ABL Bio Subsidiary Neok Bio Officially Launches in the United States

Accelerating the Development of Bispecific ADCs

ABL Bio, a company specializing in bispecific antibodies, announced on November 5 that Neok Bio has launched its official website and formally announced its establishment in the United States. Neok Bio is a specialized biotech company for clinical development of bispecific antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in the United States, founded by ABL Bio.

Simultaneously with the launch of Neok Bio, ABL Bio revealed for the first time the targets of ABL206 (NEOK001) and ABL209 (NEOK002). ABL206 is a bispecific ADC targeting ROR1 and B7H3, while ABL209 targets EGFR and MUC1. Both pipelines have demonstrated improved efficacy and safety compared to conventional monospecific ADCs in preclinical studies, and are being developed as new drugs for patients with various solid tumors.

Bispecific ADCs target two different antigens, allowing them not only to bind precisely to cancer cells but also to penetrate rapidly into the cells. As a result, bispecific ADCs show improved safety compared to conventional monospecific ADCs, offering a wider therapeutic window and superior therapeutic efficacy.

ABL Bio is responsible for the preclinical studies and Investigational New Drug (IND) application processes for ABL206 and ABL209, while Neok Bio will take over from Phase 1 clinical trials onward. ABL Bio and Neok Bio plan to submit IND applications for Phase 1 clinical trials of ABL206 and ABL209 to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at the end of this year and early next year, with plans to initiate Phase 1 trials in mid-2026. The initial clinical data for both pipelines are expected to be released in 2027.

Lee Sanghoon, CEO of ABL Bio, stated, "The establishment of our U.S. subsidiary and the accelerated development of our bispecific ADC pipeline, which we have been planning since last year, are progressing smoothly. We revealed the targets of ABL206 and ABL209 for the first time in line with our presentation at the World ADC San Diego, and I have heard that the response on site was very positive. I hope that ABL206 and ABL209 will achieve strong results in clinical trials and generate positive synergies for the next-generation ADC development at ABL Bio."

Mayank Gandhi, CEO of Neok Bio, said, "ADCs are a modality with proven therapeutic effects in certain cancer types. However, there are still limitations in terms of safety, tumor selectivity, and therapeutic window. Our bispecific ADCs are designed to more effectively target a broader range of cancer cells, overcome drug resistance, increase cellular internalization and anticancer efficacy, and enhance tumor selectivity to reduce toxicity to normal tissues, thereby improving the safety profile over existing ADCs. The funding secured from ABL Bio marks a significant milestone in Neok Bio's journey to becoming a clinical-stage company and will provide the foundation for implementing a robust and efficient clinical development strategy for bispecific ADCs."