• Oral presentation of DZD6008 demonstrated strong and durable anti-tumor activity, excellent BBB-penetrant properties, and a favorable safety profile in patients relapsed from third-generation EGFR TKI
• In treatment-naïve patients with advanced NSCLC without driver mutations, Golidocitinib, a JAK-only inhibitor, in combination with anti-PD-1 antibody enhanced anti-tumor response. 

SHANGHAI, May 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Dizal (SSE:688192), a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing novel medicines for the treatment of oncology and hematological diseases, today announced the presentations of two studies in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. One study evaluated DZD6008, an investigational fourth-generation EGFR TKI, in pre-treated NSCLC patients with EGFR C797X mutations following progression on third-generation EGFR TKI treatment. The results were featured in an oral presentation. The other study reported results for golidocitinib, a JAK1-selective inhibitor, combined with an anti-PD-1 antibody as a first-line treatment for PD-L1-positive, advanced NSCLC without driver mutations.

DZD6008: A Fourth-Generation EGFR TKI Overcomes Resistance Following Third-Generation EGFR TKI Failure

The latest findings showed that DZD6008 demonstrated strong and durable anti-tumor activity in patients relapsed from third-generation EGFR TKI with a favorable safety profile.

• The majority of patients (82.1%) had tumor shrinkage following DZD6008 treatment. Higher response rate is expected with longer treatment.
• Tumor response is durable, with 6 months progression free survival (PFS) rates at 70.6% and 61.8%, respectively for 40 mg and 60 mg cohorts. The median duration of response (DoR) was not reached.
• Excellent blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration was observed, including strong intracranial anti-tumor activity among patients with baseline brain metastasis.
• DZD6008 demonstrated a favorable safety profile with high selectivity for wild-type EGFR, resulting in minimal adverse effects.

Patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC whose disease progresses on or after third-generation EGFR TKI treatment often acquire resistance mutations, among which EGFR C797X is one of the most frequently reported. DZD6008 is a fourth-generation EGFR TKI designed with full BBB penetration and high selectivity over wild-type EGFR. Preclinical and clinical data support its potent activities against single, double and triple EGFR mutations (L858R/19del, T790M, C797X).

Golidocitinib: A JAK1 Inhibitor Combined with Anti-PD-1 Demonstrates Durable Clinical Benefit

Among 47 enrolled treatment-naïve patients with advanced NSCLC, golidocitinib plus sintilimab following chemo-immunotherapy demonstrated encouraging and durable anti-tumor efficacy, particularly in those with high PD-L1 expression. Profound improvement of irAE was noticed.

Dr. Xiaolin Zhang, CEO of Dizal, said: “Main reasons for patients relapsed from 3^rd generation EGFR TKI treatment include acquired resistance mutations and CNS metastasis. DZD6008 was designed to address these clinical issues. The data presented confirmed that DZD6008 met our design criteria and has the potential to provide an oral safe treatment option for these patients. We are very excited by the clinical data. We look forward to collaborating with investigators worldwide to accelerate its clinical development globally.”

About Golidocitinib (DZD4205)

Golidocitinib is currently the first and only Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) inhibitor being evaluated for the treatment of r/r PTCL. In June 2024, golidocitinib was approved by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma (r/r PTCL).

At the data cut-off date of August 31, 2023, golidocitinib has demonstrated robust and durable anti-tumor efficacy, with an ORR of 44.3%. All subtypes benefited well, and the ORR of common subtypes exceeded 40%. More than 50% of the patients with tumor remission achieved a complete response with a CRR of 23.9%. Per IRC assessment, the median duration of response (mDoR) reached 20.7 months. As of February 2024, golidocitinib showed a median overall survival (mOS) of 24.3 months.

