Adagene and ConjugateBio Partner to Develop Novel Antibody Drug Conjugate

Rhea-AI Summary

Adagene (Nasdaq: ADAG) has partnered with ConjugateBio to develop novel bispecific Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs). Under the agreement, Adagene will provide a proprietary antibody for ConjugateBio's ADC development programs, receiving an undisclosed upfront payment plus milestone and royalty payments while retaining all non-ADC rights.

The collaboration aims to leverage Adagene's antibody discovery capabilities and ConjugateBio's ADC development expertise in a market expected to reach over $30 billion by 2030. The partnership builds on Adagene's track record with ADG126, demonstrating their ability to create safe and efficacious molecules.

Positive

• Partnership targets ADC market projected to reach over $30 billion by 2030
• Company will receive upfront payment plus milestone and royalty payments
• Adagene retains all non-ADC rights to the partnered antibody
• Leverages existing success with ADG126 platform

Negative

• Financial terms and upfront payment amount not disclosed

Adagene to provide proprietary antibody to ConjugateBio for development as novel bispecific ADCs

SAN DIEGO and SUZHOU, China and PRINCETON, N.J., July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adagene Inc. (“Adagene”) (Nasdaq: ADAG), a company transforming the discovery and development of novel antibody-based therapies, today announced a partnership with ConjugateBio Inc. (ConjugateBio) to provide a proprietary antibody for use in partner companies’ bispecific ADC development programs.

“We have been very impressed with ConjugateBio’s ability to streamline ADC development, and we are pleased to provide an internally developed antibody for this purpose. By combining this antibody with various payloads, ConjugateBio is advancing the ADC landscape, which is expected to reach over $30 billion in market size by 2030,” said Peter Luo, Ph.D., CEO and President of R&D at Adagene.

Kum Yoo, Co-founder and CEO of ConjugateBio added, “Adagene’s exemplary and differentiated antibody discovery capabilities give us confidence that in our hands, we can develop novel, potent and safe antibody drug conjugates. Based on what we’ve seen with ADG126, Adagene excels in pushing the boundaries of what is possible when it comes to creating safe, well tolerated and efficacious molecules.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Adagene will receive an undisclosed upfront payment, as well as milestone and royalty payments. Adagene retains all non-ADC rights to this partnered antibody.

About Adagene
Adagene Inc. (Nasdaq: ADAG) is a platform-driven, clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to transforming the discovery and development of novel antibody-based cancer immunotherapies. Adagene combines computational biology and artificial intelligence to design novel antibodies that address globally unmet patient needs. The company has forged strategic collaborations with reputable global partners that leverage its SAFEbody precision masking technology in multiple approaches at the vanguard of science.

Powered by its proprietary Dynamic Precision Library (DPL) platform, composed of NEObody™, SAFEbody, and POWERbody™ technologies, Adagene’s highly differentiated pipeline features novel immunotherapy programs. The company’s SAFEbody technology is designed to address safety and tolerability challenges associated with many antibody therapeutics by using precision masking technology to shield the binding domain of the biologic therapy. Through activation in the tumor microenvironment, this allows for tumor-specific targeting of antibodies, while minimizing on-target off-tumor toxicity in healthy tissues.

Adagene’s lead clinical program, ADG126 (muzastotug), is a masked, anti-CTLA-4 SAFEbody that targets a unique epitope of CTLA-4 in regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the tumor microenvironment. ADG126 is currently in phase 1b/2 clinical studies in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy, particularly focused on Metastatic Microsatellite-stable (MSS) Colorectal Cancer (CRC). Validated by ongoing clinical research, the SAFEbody platform can be applied to a wide variety of antibody-based therapeutic modalities, including Fc empowered antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and bi/multispecific T-cell engagers.

For more information, please visit: https://investor.adagene.com.
Follow Adagene on WeChat, LinkedIn and X.

SAFEbody® is a registered trademark in the United States, China, Australia, Japan, Singapore, and the European Union.

About ConjugateBio
ConjugateBio is a privately held, venture-backed biotechnology company based in Princeton, NJ, focused on developing first-in-class bispecific antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) against solid tumors. The company is building a pipeline of innovative therapeutics targeting cancers across a broad spectrum of indications leveraging third generation linker-payloads with potential best-in-class profile.

Investor Contacts:

Raymond Tam
raymond_tam@adagene.com

Corey Davis
LifeSci Advisors
cdavis@lifesciadvisors.com 

ConjugateBio Contact:

Kum Yoo, MD
Kum.yoo@conjugatebio.com

FAQ

What is the partnership between Adagene (ADAG) and ConjugateBio?

Adagene will provide a proprietary antibody to ConjugateBio for development of novel bispecific Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs), receiving upfront, milestone, and royalty payments while retaining non-ADC rights.

What is the market potential for ADCs according to Adagene (ADAG)?

The ADC market is expected to reach over $30 billion in market size by 2030.

What rights does Adagene (ADAG) retain in the ConjugateBio partnership?

Adagene retains all non-ADC rights to the partnered antibody.

What are the financial terms of Adagene's (ADAG) partnership with ConjugateBio?

The partnership includes an undisclosed upfront payment, plus milestone and royalty payments to Adagene.

Why did ConjugateBio choose to partner with Adagene (ADAG)?

ConjugateBio was impressed with Adagene's exemplary and differentiated antibody discovery capabilities, particularly their success with ADG126 in creating safe, well-tolerated, and efficacious molecules.