The sNDA for Sacituzumab Tirumotecan (sac-TMT) in Combination with Pembrolizumab as First‑Line Treatment for PD-L1-positive NSCLC Accepted for Review by NMPA

CHENGDU, China, May 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (“Kelun-Biotech” or the “Company”) announced that the sNDA (the “Application”) for the Company’s TROP2 ADC sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT, also known as SKB264/MK-2870) (佳泰莱^®) was accepted for review by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China. The application is for sac-TMT in combination with MSD’s^[1] anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA^®[2]) as first‑line treatment for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥1% and are EGFR-negative and ALK-negative. This acceptance is based on the positive results from the OptiTROP-Lung05 registrational Phase III study, and the application is the fifth indication application for sac-TMT that has been accepted by the NMPA.

The OptiTROP-Lung05 is a randomized, open-label, multicenter, Phase III clinical study that evaluates the efficacy and safety profile of sac-TMT in combination with pembrolizumab versus pembrolizumab monotherapy as first-line treatment for PD-L1-positive locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. At a pre-specified interim analysis, the study has met its primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS) and demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement as concluded by the Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC). A positive trend in overall survival (OS) was also observed. Notably, the OptiTROP-Lung05 study is the first Phase III study of an immunotherapy and ADC combination to meet its primary endpoint in first-line NSCLC treatment. The study has been selected for an oral presentation at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting (Abstract number #8506, Lung Cancer –Non-Small Cell Metastatic).

Previously, sac-TMT in combination with intravenous and subcutaneous pembrolizumab for the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who have PD-L1 TPS≥1% and are EGFR-negative and ALK-negative was granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) by the NMPA. On April 9, 2026, the CDE’s official website announced that the Application has entered the priority review and approval process. This marks the fifth sac-TMT indication to enter the CDE’s priority review and approval process. Through this process, the review time will be significantly shortened, potentially expediting its approval pathways.

Dr. Michael Ge, CEO of Kelun-Biotech said, “We are delighted to see the acceptance of the fifth indication application for sac-TMT. Compared to immunotherapy alone, the ADC combination with KEYTRUDA^® as first-line treatment for PD-L1-positive NSCLC has achieved not only positive results in PFS, but also a trend toward benefit in OS. This achievement holds significant importance for improving current treatment regimens for lung cancer. We will continue to collaborate with our partners to advance the clinical development and commercialization of sac-TMT, to help more patients with lung cancer and enhance their survival outcomes.”

About sac-TMT

Sac-TMT, a core product of the Company, is a novel human TROP2 ADC in which the Company has proprietary intellectual property rights, targeting advanced solid tumors such as NSCLC, breast cancer (BC), gastric cancer (GC), gynecological tumors and genitourinary tumors, among others. Sac-TMT is developed with a unique, bifunctional linker that maximizes payload delivery to tumor cells both through its irreversible connection with the anti-TROP2 monoclonal antibody sacituzumab and its pH-sensitive cleavage from a belotecan-derivative topoisomerase I inhibitor payload in the lysosome, with a drug-to-antibody-ratio (DAR) of 7.4. Sac-TMT specifically recognizes TROP2 on the surface of tumor cells by recombinant anti-TROP2 humanized monoclonal antibodies, which is then endocytosed by tumor cells and releases the payload KL610023 intracellularly. KL610023, as a topoisomerase I inhibitor, induces DNA damage to tumor cells, which in turn leads to cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. In addition, it also releases KL610023 in the tumor microenvironment. Given that KL610023 is membrane permeable, it can enable a bystander effect, or in other words kill adjacent tumor cells.

In May 2022, the Company licensed the exclusive rights to MSD (the tradename of Merck & Co., Inc, Rahway, NJ, USA) to develop, use, manufacture and commercialize sac-TMT in all territories outside of Greater China (which includes Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan).

To date, four indications for sac-TMT have been approved and marketed in China for: 1) unresectable locally advanced or metastatic TNBC who have received at least two prior systemic therapies (at least one of them for advanced or metastatic setting); 2) EGFR mutant-positive locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous NSCLC following progression on EGFR-TKI therapy and platinum-based chemotherapy; 3) EGFR mutant-positive locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous NSCLC who progressed after treatment with EGFR-TKI therapy; 4) unresectable or metastatic HR+/HER2- (IHC 0, IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH-) BC who have received prior ET and at least one line of chemotherapy in advanced setting. The first two indications above have been included in China’s National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL). This inclusion is expected to bring clinically meaningful benefits to a greater number of patients with BC and NSCLC. Additionally, sac-TMT has been granted six Breakthrough Therapy Designations (BTDs) by the NMPA.

Sac-TMT is the world’s first TROP2 ADC drug approved for marketing in lung cancer. A new indication application for sac-TMT in combination with pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA^®) as first‑line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who have PD-L1 TPS≥1% and are EGFR-negative and ALK-negative has been accepted for review by the NMPA, and has entered the priority review and approval process. As of today, Kelun-Biotech has initiated 9 registrational clinical studies in China. MSD has initiated 17 ongoing global Phase III clinical studies of sac-TMT as a monotherapy or in combination with pembrolizumab or other anti-cancer agents for several types of cancer. These studies are sponsored and led by MSD.

About Kelun-Biotech

Kelun-Biotech (6990.HK) is a holding subsidiary of Kelun Pharmaceutical, which focuses on the R&D, manufacturing, commercialization and global collaboration of innovative biological drugs and small molecule drugs. Kelun-Biotech focuses on major disease areas such as solid tumors, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases, and in establishing a globalized drug development and industrialization platform to address the unmet medical needs in China and the rest of world. Kelun-Biotech is committed to becoming a leading global enterprise in the field of innovative drugs. At present, Kelun-Biotech has more than 30 ongoing key innovative drug projects, of which 4 projects with 8 indications have been approved for marketing, 1 project is in the NDA stage and more than 10 projects are in the clinical stage. Kelun-Biotech has established one of the world’s leading proprietary ADC and novel DC platforms, OptiDC™, and has 2 ADC projects with 5 indications approved for marketing, and multiple ADC and novel DC assets in clinical or preclinical research stage. For more information, please visit https://en.kelun-biotech.com/. 

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