LigaChem Biosciences Wins Two Awards at the World ADC Awards, Proving Global ADC Leadership

- HER2 ADC ‘IKS014 (LCB14)’ wins the top prize in the “Most Promising ADC to Watch” category

- Company wins “Best ADC Platform Technology” for the seventh consecutive year, setting a new record

- Presented superior clinical results and platform differentiation at the World ADC Summit

LigaChem Biosciences Inc. (141080.KS, hereinafter “LigaChemBio”) announced that its HER2 ADC, IKS014 (LCB14), licensed to IKSUDA Therapeutics (“IKSUDA”), won the top prize in the “Most Promising ADC to Watch” category at the 12th Annual World ADC Awards, held on November 5 (local time) in San Diego, USA. The company also received the Award of Excellence in the “Best ADC Platform Technology” category. This marks the first time that a clinical candidate using LigaChemBio’s ADC platform has received a major award, signifying its recognition as a company evolving from a platform-based to a clinically driven organization by global ADC experts.

The “Most Promising ADC to Watch” category honors the most promising ADC clinical candidate with disclosed Phase 1 data of the year. Among the five final nominees this year, two ADC programs utilized LigaChemBio’s platform technology — the HER2 ADC ‘IKS014’ and the ROR1 ADC ‘CS5001 (LCB71)’ — alongside Pfizer’s PD-L1 ADC ‘Fetrastobart vedotin’ and Mersana Therapeutics’ B7-H4 ADC ‘Emiltatug ledadotin’. Following votes from a panel of global ADC experts, IKS014, developed by LigaChemBio, was ed as the top winner.

The ion of LigaChemBio’s HER2 ADC as the most promising ADC candidate demonstrates both its clinical excellence and commercial potential. Interim results from the global Phase 1 clinical trial of IKS014, presented at ESMO 2025 (European Society for Medical Oncology), showed superior efficacy and tolerability compared to competing HER2 ADCs. Notably, the drug exhibited a 75% objective response rate (ORR) in breast cancer patients who were resistant or refractory to Enhertu (Trastuzumab deruxtecan), highlighting its strong market potential. The company’s partner, Fosun Pharma, is also conducting a Phase 3 breast cancer trial in China, further increasing the potential for commercialization in the Chinese market.

LigaChemBio also continued its winning streak in the “Best ADC Platform Technology” category, receiving an Award of Excellence for the seventh consecutive year. The top prize in this category went to Daiichi Sankyo’s DXd ADC Technology, the only platform currently applied to a globally commercialized ADC. Other finalists included Synaffix’s “GlycoConnect” (a Lonza subsidiary) and Catalent’s “SMARTag”. By consistently earning recognition among such global leaders, LigaChemBio has reinforced its position as a world leader in ADC platform innovation.

During the World ADC Summit (Nov. 3–6) held at the same venue, LigaChemBio also presented the unique competitive advantages of its “ConjuAll” ADC platform, reaffirming its technological excellence as both a seven-time awardee in the platform category and the developer of one of the most promising ADC pipelines. Additionally, LigaChemBio’s technology license partners SOTIO and IKSUDA introduced upcoming clinical candidates SOT106 and IKS04, respectively, both incorporating LigaChemBio’s proprietary linker technology.

Dr. Jae-Wook Chae, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Business Development at LigaChemBio, stated: “Being ed as the most promising HER2 ADC — the first of our internally developed ADCs to win this award — validates its potential as a ‘Best-in-Class’ therapy within the same class as Enhertu. Based on the positive clinical results, we expect this recognition will further elevate the value of ongoing licensing negotiations.” He added, “Winning the Best ADC Platform Technology award for seven consecutive years also highlights the growing global recognition and value of our ADC platform for potential technology partnerships.”