Korean biopharmaceutical and medical AI companies are heading to this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting with a broader lineup of clinical and biomarker data, as local drug developers seek to strengthen their presence in the global oncology market with presentations spread across a wide range of companies.
Korean oncology firms will present clinical and AI biomarker data across multiple cancer types at ASCO 2026 in Chicago from May 29 to June 2 (Captured from ASCO homepage)
ASCO 2026 will be held in Chicago from May 29 to June 2, bringing together oncologists, drug developers, investors, and business development executives from around the world. This year, Korean companies are expected to present data across immuno-oncology, targeted therapies, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, rare blood cancers and AI-powered precision oncology.
The lineup reflects a gradual shift in Korea’s oncology sector from early research presentations toward later-stage clinical data, combination strategies and biomarker-guided development. While investor sentiment toward biotech remains weaker than in previous years, industry officials expect ASCO to serve as an important venue for Korean companies seeking global partnerships and later-stage development momentum.
TiumBio will present updated interim phase 2 data for TU2218 (tosposertib) in combination with Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer. Among 26 evaluable patients, the combination showed an overall response rate (ORR) of 58 percent and a disease control rate of 77 percent. Among 12 first-line patients, nine responded to treatment, including one complete response, resulting in a response rate of 75 percent. The company said it plans to share additional progression-free survival and overall survival (OS) data during the poster session.
HLB and its U.S. subsidiary Elevar Therapeutics will use ASCO to discuss rivoceranib and camrelizumab in liver cancer, as well as lirafugratinib in FGFR2 fusion or rearrangement-positive cancers. A global phase 3 study of rivoceranib and camrelizumab plus transarterial chemoembolization, or TACE, in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma was selected for an oral presentation. The study showed median progression-free survival of 11.1 months for the combination plus TACE, compared with 8.3 months for TACE alone. HLB will also present studies exploring rivoceranib across additional tumor types and treatment settings.
STCube will present data on nelmastobart, its BTN1A1-targeting immuno-oncology candidate, in metastatic colorectal cancer. The company is evaluating nelmastobart in combination with TAS-102, or trifluridine/tipiracil, and bevacizumab in third-line or later treatment settings with high BTN1A1 expression.
According to the abstract, about 65 percent of screened patients showed high BTN1A1 expression, exceeding the company’s earlier expectation of about 40 percent. STCube will also present spatial biology analysis exploring the relationship between BTN1A1 expression and the tumor microenvironment.
GI Innovation will give an oral presentation on GI-101A (efdelikofusp alfa) as monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab. In the phase 1/2 study, GI-101A monotherapy induced a complete response in a patient with immunotherapy-refractory bladder cancer and a partial response in a malignant mesothelioma patient.
In the pembrolizumab combination arm, antitumor activity was observed across multiple cancer types, including renal cell carcinoma, urothelial cancer, squamous non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and cervical cancer.
Onconic Therapeutics will disclose early clinical data for nesuparib in metastatic or advanced pancreatic cancer. In a phase 1b analysis, nesuparib combined with GemAbraxane showed an objective response rate of 53.8 percent and disease control rate of 92.3 percent, including complete disappearance of one target lesion.
The company also reported median OS of 14.2 months in the GemAbraxane combination group, while median progression-free survival had not been reached at the time of analysis. In the modified FOLFIRINOX combination group, nesuparib showed an objective response rate of 38.5 percent and disease control rate of 92.3 percent.
DXVX said Oxford Vacmedix, a U.K. biotech company in which it is the largest shareholder, will present phase 1b dose-expansion data for OVM-200, a recombinant overlapping peptide-based cancer immunotherapy.
The study evaluated OVM-200 in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer and prostate cancer. The company said the candidate showed favorable tolerability and immune responses, with early signs of clinical activity including stable disease in non-small cell lung cancer and prostate-specific antigen responses in prostate cancer.
Lunit will present five studies using its AI biomarker platform, Lunit SCOPE, across biliary tract cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, adenoid cystic carcinoma, microsatellite-stable metastatic colorectal cancer and advanced gastric cancer.
One study, selected as a rapid oral presentation, evaluates AI-based HER2 and tumor microenvironment analysis in HER2-positive advanced biliary tract cancer. Lunit said the data show how AI-powered biomarker analysis can help identify patients more likely to benefit from targeted and immuno-oncology combination therapies.
ViGenCell is also expected to highlight its cell therapy research at ASCO, with phase 2 data for VT-EBV-N in EBV-positive extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma selected for an oral presentation. The company has said the study showed a statistically significant improvement in disease-free survival, supporting the potential of its antigen-specific T-cell therapy platform in a rare blood cancer with limited treatment options.
Lee Han-soo
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