China's Akeso Bets On IO Antibody Combo With First US IND

Emerging Company Profile: Akeso's lead compound is the bispecific antibody AK104, which targets the checkpoints PD-1 and CTLA-4. It will be advanced globally with a first indication in gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers. This is the first in a series of China-based emerging company profiles.

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Chinese Bioventure Akeso Has Obtained An IND For Its Lead Asset • Source: Shutterstock

Zhongshan, Guangdong-based Akeso Pharmaceuticals obtained its first investigative new drug (IND) application approval from the US FDA on April 2 for its lead asset, AK104, a PD-1/CTLA-4 bispecific antibody.

China Unbound: Second In A Series

China has seen explosive growth in developing new drugs ranging from antibodies to cell therapies, hence the first report from a new series covering emerging biotechs in China. They range from anti-cancer developers to respiratory specialty firms, from Shanghai to Zhongshan – several made-in-China biopharma innovators that largely have been flying under the radar

With this IND, Akeso’s founder and CEO Michelle Yu Xia has advanced within a niche in an increasingly crowded field, with its dual checkpoint inhibitor bispecific antibody in combination with two

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