- Accelerating preclinical development toward IND submission in H1 next year, positioning ABN202 as a potential game changer in oncology

ABION (KOSDAQ, 203400), a precision oncology therapeutics developer, announced that its next-generation immuno-oncology candidate, ABN202, demonstrated a superior anti-cancer mechanism compared with TROP2-targeting antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in preclinical studies.

The findings will be presented as a poster at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR 2026), to be held April 17–22 in San Diego, USA.

ABN202 is a next-generation immuno-oncology drug candidate based on the company’s proprietary iRAC (Interferon-β Antibody Conjugate) platform, designed to enable both direct tumor cell killing and robust immune activation. In the study, ABN202 demonstrated a superior anti-cancer mechanism compared with currently approved TROP2-targeting ADCs.

Notably, ABN202 overcame resistance to TROP2-targeting ADCs and showed superior anti-tumor efficacy compared with ADCs combined with anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors in preclinical models. In addition, ABN202 induced sustained and systemic CD8-positive T cell-mediated immune responses, suggesting the potential for durable anti-tumor immunity.

These findings suggest that ABN202 represents a novel immuno-oncology strategy capable of overcoming resistance associated with existing ADC therapies, highlighting its strong potential as a new treatment option for patients with solid tumors who have failed prior ADC-based therapies.

ABION’s first-in-class iRAC platform can be applied not only to TROP2-targeting antibodies but also to a broad range of solid tumor targets. This platform's versatility positions iRAC as a promising next-generation immuno-oncology approach with potential pipeline expansion opportunities.

Dr. Young Kee Shin, CEO/CTO of ABION, said, “These results highlight the potential of a differentiated IFN-β-based immuno-oncology strategy to overcome resistance to current ADC therapies. Based on these encouraging preclinical findings, we are also actively exploring strategic partnership opportunities for ABN202, including collaborations at the preclinical stage.”

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"These results highlight the potential of a differentiated IFN-beta-based immuno-oncology strategy to overcome resistance to current ADC therapies."