Golidocitinib was granted Fast Track Designation by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of r/r PTCL in February 2022. In September 2023, the CDE accepted its NDA and granted Priority Review for the treatment of r/r PTCL. The Phase I clinical data of golidocitinib (JACKPOT8 PART A) were published in Annals of Oncology (Impact Factor: 51.8), and global pivotal trial data of golidocitinib for the treatment of r/r PTCL (JACKPOT PART B) were published in The Lancet Oncology (Impact Factor: 54.4).

About DZD6008

DZD6008 is a novel, highly selective, full-BBB penetrant EGFR TKI, designed as a potential treatment option for advanced EGFR mutation positive (EGFRm) NSCLC.

Non-small cell lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the world. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene is one of the most common driver genes for NSCLC. Multiple agents can be used to treat patients with EGFR mutated NSCLC who develop resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), but the clinical outcome was not satisfactory. Brain metastases (BM) are a leading cause of death and disease progression for NSCLC. Approximately 23%-30% of NSCLC patients are synchronous BM at their initial diagnosis. Previous studies reported that the 3-year cumulative rate of BMs ranges from 29.4% to 60.3% in patients with mutated EGFR.

Currently, the clinical benefits of existing treatments for third-generation EGFR TKI-resistant NSCLC are limited and DZD6008 is expected to fill the unmet medical needs. DZD6008 effectively inhibits EGFR-mutated tumor growth in cell lines and in animal models. Previous clinical studies have validated the design concept of the molecule and suggest that DZD6008 demonstrates good safety and efficacy in NSCLC patients with brain metastases who had failed third-generation EGFR TKI therapy or multiple lines of pre-treatments.

About Dizal

Dizal is a biopharmaceutical company, dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of differentiated therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and immunological diseases. The company aims to develop first-in-class and groundbreaking new medicines, and further address unmet medical needs worldwide. Deep-rooted in translational science and molecular design, it has established an internationally competitive portfolio with multiple assets in global pivotal studies and two leading assets: ZEGFROVY, approved in both the U.S. and China, and golidocitinib, approved in China. To learn more about Dizal, please visit www.dizalpharma.com, or follow us on LinkedIn or X.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, and “intend” and similar expressions, as they relate to Dizal, are intended to identify certain forward-looking statements. Dizal does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.

These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections, and understandings of the management of Dizal with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond Dizal’s control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, Dizal’s competitive environment, and political, economic, legal, and social conditions.

Dizal, the Directors, and the employees of Dizal assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained on this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or turnout to be incorrect.

Contacts

Investor Relations: ir@dizalpharma.com
Business Development: bd@dizalpharma.com
Media Contact: pr@dizalpharma.com

CHENGDU, China, May 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (the “Company”, 6990.HK) announced today that the results of the Phase III clinical study OptiTROP-Lung05, evaluating the company’s trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2)-directed antibody drug conjugate (ADC) sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT, also known as SKB264/MK-2870)(佳泰莱^®) in combination with pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA^®[1], MSD’s anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibody) as first-line treatment for Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1) Tumor Proportion Score (TPS)≥1% non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), have been published in the prestigious international medical journal The Lancet (IF=88.5)^[2]. The co-senior authors are: Professor Caicun Zhou from Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University; and Dr. Junyou Ge, Director of the National Engineering Research Centre of Targeted Biologics. The co‑first authors are: Professor Anwen Xiong from Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University; Professor Wenxiu Yao from Sichuan Cancer Hospital; Professor Wei Zheng from Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University; Professor Yan Yu from Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital; Professor Peng Chen from Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; Professor Hua Zhong from Shanghai Chest Hospital; and Dr. Junyou Ge, Director of the National Engineering Research Centre of Targeted Biologics. The study findings were also selected for an oral presentation at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting (Abstract #8506, Lung Cancer – Metastatic Non-Small Cell).

OptiTROP-Lung05 is a randomized, open-label, multicenter Phase III clinical study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sac-TMT in combination with pembrolizumab versus pembrolizumab alone as first-line treatment for patients with locally advanced or metastatic PD-L1 TPS≥1% NSCLC.

