LigaChem Biosciences announced that its HER2 ADC, IKS014 (LCB14), which was technology-transferred to Iksuda Therapeutics, won the top prize in the “Most Promising ADC to Watch” category at the 12th Annual World ADC Awards in San Diego, Calif., on Wednesday (local time).

The company also received the Excellence Award for Best ADC Platform Technology, marking the first award for a clinical drug using LigaChem’s ADC platform.

The Most Promising ADC to Watch category at the ADC Awards highlights clinical candidates in early-stage development. Winners must have had phase 1 trial data disclosed. This year, two of the five finalists used LigaChem’s ADC platform technology.

Candidates included LigaChem Bio’s HER2 ADC IKS014 and ROR1 ADC CS5001 (LCB71). Pfizer's PD-L1 ADC Fetrastobart vedotin and Mersana Therapeutics' B7-H4 ADC Emiltatug ledadotin also competed. IKS014, the HER2 ADC by LigaChem, won the top award after a panel of global ADC experts voted.

At ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology) 2025, IKS014 showed superior efficacy and tolerability compared with other HER2 ADCs. It achieved a 75 percent objective response rate (ORR) in patients with breast cancer who were resistant or intolerant to Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan). LigaChem Bio’s Chinese partner, Fosun Pharma, is conducting a phase 3 trial for breast cancer in China.

LigaChem also received the Excellence Award in the Best ADC Platform Technology category, continuing its record of winning for seven consecutive years. The top prize in this category went to Daiichi Sankyo's DXd ADC Technology, the only platform among the nominees applied to globally commercialized ADCs. GlycoConnect from Synaffix, a Lonza subsidiary, and SMARTag from Catalent were also nominated.

A session introducing LigaChem’s ADC platform, ConjuAll, was held during the World ADC Summit at the same venue, providing another chance to showcase the company’s technological strengths to the global ADC industry. LigaChem has been selected for the Best ADC Platform Technology category for seven consecutive years and has developed one of the most promising ADC pipelines.

Sessions were held with LigaChem’s technology transfer partners, SOTIO and Iksuda, which introduced the distinct features and development plans for their clinical-stage candidates, SOT106 and IKS04, both using LigaChem’s linker platform.

“This is the first time a HER2 ADC made by LigaChem Biosciences has been selected as the most promising ADC. It shows external recognition of its potential as ‘Best-in-Class’ following Enhertu. Based on current clinical results, we expect this to add value in ongoing technology transfer negotiations,” said Chae Je-wook, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Business Development at LigaChem Biosciences.

Being chosen as the top ADC platform technology for the seventh time will boost LigaChem’s potential for technology transfer and value enhancement, Chae added.