Antengene Enters into Collaboration with Junshi Biosciences to Evaluate ATG-037 and JS207 in Solid Tumours
Thursday, February 26, 2026
Antengene has entered into a clinical collaboration with Shanghai Junshi Biosciences to assess the combination of ATG-037 and JS207 in patients with solid tumours in Mainland China.
ATG-037 is an orally administered small-molecule CD73 inhibitor. Preclinical studies suggest it offers stronger inhibition of CD73 enzymatic activity on the cell surface compared with antibody-based approaches and may overcome the ‘hook effect’ seen with some monoclonal antibodies. Its higher tissue penetration may also support more complete CD73 inhibition at the cellular level.
ATG-037 has shown a favourable safety and tolerability profile in combination treatment. Grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events were reported in 7.9% of patients, with no new safety concerns identified. Durable responses have also been observed, including a complete response lasting more than three years in one patient who later continued on ATG-037 monotherapy.
JS207 is a recombinant humanised anti-PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody developed by Junshi Biosciences. Preclinical data indicate strong anti-tumour activity across several tumour models. In clinical evaluation, JS207 monotherapy demonstrated promising results. Activity has also been observed in hepatocellular carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma.
JS207 is currently being studied in 11 ongoing Phase II trials, both as monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy, monoclonal antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates across a range of tumour types. Nearly 500 patients have been enrolled to date. In addition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared an investigational new drug application to support a Phase II/III trial comparing JS207 with nivolumab as neoadjuvant treatment for patients with resectable, genomic aberration-negative stage II/III NSCLC.
The agreement will explore the potential synergy between Antengene’s oral CD73 inhibitor and Junshi’s PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody across multiple tumour types.
The collaboration follows encouraging Phase I data for ATG-037, particularly in patients whose disease had become resistant to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Resistance to checkpoint therapies remains a significant clinical challenge, and the new study aims to address this by combining CD73 inhibition with dual PD-1 and VEGF targeting. The approach is designed to influence immune checkpoint signalling, angiogenesis and adenosine-mediated immune suppression through a so-called “triple-axis” strategy.
By combining ATG-037 with JS207, the partners aim to deepen and extend clinical responses while maintaining a manageable safety profile.
Source: antengene.com