The interim analysis results show that compared with pembrolizumab monotherapy, the combination of sac-TMT and pembrolizumab significantly prolongs progression-free survival (PFS) and reduces the risk of disease progression or death, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.35. Consistent PFS benefits were observed across all prespecified subgroups, including by PD-L1 expression level and histological type, with PFS HRs of 0.47 and 0.28 for the PD-L1 TPS ≥50% and 1–49% subgroups, respectively, and PFS HRs of 0.28 and 0.44 for the non-squamous and squamous subgroups, respectively. A positive trend in overall survival (OS) was also observed, with an HR of 0.55. Furthermore, the overall safety profile of sac-TMT in combination with pembrolizumab was manageable, consistent with the established safety profiles of sac-TMT alone or pembrolizumab alone, and no new safety signals identified.

This is the first Phase III trial of an ADC combined with an immune checkpoint inhibitor to meet its primary endpoint in the first line treatment of NSCLC, and for the first time demonstrate that “ADC+IO” combination of sac-TMT plus pembrolizumab has the potential to achieve survival benefit as first‑line therapy for NSCLC. The publication of these findings in The Lancet further signifies that the clinical and academic value of this combination therapy has received internationally recognized validation.

About sac-TMT(佳泰莱^®)

Sac-TMT, a core product of the Company, is a novel human TROP2 ADC in which the Company has proprietary intellectual property rights, targeting advanced solid tumors such as NSCLC, breast cancer (BC), gastric cancer (GC), gynecological tumors and genitourinary tumors, among others. Sac-TMT is developed with a unique, bifunctional linker that maximizes payload delivery to tumor cells both through its irreversible connection with the anti-TROP2 monoclonal antibody sacituzumab and its pH-sensitive cleavage from a belotecan-derivative topoisomerase I inhibitor payload in the lysosome, with a drug-to-antibody-ratio (DAR) of 7.4. Sac-TMT specifically recognizes TROP2 on the surface of tumor cells by recombinant anti-TROP2 humanized monoclonal antibodies, which is then endocytosed by tumor cells and releases the payload KL610023 intracellularly. KL610023, as a topoisomerase I inhibitor, induces DNA damage to tumor cells, which in turn leads to cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. In addition, it also releases KL610023 in the tumor microenvironment. Given that KL610023 is membrane permeable, it can enable a bystander effect, or in other words kill adjacent tumor cells.

In May 2022, the Company licensed the exclusive rights to MSD (the tradename of Merck & Co., Inc, Rahway, NJ, USA) to develop, use, manufacture and commercialize sac-TMT in all territories outside of Greater China (which includes Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan).

To date, four indications for sac-TMT have been approved and marketed in China for: 1) unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple‑negative breast cancer (TNBC) who have received at least two prior systemic therapies (at least one of them for advanced or metastatic setting); 2) EGFR mutant-positive locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous NSCLC following progression on epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) therapy and platinum-based chemotherapy; 3) epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutant-positive locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous NSCLC who progressed after treatment with EGFR-TKI therapy; 4) unresectable or metastatic hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) (Immunohistochemistry (IHC) 0, IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/In Situ Hybridization (ISH)-) BC who have received prior endocrine therapy and at least one line of chemotherapy in advanced setting. The first two indications above have been included in China’s National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL). This inclusion is expected to bring clinically meaningful benefits to a greater number of patients with BC and NSCLC. Additionally, sac-TMT has been granted six Breakthrough Therapy Designations (BTDs) by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).

Sac-TMT is the world’s first TROP2 ADC drug approved for marketing in lung cancer. A new indication application for sac-TMT in combination with pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA^®) as first‑line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who have PD-L1 TPS≥1% and are EGFR-negative and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-negative has been accepted for review by the NMPA, and has entered the priority review and approval process. As of today, Kelun-Biotech has initiated 9 registrational clinical studies in China. MSD is evaluating 17 ongoing global Phase III clinical studies of sac-TMT as a monotherapy or in combination with pembrolizumab or other anti-cancer agents for several types of cancer. These studies are sponsored and led by MSD.

