On October 14, 2026, the 17th World ADC San Diego conference, currently taking place in San Diego, USA, announced this year's World ADC Awards. Iza-bren (lunvenlatug vedotin; Yizekang®, BL-B01D1), a first-in-class, new-concept bispecific antibody–drug conjugate (ADC) independently developed by Sichuan Biokin Pharmaceutical and currently the world's first and only approved EGFR×HER3 bispecific ADC, was named Best ADC Clinical Impact Winner.This marks the first time since the World ADC Awards were established in 2014 that a bispecific ADC has received the top honor in the Best ADC Clinical Impact category. Sichuan Biokin’s wholly owned overseas subsidiary, SystImmune Inc., and its global partner, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), jointly received this prestigious award.
2026 BEST ADC CLINICAL IMPACT
The World ADC conference is the world’s largest and longest-running specialist conference dedicated to antibody–drug conjugates. Established in 2014, the World ADC Awards are widely regarded as the “Oscars of the ADC field” and serve as an important barometer of industry trends in oncology ADC development. As one of the most prominent and respected annual awards in the ADC industry, the program recognizes companies, teams, and individuals who have made outstanding contributions to ADC drug development, technology-platform innovation, clinical advancement, and commercialization.
From early-generation HER2-targeted conventional ADCs, to next-generation ADC platforms represented by topoisomerase I inhibitors and site-specific conjugation technologies, and more recently to breakthroughs by Chinese innovative pharmaceutical companies such as Sichuan Biokin on the international stage, the award’s history reflects the evolution of global priorities in ADC research and development.
The Best ADC Clinical Impact award considers ADCs in clinical development beyond Phase I, as well as ADCs newly approved for marketing within the preceding 12 months. Evaluation criteria include clinical data generated to date, the ability to address unmet medical needs, and commercial potential.
In 2023, iza-bren was shortlisted for the World ADC conference’s Most Promising ADC Candidate award. In 2026, it went on to win the Best ADC Clinical Impact award, marking its progression from a promising candidate to a therapy demonstrating clinical impact. The award recognizes the clinical value and development progress of iza-bren and represents further international industry recognition of bispecific ADCs as an innovative therapeutic approach.
Iza-bren is currently the world’s first and only approved EGFR×HER3 bispecific ADC. It has received approval for two indications: recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma and recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, ushering in a new era of bispecific ADC therapy in oncology.
In addition, the new drug application (NDA) for iza-bren in locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer has been accepted for review. Interim analyses of studies evaluating the drug in two further indications—locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer and HR+/HER2− breast cancer—have met their primary endpoints.
At the upcoming 2026 Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), four studies of iza-bren have been selected for presentation. Two Phase III clinical studies have been selected for the congress’s prestigious Late-Breaking Abstract (LBA) category and will be presented in Proffered Paper Sessions.
About Iza-bren
Iza-bren (Yizekang®, BL-B01D1) is a first-in-class, new-concept EGFR×HER3 bispecific ADC independently developed by Sichuan Biokin Pharmaceutical and is currently the world’s first and only approved drug of its kind.
In June 2026, China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) approved iza-bren for later-line treatment of recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In July 2026, it received a further approval for adult patients with recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
To date, more than 45 clinical trials of iza-bren covering multiple tumor types have been conducted in China and the United States, including 20 Phase III studies or Phase II/III studies. Based on encouraging early clinical data, iza-bren has received nine Breakthrough Therapy Designations from China’s Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) and one Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
About Sichuan Biokin Pharmaceutical
Sichuan Biokin Pharmaceutical is a biopharmaceutical company focused on cutting-edge global biomedical innovation and addressing unmet clinical needs. It has globally competitive capabilities in innovative research and development, global clinical development, and large-scale manufacturing and supply in the field of large-molecule oncology therapeutics, including ADCs, GNCs, and ARCs. The company is progressively developing into an integrated biopharmaceutical enterprise with global commercialization capabilities.
Guided by its strategic positioning of “rooted in China, expanding globally, focused on cancer treatment, and aspiring to become a multinational corporation (MNC),” Sichuan Biokin aims to become a global leader in oncology and build a leading multinational pharmaceutical company in cancer treatment.
Disclaimer
This article is intended to disclose information regarding Sichuan Biokin’s drugs approved for marketing by China’s National Medical Products Administration and investigational drugs in clinical development, including indications that have not yet been approved, as well as related commercialization progress. The information is intended solely for professional exchange among healthcare professionals. It does not constitute drug advertising or product promotional material, nor does it constitute investment advice.
For marketed drugs discussed in this article, safety and efficacy may be affected by individual patient differences, concomitant medications, disease progression, and other factors. All prescribing and professional information exchange must follow the approved prescribing information, including the authorized indications, dosage and administration, and contraindications. The company does not recommend any off-label use.
For investigational drugs and indications mentioned in this article that have not been approved for marketing by China’s National Medical Products Administration, safety and efficacy remain to be further established. Their inclusion does not constitute a company recommendation or imply regulatory approval. Such products and indications must not be used for clinical diagnosis or treatment. All clinical decisions must be made independently by qualified healthcare professionals in strict accordance with applicable clinical guidelines, approved prescribing information, the latest clinical evidence, and individual patient circumstances.
Members of the general public seeking information about products, medical care, or diseases should consult qualified healthcare professionals and should not use this article as a basis for self-diagnosis, purchasing medicines, or initiating treatment. If discomfort or a suspected adverse reaction occurs after medication use, seek medical attention immediately and report the event as required to the marketing authorization holder, distributor, or healthcare institution.
This article may contain forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties related to biopharmaceutical policies, market competition, research and development, and commercialization. The timing and scope of potential approvals for investigational drugs and unapproved indications remain uncertain, and actual outcomes may differ from the statements made. Investors should exercise caution and refer to the company’s legally disclosed announcements for authoritative information.
