[Newsmaker] ABL Bio begins clinical trial of anticancer drug candidate

South Korean biotech firm ABL Bio said Thursday that it has begun the phase 1 clinical trial of anticancer drug candidate ABL501.

ABL501 is an antibody that uses the Grabody-I platform technology to block both the PD-L1 and LAG-3 checkpoint pathways, improving the current limitation in PD-L1 therapies.

ABL Bio said the company has administered the drug candidate to the first patient with a solid tumor at Samsung Medical Center in Seoul.

An official from ABL Bio said the phase 1 clinical trial started earlier than planned. The company expects to accelerate development of the drug candidate, the official added.

The biotech company’s phase 1 clinical study involves a total of 36 patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Asan Medical Center and Severance Hospital.

The phase 1 clinical study will test safety, tolerability, preliminary efficacy and maximum tolerated dose in patients, according to the company.

In August, ABL Bio’s Investigational New Drug application for ABL501 was approved by South Korea‘s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

The company plans to commence a clinical trial of ABL501 in China by the end of this year, together with its partner firm I-Mab Biopharma.

By Shim Woo-hyun (ws@heraldcorp.com)