About Kelun-Biotech

Kelun-Biotech (6990.HK) is a holding subsidiary of Kelun Pharmaceutical, which focuses on the R&D, manufacturing, commercialization and global collaboration of innovative biological drugs and small molecule drugs. Kelun-Biotech focuses on major disease areas such as solid tumors, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases, and in establishing a globalized drug development and industrialization platform to address the unmet medical needs in China and the rest of world. Kelun-Biotech is committed to becoming a leading global enterprise in the field of innovative drugs. At present, Kelun-Biotech has more than 30 ongoing key innovative drug projects, of which 4 projects have been approved for marketing, 1 project is in the new drug application (NDA) stage and more than 10 projects are in the clinical stage. Kelun-Biotech has established one of the world’s leading proprietary ADC and novel DC platforms, OptiDC™, and has 2 ADC projects approved for marketing, and multiple ADC and novel DC assets in clinical or preclinical research stage. For more information, please visit https://en.kelun-biotech.com/.

Millions of fans from across the world tuned in to watch the iconic rock band’s unmissable performance ahead of the showpiece fixture of the club football season.

BUDAPEST, Hungary, May 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — #PEPSIKICKOFFSHOW – Global superstars The Killers delivered an exceptional headline performance at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, for this year’s UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show presented by Pepsi.

THE KILLERS headline the UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show presented by Pepsi at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, via Getty Images.

The UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show presented by Pepsi took place minutes before the football season’s biggest fixture between Arsenal FC and Paris St. Germain, with The Killers performing classic hits and stadium sized anthems including “When You Were Young”, “Human”, “All These Things That I’ve Done”, and “Mr Brightside”.

The band brought their iconic status to club football’s grandest stage, providing an unforgettable experience for the thousands in the stadium and the millions watching around the globe, uniting both football and music fans.

Since arriving on the world stage with their iconic 2004 debut album, Hot Fuss, The Killers have gone on to solidify their place as globally recognised rock icons of the 21st century. The band have sold over 35 million albums, including multiplatinum hits like ‘Mr. Brightside’, ‘When You Were Young’ and ‘Human’, and recently confirmed that they are working on their eighth studio album, with electrifying global performances also on the horizon.

Before kick-off, fans in-stadium and across global broadcast were surprised by Sir David Beckham appearing on screens asking fans: ‘ready to kick things off?’. As Beckham dropped a coin into a jukebox, setting a vinyl of The Killers in motion, the pitch was transformed into a neon lit spectacle, with bold visuals and choreography inspired by the band’s Las Vegas roots.

With a longstanding heritage in sport and music, Pepsi has presented the UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show since 2016, each year merging the worlds of football and music together to create a night of epic entertainment. The event encapsulates Pepsi’s multi-year global platform, Pepsi Football Nation, which celebrates football culture on and off the pitch, bringing fans across the globe closer to moments beyond the 90 minutes.

THE KILLERS headline the UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show presented by Pepsi at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, via Getty Images.

CHENGDU, China, May 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (the “Company”, 6990.HK) announced today that at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago, the results of the Phase III clinical study OptiTROP-Lung05, evaluating the company’s TROP2 ADC sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT, also known as SKB264/MK-2870)(佳泰莱^®) in combination with pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA^®[1], MSD’s anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibody) as first-line treatment for Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1) Tumor Proportion Score (TPS)≥1% non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), was presented as an oral presentation by Professor Caicun Zhou from Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University (Abstract #8506, Lung Cancer – Metastatic Non-Small Cell).

