16 September 2026: Escugen and Sovran expand collaboration to co-develop a novel bispecific ADC
Escugen and Sovran Bio have entered into an agreement to co-develop a first-in-class, pan-tumor bispecific ADC, combining Sovran’s tumor-targeting strategy with Escugen’s proprietary EZWi-Fit ADC technology platform
The collaboration follows approximately one year of joint efforts to define the optimal target-engagement characteristics for the bispecific ADC, with the novel target combination designed to preferentially bind tumor cells while sparing normal tissues
The program is intended to address the challenge of developing broad-spectrum ADCs that can achieve tumor-selective targeting across multiple cancer types while limiting damage to healthy tissues, particularly where tumor heterogeneity and target expression can restrict conventional single-target approaches
The bispecific ADC will leverage Escugen’s EZWi-Fit platform, which uses stable-cleavable linkers and a Topo I inhibitor payload; the resulting molecule is designed to integrate three mechanisms of action within a single drug and selectively deliver proprietary payloads across tumors
Strategically, the agreement expands Escugen’s bispecific ADC pipeline and validates its EZWi-Fit platform in a new pan-tumor application, while adding to its growing portfolio of bispecific ADC programs and external platform partnerships