Antengene Corporation Limited has announced that two clinical research abstracts have been accepted for poster presentation at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2026, where the biotechnology company will showcase updated clinical data for its investigational oncology therapies ATG-022, a Claudin 18.2 antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), and ATG-037, an oral CD73 inhibitor being evaluated in combination with pembrolizumab. The presentations will provide new insights into the company’s pipeline targeting gastric cancer and treatment-resistant melanoma.

Clinical-stage biotechnology company Antengene is set to present updated data from two oncology development programs at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2026, one of the world’s largest forums for cancer research and drug development.

The accepted abstracts feature findings from a Phase II trial of ATG-022, a Claudin 18.2-targeted antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) for advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers, and a Phase Ib/II study of ATG-037, an investigational oral CD73 inhibitor combined with Merck’s pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for patients with checkpoint inhibitor-resistant melanoma.

The presentations highlight Antengene’s continued investment in precision oncology and immunotherapy, two of the fastest-evolving areas in cancer drug development.

Advancing Targeted Therapy for Gastric Cancer

The first presentation will focus on ATG-022, an antibody-drug conjugate designed to target Claudin 18.2, a protein expressed in several gastrointestinal cancers, including gastric and gastroesophageal junction tumors.

Antibody-drug conjugates combine the targeting capabilities of monoclonal antibodies with highly potent cytotoxic agents, enabling selective delivery of cancer therapies to tumor cells while minimizing exposure to healthy tissues.

The Phase II CLINCH study is evaluating ATG-022 in patients with advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer, diseases that continue to present significant treatment challenges despite recent advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapy.

Updated results from the study will be presented during a poster session on October 25 at the IFEMA MADRID Convention Center.

Exploring Immunotherapy Combinations

Antengene will also present updated clinical data from the STAMINA-01 trial evaluating ATG-037, an investigational oral inhibitor targeting the CD73 pathway.

CD73 has emerged as an important immuno-oncology target because it contributes to the production of adenosine within the tumor microenvironment. Elevated adenosine levels can suppress immune responses, reducing the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapies.

By inhibiting CD73, researchers aim to restore anti-tumor immune activity and improve responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors such as pembrolizumab, one of the most widely used PD-1 inhibitors in oncology.

The updated analysis focuses on patients with checkpoint inhibitor-resistant melanoma, a population with limited treatment options following disease progression on prior immunotherapy.

Poster presentation of the STAMINA-01 findings is scheduled for October 24 during the ESMO Congress.

Why ESMO Matters

The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress is regarded as one of the premier scientific meetings for oncology research, alongside conferences hosted by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

Acceptance of clinical data at ESMO provides biotechnology companies with an opportunity to present emerging evidence to oncologists, researchers, pharmaceutical companies, regulators, and institutional investors.

While poster presentations do not constitute regulatory approvals, they often serve as important milestones for companies advancing experimental therapies through clinical development.

Competitive Landscape

Both Claudin 18.2-targeted therapies and CD73 inhibitors represent highly competitive areas of oncology research.

Several pharmaceutical companies, including AstraZeneca, Merck & Co., Bristol Myers Squibb, GSK, and Roche, continue investing in antibody-drug conjugates and next-generation immunotherapies targeting solid tumors.

Claudin 18.2 has attracted growing attention following recent regulatory approvals of targeted therapies for gastric cancer, while CD73 inhibition remains an active area of investigation aimed at overcoming resistance to checkpoint blockade.

Success in either therapeutic area could contribute to expanding treatment options for patients with cancers that remain difficult to treat using existing standards of care.

Broader Trends in Oncology Drug Development

The announcement reflects broader trends across the biotechnology industry, where drug developers are increasingly combining targeted therapies with immunotherapies to improve clinical outcomes.

According to Evaluate Pharma, antibody-drug conjugates have become one of the fastest-growing segments of oncology drug development, supported by advances in linker technologies and tumor-specific targeting. Meanwhile, IQVIA Institute reports sustained growth in global oncology research as pharmaceutical companies expand precision medicine programs across multiple tumor types.

Artificial intelligence is also playing a growing role in oncology research. Companies including Microsoft, Google, NVIDIA, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) continue supporting biotechnology organizations through AI-powered drug discovery, biomarker identification, clinical trial analytics, and computational biology platforms.

As precision medicine continues to evolve, targeted therapies such as ATG-022 and immunomodulatory agents like ATG-037 illustrate how biotechnology companies are exploring multiple approaches to improve outcomes for patients with difficult-to-treat cancers.

Market Landscape

The oncology therapeutics market continues to shift toward precision medicine, antibody-drug conjugates, and combination immunotherapies. ADCs have become one of the fastest-growing drug classes as biotechnology companies seek to improve targeted drug delivery while limiting systemic toxicity. At the same time, novel immune-modulating targets such as CD73 are being investigated to overcome resistance to checkpoint inhibitors. Clinical presentations at major scientific meetings such as ESMO increasingly influence partnership opportunities, investor interest, and future regulatory development pathways.

Top Insights

• Antengene will present updated clinical data for two investigational oncology therapies during poster sessions at the ESMO Congress 2026 in Madrid.
• The Phase II ATG-022 study evaluates a Claudin 18.2 antibody-drug conjugate for advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers.
• Updated STAMINA-01 results examine ATG-037 combined with pembrolizumab in patients with checkpoint inhibitor-resistant melanoma.
• The presentations highlight continued industry investment in precision oncology, antibody-drug conjugates, and next-generation immunotherapy combinations.
• ESMO remains one of the most influential scientific conferences for showcasing emerging cancer therapies and clinical research advancements.

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