Sac-TMT is designed with a unique, bifunctional linker and differentiated belotecan-derivative payload. The linker is conjugated via cysteine, which maximizes payload delivery to tumor cells both through its irreversible connection with the high-affinity and targeting anti-TROP2 monoclonal antibody sacituzumab and its pH-sensitive cleavage from a moderately toxic novel topoisomerase I inhibitor payload in the lysosome, with a drug-to-antibody-ratio (DAR) of 7.4.

In the OptiTROP-Lung05 study, a total of 413 patients were randomized (1:1) to receive either sac-TMT in combination with pembrolizumab or pembrolizumab monotherapy.

As of the data cutoff date (September 29, 2025), with a median follow‑up of 10.5 months, the study demonstrated that:

• Progression-free survival (PFS) showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful benefit in sac-TMT plus pembrolizumab compared with pembrolizumab alone. The median PFS assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR) was not reached (NR) vs 5.7 months (HR=0.35; 95% CI: 0.26-0.47; p<0.0001). The 12-month PFS rate was 62.4% vs 29.0%.

• Consistent benefit across prespecified subgroups: In patients with PD‑L1 TPS ≥50% and TPS 1–49%, the PFS HRs were 0.47 (95% CI: 0.29–0.77) and 0.28 (95% CI: 0.19–0.41), respectively. In patients with non‑squamous and squamous NSCLC, the PFS HRs were 0.28 (95% CI: 0.18–0.43) and 0.44 (95% CI: 0.29–0.66), respectively.

• Overall survival (OS) was not yet mature but showed a positive trend: median OS was NR vs 14.5 months (HR = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.36–0.85). The 12‑month OS rate was 80.4% vs 68.9%.

• The combination group showed improvements over pembrolizumab monotherapy group in objective response rate (ORR) (70.2% vs 42.0%), deep response rate (49.0% vs 25.9%), and 12-month duration of response rate (77.7% vs 59.4%).

The incidence of grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) was higher in the combination group, primarily driven by the expected hematologic adverse events of sac-TMT. Incidence of discontinuation of pembrolizumab due to TEAEs was similar in both groups. No sac-TMT-related deaths occurred. Adverse events of special interest (AEOSIs) were consistent with the known safety profiles of each individual agent, and no new safety signals were identified.

The interim analysis results show that sac-TMT plus pembrolizumab significantly prolonged PFS and reduced the risk of disease progression or death compared with pembrolizumab alone, with consistent PFS benefits observed across all prespecified subgroups (including PD‑L1 expression levels and histological subtypes). A positive trend in OS was also observed. Furthermore, the overall safety profile of sac-TMT in combination with pembrolizumab was manageable, consistent with the established safety profiles of sac-TMT alone or pembrolizumab alone.

Notably, the findings of OptiTROP-Lung05 have been simultaneously published in The Lancet（Impact Factor=88.5）, indicating that its clinical and academic value has received dual recognition from a leading international academic conference and an authoritative journal.

Professor Caicun Zhou, the national leading principal investigator from Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University, said: “The positive results of the OptiTROP‑Lung05 study are encouraging. The study not only supports the application of sac‑TMT in an earlier-line setting for lung cancer, but also provides evidence of the ‘ADC+IO’ synergistic strategy being evaluated in the first-line setting for PD‑L1‑positive advanced NSCLC, potentially bringing a new option to a broad population of patients with lung cancer.”

About sac-TMT(佳泰莱^®)

Sac-TMT, a core product of the Company, is a novel human TROP2 ADC in which the Company has proprietary intellectual property rights, targeting advanced solid tumors such as NSCLC, breast cancer (BC), gastric cancer (GC), gynecological tumors and genitourinary tumors, among others. Sac-TMT is developed with a unique, bifunctional linker that maximizes payload delivery to tumor cells both through its irreversible connection with the anti-TROP2 monoclonal antibody sacituzumab and its pH-sensitive cleavage from a belotecan-derivative topoisomerase I inhibitor payload in the lysosome, with a drug-to-antibody-ratio (DAR) of 7.4. Sac-TMT specifically recognizes TROP2 on the surface of tumor cells by recombinant anti-TROP2 humanized monoclonal antibodies, which is then endocytosed by tumor cells and releases the payload KL610023 intracellularly. KL610023, as a topoisomerase I inhibitor, induces DNA damage to tumor cells, which in turn leads to cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. In addition, it also releases KL610023 in the tumor microenvironment. Given that KL610023 is membrane permeable, it can enable a bystander effect, or in other words kill adjacent tumor cells.

