- Preliminary data presented at the AACR-NCI-EORTC conference will provide insights into the potential of ZW191 in patients with advanced solid tumors, including ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer.
- Data from the Phase 1 trial of ZW191 provide readthrough to Zymeworks’ broader ADC portfolio utilizing its novel bystander active topoisomerase-1 inhibitor payload, ZD06519.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zymeworks Inc. (Nasdaq: ZYME), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a diverse pipeline of novel, multifunctional biotherapeutics to improve the standard of care for difficult-to-treat diseases, including cancer, inflammation, and autoimmune disease, today announced the acceptance of a poster presentation discussing preliminary results from a Phase 1 study evaluating ZW191, an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting folate receptor-⍺ (FR⍺), at the AACR-NCI-EORTC Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, being held October 22-26, 2025, in Boston, MA.
“We are excited to share early clinical data from Part 1 of our first-in-human, Phase 1 trial of ZW191 in patients with advanced solid tumors,” said Sabeen Mekan, MD, Senior Vice President of Clinical Development of Zymeworks. “These initial results reinforce our confidence in our novel ADC design and its potential to deliver improved treatments for broader patient populations. ZW191 is the lead product candidate from our broad ADC portfolio utilizing our proprietary payload, ZD06519, and targets FRα, a protein expressed in several difficult-to-treat cancers, underscoring our commitment to developing differentiated therapies for patients who urgently need better treatment options.”
Presentation Details
Title: Preliminary results from a phase 1 first-in-human multicenter open-label study of ZW191, a folate receptor α-targeting antibody-drug conjugate, in patients with advanced solid tumors
Session: Poster Session A
Date/Time: Thursday, October 23, 2025 at 12:30-4:00 pm Eastern Time (ET)
Investor & Analyst Call
A live webcast will be held with lead author Patricia LoRusso, DO, PhD (hc), FAACR and Zymeworks senior management on October 23, 2025 at 3:30 pm ET to discuss the data presented. Dial-in details and webcast replay are available on Zymeworks’ website at https://ir.zymeworks.com/events-and-presentations.
About ZW191
ZW191 is an ADC engineered to target a protein called folate receptor-⍺ found in ~75% of high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas1 and ~70% of lung adenocarcinomas2. ZW191’s differentiated design strongly supports its ability to internalize into FR⍺-expressing cells with the potential to release bystander active topoisomerase-1 inhibitor (ZD06519), a novel proprietary payload developed by Zymeworks to kill tumor cells.
About Zymeworks Inc.
Zymeworks is a global clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel, multifunctional biotherapeutics. Zymeworks’ mission is to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people impacted by difficult-to-treat conditions such as cancer, inflammation, and autoimmune disease. The Company’s complementary therapeutic platforms and fully integrated drug development engine provide the flexibility and compatibility to precisely engineer and develop highly differentiated antibody-based therapeutic candidates. Zymeworks engineered and developed zanidatamab, a HER2-targeted bispecific antibody using the Company’s proprietary Azymetric™ technology. Zymeworks has entered into separate agreements with BeOne Medicines Ltd. (formerly BeiGene, Ltd.) and Jazz Pharmaceuticals Ireland Limited, granting each exclusive rights to develop and commercialize zanidatamab in different territories. Zanidatamab has received accelerated approval from the U.S. FDA, conditional approval from the NMPA in China, and conditional marketing authorization from the European Commission for the treatment of adults with previously treated, unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive (IHC 3+) biliary tract cancer. It is the first and only dual HER2-targeted bispecific antibody approved for this indication in the U.S., Europe, and China. Zanidatamab is also being evaluated in multiple global clinical trials as a potential best-in-class treatment for patients with multiple HER2-expressing cancers. Zymeworks is rapidly advancing a robust pipeline of wholly-owned product candidates, leveraging its expertise in both antibody drug conjugates and multispecific antibody therapeutics targeting novel pathways in areas of significant unmet medical need. A Phase 1 study for ZW191 is actively recruiting and ZW251 is expected to enter clinical trials in 2025. In addition to Zymeworks’ pipeline, its therapeutic platforms have been further leveraged through strategic partnerships with global biopharmaceutical companies. For information about Zymeworks, visit www.zymeworks.com and follow @ZymeworksInc on X.
