NEOK Bio, Inc., an oncology therapeutics company focused on the development of novel antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) for improving outcomes for cancer patients, today announced that two poster presentations highlighting its ADC pipeline will be delivered at the upcoming American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2026 taking place April 17-22, 2026, in San Diego, California.
The AACR 2026 presentations will showcase NEOK’s emerging pipeline of next-generation ADCs engineered to target proteins broadly expressed across tumor types with high unmet need. The company will present new findings for its two lead bispecific candidates: NEOK001, a first-in-class “2+2” bispecific ADC designed to target B7-H3 and ROR1-expressing tumors, and NEOK002, a “1+1” bispecific ADC targeting EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) and MUC1 (Mucin 1)-expressing solid tumors. Both therapies utilize Synaffix’s proprietary, validated linker-payload technology with a DAR 4 Topoisomerase-1 (Topo-1) inhibitor, exatecan (SYNtecan E™ ).
Both programs have received Investigational New Drug (IND) approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and NEOK plans to initiate Phase 1 clinical trials in 2Q 2026, with initial clinical data readouts anticipated in 2027. Both of NEOK’s bispecific ADC candidates will enter the clinic on a foundation of promising preclinical studies, where they have demonstrated superior in vivo efficacy in solid tumors compared to traditional monovalent ADCs.
Preclinical data will be shared in two separate poster presentations on April 20 during the session titled “Antibody Drug Conjugates and Linker Engineering 2” at AACR 2026. Highlights of the presentations include:
Poster 1724: NEOK001: A first-in-class B7-H3xROR1 bispecific ADC demonstrated enhanced efficacy and promising tolerability
- Potent dual‑target cytotoxicity and strong bystander killing, supporting activity in heterogeneous solid tumors
- Broad efficacy across 38 PDX models, achieving 84% tumor growth inhibition and 53% deep tumor regression across nine major cancer types
- Outperformed clinical benchmark ADCs, including I‑Dxd and zilovertamab vedotin, and successfully regressed I‑Dxd-treated regrowing tumors
- Observed favorable safety profile in GLP toxicology studies (HNSTD: 60 mg/kg) with stable DAR and predictable pharmacokinetics
Poster 1726: NEOK002: Designing an EGFRxMUC1 Bispecific TOP1i ADC with Promising Anti-Tumor Activity and Enhanced Therapeutic Window
- Dual-targeting design enhances binding and internalization in dual-positive tumor cells while reducing off‑tumor EGFR engagement
- Robust antitumor activity across 36 PDX models, achieving tumor regressions in 78%, including KRAS‑mutant and heavily pretreated tumors
- Favorable safety profile with minimal impact on keratinocyte proliferation and reduced inhibition of EGFR signaling versus cetuximab-based ADCs
- Strong combination potential sotorasib, enabling extended tumor regression for 58 days in KRAS G12C-mutant models
“These preclinical findings underscore the potential of our next-generation ADC pipeline to overcome the limitations of conventional monovalent designs,” said Mayank Gandhi, MD, CEO of NEOK Bio. “As we prepare to accelerate both candidates into clinical development, we look forward to sharing their differentiated mechanisms and compelling pre-clinical activity at ACCR 2026.”
About NEOK Bio
NEOK Bio is an oncology therapeutics company focused on developing novel antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) designed to improve outcomes for cancer patients. NEOK is rapidly advancing bispecific ADCs, which represent a cutting-edge advancement, leveraging bispecific antibodies that target two complementary antigens, potentially improving safety while enhancing efficacy of ADCs in a wider range of tumors. Backed by ABL Bio, a proven leader in antibody engineering, NEOK plans to initiate clinical studies for its two lead bispecific ADC candidates in solid tumor indications in 2Q 2026.
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