In May 2022, the Company licensed the exclusive rights to MSD (the tradename of Merck & Co., Inc, Rahway, NJ, USA) to develop, use, manufacture and commercialize sac-TMT in all territories outside of Greater China (which includes Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan).

To date, four indications for sac-TMT have been approved and marketed in China for: 1) unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple‑negative breast cancer (TNBC) who have received at least two prior systemic therapies (at least one of them for advanced or metastatic setting); 2) EGFR mutant-positive locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous NSCLC following progression on epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) therapy and platinum-based chemotherapy; 3) epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutant-positive locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous NSCLC who progressed after treatment with EGFR-TKI therapy; 4) unresectable or metastatic hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) (Immunohistochemistry (IHC) 0, IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/In Situ Hybridization (ISH)-) BC who have received prior endocrine therapy and at least one line of chemotherapy in advanced setting. The first two indications above have been included in China’s National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL). This inclusion is expected to bring clinically meaningful benefits to a greater number of patients with BC and NSCLC. Additionally, sac-TMT has been granted six Breakthrough Therapy Designations (BTDs) by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).

Sac-TMT is the world’s first TROP2 ADC drug approved for marketing in lung cancer. A new indication application for sac-TMT in combination with pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA^®) as first‑line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who have PD-L1 TPS≥1% and are EGFR-negative and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-negative has been accepted for review by the NMPA, and has entered the priority review and approval process. As of today, Kelun-Biotech has initiated 9 registrational clinical studies in China. MSD is evaluating 17 ongoing global Phase III clinical studies of sac-TMT as a monotherapy or in combination with pembrolizumab or other anti-cancer agents for several types of cancer. These studies are sponsored and led by MSD.

About Kelun-Biotech

Kelun-Biotech (6990.HK) is a holding subsidiary of Kelun Pharmaceutical, which focuses on the R&D, manufacturing, commercialization and global collaboration of innovative biological drugs and small molecule drugs. Kelun-Biotech focuses on major disease areas such as solid tumors, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases, and in establishing a globalized drug development and industrialization platform to address the unmet medical needs in China and the rest of world. Kelun-Biotech is committed to becoming a leading global enterprise in the field of innovative drugs. At present, Kelun-Biotech has more than 30 ongoing key innovative drug projects, of which 4 projects with 8 indications have been approved for marketing, 1 project is in the NDA stage and more than 10 projects are in the clinical stage. Kelun-Biotech has established one of the world’s leading proprietary ADC and novel DC platforms, OptiDC™, and has 2 ADC projects with 5 indications approved for marketing, and multiple ADC and novel DC assets in clinical or preclinical research stage. For more information, please visit https://en.kelun-biotech.com/.

CHENGDU, China, May 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (the “Company”, 6990.HK) announced that at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting held in Chicago, USA, results from the pivotal Phase II study of the Company’s next-generation selective RET inhibitor, lunbotinib fumarate (A400/EP0031, 宁泰莱^®[1]), in advanced rearranged during transfection (RET) fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were presented as an oral report by Professor Qing Zhou from Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Abstract #8505, Lung Cancer—Metastatic Non-Small Cell). Based on these results, a New Drug Application (NDA) for lunbotinib fumarate for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic RET fusion-positive NSCLC has been accepted by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China.

