The fierce competition globally around Claudin (CLDN) 18.2-targeting cancer drugs has entered the next phase with Astellas Pharma, Inc.'s first approval filing globally for its first-in-class antibody zolbetuximab, in Japan for CLDN 18.2-positive gastric cancer on 9 June.
Japan Zolbetuximab Filing Heats Up CLDN18.2 Competition
US, EU, China Filings Also Expected
Astellas says its first approval filing globally for zolbetuximab - in Japan for gastric cancer - came faster than expected, as Scrip takes a look at the latest status of other CLDN18.2-targeting candidates in late clinical trials.

More from Anticancer
Merck expects Keytruda to come under Medicare price controls in 2028, but an analyst said the subcutaneous version could shield revenues for the franchise.
J&J is confident that its bispecific antibody/kinase inhibitor combo’s overall survival win over AstraZeneca’s single-agent pill will shift the standard of care.
The Danish firm is spending nearly $580m to repurchase up to 2.2 million shares
Miltenyi’s leadership calls for a streamlined regulatory framework as India gears to scale in cell and gene therapy. Executives from the German group also talked to Scrip about helping advance local capabilities, delivering point-of-care CAR- T cell therapy to hospitals and pricing dynamics.
More from Therapy Areas
After a long wait for patients, Vykat has become the first drug approved for Prader-Willi syndrome symptoms, opening the market up for Soleno and future challengers.
With its exon 53-skipping candidate already showing promise in 24-week data, Wave now has 48-week data showing improvements in muscle health and functional outcomes.
J&J is confident that its bispecific antibody/kinase inhibitor combo’s overall survival win over AstraZeneca’s single-agent pill will shift the standard of care.