppressing recurrence. It complements the ability of existing immune checkpoint inhibitors—which release the brakes that prevent immune cells from attacking—to recognize cancer cells.
Moderna and MSD will present detailed results from the Phase 3 “INTerpath-001” clinical trial of “Intismeran Autogen” at the Presidential Symposium on the 24th. The study compared the combination of the cancer vaccine and Keytruda with Keytruda monotherapy in patients with Stage IIB–IV cutaneous melanoma who had undergone complete tumor resection.
Moderna and MSD previously announced in an interim analysis last August that both the primary endpoint—recurrence-free survival (RFS)—and the key secondary endpoint—distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS)—met statistical significance. This time, the primary focus will be on the magnitude of the reduction in the risk of recurrence or death and the efficacy across different patient subgroups.
Moderna will present the results of its Phase 1 pancreatic cancer clinical trial as a poster on the 25th and the study design of its Phase 3 “INTerpath-014” clinical trial for high-risk Stage 1 non-small cell lung cancer as a poster on the 26th.
ADCs: HER2 and TROP2 Saturated… New Targeted Therapies Gain AttentionIn the field of
ADCs,there is a trend toward expanding targets beyond
HER2 and TROP2to include CLDN18.2 and FGFR3, among others. This diversification of targets implies the potential to broaden both the types of cancer cells that can be treated and the patient population eligible for therapy.
AstraZeneca will present the results of the Phase 3 “CLARITY-Gastric01” trial for the CLDN18.2-targeted ADC “sonecitatug vedotin” at the Presidential Symposium on the 25th. This study compared the drug to existing treatments for advanced gastric cancer and gastroesophageal junction cancer. Patients enrolled in the trial had CLDN18.2 expressed in at least 25% of their tumor cells.
According to AstraZeneca, there was a statistically significant improvement in overall survival (OS) for the patient group receiving third-line or later treatment—a co-primary endpoint—as well as for the entire patient population receiving second-line or later treatment—a key secondary endpoint. This is significant as it demonstrates the efficacy of the CLDN18.2-targeted ADC.
LigaChem Biosciences will showcase CLDN18.2-targeted ADCs. LigaChem Biosciences(141080)will present the preclinical results for “LCB02A” and the global Phase 1 and 2 clinical trial design in two posters. LigaChem Biosciences began administering LCB02A to the first clinical trial patient in North America on the 15th and plans to evaluate safety, recommended dosage, and antitumor activity in up to 191 participants.
Biohaven will present follow-up data from the Phase 1 clinical trial of “AMB302 (BHV-1530),” an FGFR3-targeted ADC licensed from #Aimed Bio Inc., in a poster presentation on the 23rd. Biohaven observed early antitumor activity in cancers with FGFR3 gene mutations as well as in those where the protein is overexpressed without mutations.
High Interest in Bispecific Antibodies as WellResearch findings on compounds that enhance cancer treatment efficacy by moving beyond monoclonal antibodies to bispecific antibodies are also drawing attention. Bispecific antibodies treat cancer by simultaneously targeting two targets to block cancer growth pathways or prevent immune evasion. The key for bispecific antibody therapies is to confirm whether they can lead to better treatment outcomes than standard therapies, including existing immuno-oncology drugs.
Amgen will present the results of the Phase 3 “DeLLphi-305” clinical trial for “talatamab,” a DLL3-CD3 bispecific antibody, on the 24th. The trial targets patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer whose disease did not progress following initial treatment with Imfinzi, platinum-based chemotherapy, and etoposide. Talatamab was added to Imfinzi maintenance therapy and compared to Imfinzi alone. Amgen announced improvements in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) last September. The key question is whether combining it with existing immunotherapy drugs can improve outcomes in first-line maintenance therapy.
On the 25th, China’s Akeso will announce the results of the Phase 3 “HARMONi-GI1” clinical trial for “Ibonecimab,” a PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody, as a first-line treatment for bile duct cancer. The study directly compared ibonesimab plus chemotherapy with Imfinzi plus chemotherapy. It evaluated the potential of this strategy—which simultaneously blocks immune-suppressive signals and tumor angiogenesis—to replace existing immunotherapy drugs. AkeSo has previously stated that this study, conducted in China, showed significant improvements in OS, PFS, and objective response rate.
Numerous Announcements Expected from K-Bio Companies
Numerous presentations by domestic pharmaceutical and biotech companies are also scheduled. HLB INC.(028300) Elevate Therapeutics, a U.S. subsidiary, will present Phase 2 clinical trial results for riboceranib in metastatic thymic epithelial tumors on the 26th. Following that, a post-hoc analysis of lirapugratinib—which recently received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—regarding prior exposure to existing immuno-oncology drugs and skin and mucosal adverse reactions will be released as an electronic poster.
SillaJen, Inc.(215600)At ESMO 2026, the company will present poster results from a Phase 1 clinical trial of “BAL0891,” a dual TTK/PLK1 inhibitor, in patients with advanced solid tumors. The focus will be on the safety and initial antitumor efficacy of BAL0891 as monotherapy and in combination with paclitaxel. Since the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) was established at ASCO 2026, the key points of interest in this presentation will be the therapeutic efficacy of the combination therapy and the potential for subsequent clinical development.
Qurient Co., Ltd.(115180)will present the results of a Phase 1 dose-escalation trial for the CDK7 inhibitor “Mokasiclip (Q901),” while Lunit Inc.(328130)will present five studies utilizing the AI biomarker platform “Lunit Inc. Scope.”
Aptabio Therapeutics Inc.(293780)[Company Name] will present the clinical Phase 1 trial design for the aptamer-drug conjugate “Apta-16” in relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia via an electronic poster. iNtRON Biotechnology, Inc.(048530)will disclose the results of two preclinical studies on the bacteriophage-based “IMPA” for colorectal cancer.
A representative from the pharmaceutical and biotech industry stated, “This year’s ESMO will serve as a forum to assess how effective next-generation anticancer technologies are in suppressing recurrence and extending survival,” adding, “It is a great opportunity to evaluate how much evidence has been accumulated to support actual approval and entry into clinical practice by distinguishing between survival benefits in late-stage clinical trials, treatment responses in early-stage trials, and preclinical potential.”