The study enrolled 71 patients who had previously received platinum-based chemotherapy and immunotherapy (pre-treated patients) and 92 patients who had not received prior systemic therapy (treatment-naïve patients). As of the data cutoff date of October 29, 2025, the median follow-up was 22.6 months and 20.7 months, respectively.

The confirmed objective response rate (ORR) assessed by Independent Review Committee (IRC) was 81.3% (95% CI: 71.8–88.7) in treatment-naïve patients and 87.1% (95% CI: 77.0–93.9) in pre-treated patients.

In treatment-naïve patients, median duration of response (mDOR) and median progression-free survival (mPFS) were not reached. In pre-treated patients, mDOR was 25.7 months, and mPFS was 27.5 months.

Among 40 patients with central nervous system (CNS) metastases at baseline (assessed by IRC per response assessment in neuro-oncology brain metastases (RANO-BM) criteria), the intracranial complete response (CR) rate was 30%, and the disease control rate (DCR) was 92.5% (95% CI: 79.6–98.4).

Lunbotinib fumarate was well tolerated, with treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) being predominantly Grade 1–2. The rate of permanent discontinuation due to TRAEs was 1.2%, and no treatment-related deaths were reported.

The study shows that lunbotinib fumarate demonstrated robust and durable clinical activity in RET fusion-positive NSCLC, regardless of line of therapy, in a largely poor-prognostic patient population. Favorable CNS efficacy was observed in patients with measurable baseline CNS metastases. The safety profile was manageable, with no unexpected safety signals.

Professor Qing Zhou, principal investigator from Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, said: “From the first presentation of Phase I data at ASCO 2023 to today’s pivotal Phase II results, we have witnessed the progression of lunbotinib fumarate from early exploration to a confirmatory study. These data show that lunbotinib fumarate delivers robust and durable responses in both treatment-naïve and pre-treated patients with RET fusion-positive NSCLC, with particularly remarkable intracranial efficacy in patients with CNS metastases at baseline. As a next-generation selective RET inhibitor, it will offer an important new treatment option for patients.”

About lunbotinib fumarate (A400/EP0031, 宁泰莱^®)

Lunbotinib fumarate is a novel, next-generation selective RET inhibitor for NSCLC, medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and other solid tumors with a high prevalence of RET alterations. The NDA of lunbotinib fumarate has been accepted for review by the NMPA of China for the treatment of adult patients with RET-fusion positive locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. The Company is also conducting a Phase Ib/II clinical study in China for the treatment of RET-positive solid tumors.

In March 2021, the Company granted Ellipses Pharma Limited, a U.K.-based international oncology drug development company, an exclusive license to develop, manufacture and commercialize this agent outside Greater China and certain Asian countries. In April 2024, lunbotinib fumarate was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to progress into a Phase II clinical trial (NCT05443126) which is currently recruiting in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe and United Arab Emirates, where it is being evaluated as a monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy in RET fusion positive advanced NSCLC.

About Kelun-Biotech

Kelun-Biotech (6990.HK) is a holding subsidiary of Kelun Pharmaceutical, which focuses on the R&D, manufacturing, commercialization and global collaboration of innovative biological drugs and small molecule drugs. Kelun-Biotech focuses on major disease areas such as solid tumors, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases, and in establishing a globalized drug development and industrialization platform to address the unmet medical needs in China and the rest of world. Kelun-Biotech is committed to becoming a leading global enterprise in the field of innovative drugs. At present, Kelun-Biotech has more than 30 ongoing key innovative drug projects, of which 4 projects with 8 indications have been approved for marketing, 1 project is in the NDA stage and more than 10 projects are in the clinical stage. Kelun-Biotech has established one of the world’s leading proprietary ADC and novel DC platforms, OptiDC™, and has 2 ADC projects with 5 indications approved for marketing, and multiple ADC and novel DC assets in clinical or preclinical research stage. For more information, please visit https://en.kelun-biotech.com/.