LigasChem BioSciences said its next-generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) LCB43, being developed as a treatment for multiple myeloma, showed higher antitumor activity than existing treatments and favorable tolerability in preclinical studies.
LigasChem Bio said its U.S. subsidiary, AntibodyChem Biosciences (ACB), presented preclinical research results for the BCMA (B-cell maturation antigen)-targeted ADC in a poster presentation at the 23rd International Myeloma Society (IMS 2026) meeting, held Sept. 23-26 in Glasgow, U.K.
BCMA is a protein highly expressed on multiple myeloma cells and is used as a key therapeutic target because it can be used to selectively attack cancer cells. ADCs are treatments that attach potent anticancer drugs to antibodies that seek out cancer cells, delivering the drugs directly to the cancer cells.
LigasChem Bio is developing LCB43 to reduce ocular toxicity, a key limitation of existing BCMA-targeted ADCs. The company has applied its proprietary beta-glucuronide-cleavable linker and ConjuALL technology, which enables drugs to be attached at a desired site.
The study compared LCB43 with ADCs carrying different anticancer payloads. LCB43 uses MMAF, which interferes with cell division, while separate candidates carrying proPBD, which damages DNA, and a topoisomerase 1 inhibitor (TOP1i) were also evaluated.
In animal studies, LCB43 showed greater antitumor activity than a Blenrep biosimilar when the same amount of payload was administered. In nonhuman primate toxicity studies, both LCB43 and the TOP1i-based ADC showed favorable tolerability.
LigasChem Bio expects to establish differentiated development strategies depending on patient populations and treatment stages, as the three payloads have different mechanisms of action and toxicity profiles.
LCB43 was first disclosed under the name LCB14-2524 in preclinical results presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR 2026) in April.
The company has since renamed the candidate LCB43 and is preparing to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application. It plans to file the IND this year and begin global clinical development of its proprietary ADC pipeline in earnest.
Chae Je-wook, head of research and development at LigasChem Bio and head of ACB, said, “Although Blenrep has demonstrated the therapeutic value of BCMA ADCs, ocular toxicity remains a challenge, resulting in frequent dose adjustments and the burden of regular ophthalmic examinations.”
He added, “LCB43 was designed to address these limitations based on a clinically validated linker-payload platform, and we will proceed with the IND submission this year without delay to enter global clinical development as quickly as possible.”
