CHENGDU, China, Oct. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 20, 2023, the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Conference grandly commenced in Madrid, Spain. The ESMO Conference is the most esteemed and influential oncology conference in Europe, and this annual event garners the participation of top-tier experts and scholars from around the globe. By disseminating the latest findings in cancer clinical research, the ESMO Conference provides a high-quality platform for dialogue and learning for oncologists and other relevant stakeholders, thereby significantly influencing the practice of oncology.

During the ESMO Conference, Kelun-Biotech had a cordial meeting with representatives from MSD's oncology leadership team in Madrid on the afternoon of October 21^st, local time. Among those present from the Kelun-Biotech team were SKB's CEO and leadership team.

During the meeting, the management and project teams of Kelun-Biotech and MSD deliberated on the research and development progress of the multi-ongoing clinical collaboration projects and the preclinical projects that will soon enter into clinical stage. They engaged in extensive discussions regarding the potential synergy and upcoming plans for execution of global clinical studies for the collaboration projects. Both teams are expected to work closely together to accelerate the development of projects in the clinical stage, including the rapid expansion of indications, exploration of monotherapy and combination therapy activities, and therapeutic benefit in the early-stage setting of certain cancers. This amicable meeting has significantly bolstered the foundation of collaboration between Kelun-Biotech and MSD and considerably advanced the subsequent clinical development of the ongoing collaboration projects. In addition, there is a possibility for Kelun and MSD to explore other collaboration opportunities on new target ADC assets.

On the morning of October 22^nd (local time), the ESMO Conference published the results from a Phase I/II basket study in the form of a mini-oral presentation. This study investigated the innovative TROP2-ADC (SKB264, also known as MK-2870), which is under joint development by both Kelun-Biotech and MSD, for the treatment of patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (mBC).

About Kelun-Biotech

Kelun-Biotech (6990.HK) is a subsidiary of Kelun Pharmaceutical Holdings, which focuses on the R&D, manufacture, commercialization and international cooperation of biotechnology-derived pharmaceuticals and innovative small molecule drugs. The company focuses on major disease areas such as solid tumors, autoimmune, inflammatory, and metabolic disease. Building an international drug development and industrialization platform around the unmet clinical needs of the world and China, the Company is committed to becoming an internationally leading enterprise in the field of innovation. Significant progress has been made in the field of biotechnological drugs, including ADCs, monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and sought-after technologies for innovative small molecule drugs. OptiDC, an internationally renowned ADC research and development platform, has been successfully constructed, and 4 ADCs are in clinical trials (including 2 in the registrational Phase III or NDA filing stage), along with several projects in preclinical development. At present, the company has 33 innovative projects for the treatment of major diseases such as solid tumors, autoimmune, inflammatory, and metabolic disease, and 14 projects are advancing in clinical studies, including multiple global multicenter clinical trials which are being conducted simultaneously in several countries including China, Europe, and the United States. To learn more, please visit https://kelun-biotech.com/ .