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Chinese Biotechs Partner Up 18.2-Targeting ADCs Amid Intense Domestic Competition

 
• By Dexter Jie Yan

Following rapid R&D growth in the area, China now has roughly 40 drug candidates targeting Claudin 18.2 across various modalities including monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates and bispecific antibodies, with a number of contenders now striking international licensing-out deals in a bid to get ahead of rivals.

More and more Chinese Biotechs are teaming up with larger-scale domestic pharma companies for wider market access.
Three deals for Claudin 18.2-targeting ADCs between China/US firms since May • Source: Alamy

Since May, Chinese biotechs have rushed to cut deals with US pharma companies for global rights to Claudin 18.2-targeting antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) assets amid cut-throat domestic competition in the field.

The latest partnerships have come from CSPC Megalith Biopharmaceutical under Hong Kong-listed CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Limited and Kelun-Biotech, a subsidiary of Shenzhen-listed Sichuan Kelun Pharmaceutical Co Ltd

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