Major Korean pharmaceutical and biotech companies are set to participate in the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR 2026), where they will present research findings on next-generation anticancer drug candidates.

The conference, scheduled to take place in San Diego from April 17 to 22, will feature companies including Orum Therapeutics, LigaChem Biosciences, and Rznomics. These firms plan to showcase preclinical and clinical data across their respective areas of expertise—such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), CAR-T therapies, and gene therapies—highlighting their global competitiveness.

Orum Therapeutics will present preclinical data on ORM-1153, a candidate for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). ORM-1153 targets CD123 and is a degradation antibody conjugate (DAC) incorporating the company’s proprietary GSPT1 degrader payload. Through two poster presentations, the company will detail safety findings from non-human primate studies, along with preclinical efficacy and pharmacological data. In particular, repeat-dose data in non-human primates based on its Dual-Precision TPD² approach are expected to support future clinical development.

LigaChem Biosciences will showcase research on two next-generation BCMA-targeting ADC pipelines for multiple myeloma. LCB14-2524 combines an antibody with enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and the company’s proprietary LBG (β-glucuronide) linker to deliver an MMAF payload. Another candidate, LCB14-2516, features an optimized antibody designed for improved safety and is conjugated with a proprietary PBD prodrug payload to maximize therapeutic efficacy.

The HLB Group will present a total of four research studies through its subsidiaries. Verismo Therapeutics’ CAR-T therapy for solid tumors, SynKIR-110, has been selected for an oral presentation featuring interim Phase 1 results. Additional data, including SynKIR-310 for hematologic malignancies and preclinical findings for glioblastoma, will be presented in poster sessions. Notably, SynKIR-310 demonstrated superior antitumor activity compared to conventional CD3-based CAR-T therapies in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma models. Elevar Therapeutics will also present a comparative analysis highlighting the high selectivity of its FGFR2-targeted anticancer agent, lirafugratinib, versus existing inhibitors.

Rznomics will present results from a Phase 1b/2a clinical study evaluating an RNA-targeted trans-splicing gene therapy in combination therapy for patients with hTERT-positive hepatocellular carcinoma. The presentation will serve as a key test of whether the company’s RNA trans-splicing platform can achieve clinical proof-of-concept (POC). Its lead gene therapy candidate, RZ-001, has previously received both orphan drug and Fast Track designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and interim data on safety and efficacy will be disclosed at the conference.

AbClon will introduce its next-generation switchable CAR-T platform, zCART, designed for solid tumors. The platform enables precise control of T-cell activity by adjusting the dose of a switch molecule, aiming to overcome toxicity limitations associated with conventional CAR-T therapies. In addition, the company will present new in vivo data on AM109, a bispecific antibody-based immune cell engager targeting prostate cancer.

MedPacto will present findings from a study evaluating a triple combination therapy of vactosertib, an anti–PD-1 agent, and a VEGF inhibitor in an animal model resembling microsatellite-stable (MSS) colorectal cancer. Over a 29-day observation period, the triple regimen achieved a tumor growth inhibition (TGI) rate of 86%, significantly outperforming both monotherapy and dual-combination approaches. Notably, complete response (CR) rates—previously near zero with conventional immunotherapies—reached 20–33%, demonstrating meaningful clinical potential, according to the company.

Onconic Therapeutics will present two preclinical studies on its next-generation synthetic lethality-based dual-target anticancer agent, nesuparib. In small cell lung cancer models, nesuparib demonstrated up to 133-fold greater inhibition of cancer cell growth compared to the existing inhibitor olaparib, and achieved a tumor inhibition rate of 66.5% in animal studies. The company also confirmed that its antitumor activity is driven by a differentiated dual mechanism targeting both the Wnt and Hippo signaling pathways. In pancreatic cancer models, the agent showed efficacy regardless of BRCA mutation status.

Lunit will present six studies leveraging its AI technologies. Key research includes a comparative study of AI algorithms for quantifying HER2 expression in metastatic breast cancer, an analysis of the relationship between c-MET expression and the tumor microenvironment in non-small cell lung cancer, and biomarker research for predicting drug response in liver cancer patients.

The company also plans to demonstrate practical AI-driven precision medicine approaches, including the identification of 19 protein co-expression pairs for bispecific antibody development through the analysis of millions of immunohistochemistry (IHC) images.