AstraZeneca commits $2bn to advance ADC combination medicines for cancer

AstraZeneca has agreed to invest $2 billion in US biopharma company Summit Therapeutics to advance antibody drug conjugate (ADC) combination therapies for cancer.

The deal involves the potential first-in-class, PD-1 and VEGF-targeting bispecific antibody ivonescimab from Akeso, in combination with ADCs.

Meanwhile the companies will also collaborate to evaluate Sone-Ve (sonesitatug vedotin) in combination with ivonescimab.

Susan Galbraith, Executive Vice President, Oncology Haematology R&D, AstraZeneca, said: “A core pillar of our oncology strategy is to broaden the reach of our ADC portfolio as the backbone of treatment across tumour types with combinations alongside next-generation immunotherapies.

“Bispecifics targeting PD-1 and VEGF are rapidly advancing in development and have the potential to improve on current immunotherapies, particularly in lung, breast and gastrointestinal cancers. This opportunity to combine ivonescimab with AstraZeneca’s ADC portfolio, including with Sone-Ve, could enable new regimens that raise the bar for patients with cancer across the treatment landscape.”

“Bispecifics targeting PD-1 and VEGF are rapidly advancing in development and have the potential to improve on current immunotherapies, particularly in lung, breast and gastrointestinal cancers”

Susan Galbraith, Executive Vice President, Oncology Haematology R&D, AstraZeneca

Sone-Ve has in a Phase III trial (CLARITY-Gastric01) demonstrated meaningful improvements overall survival for gastric cancers. The study results will be presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2026.

Dr Maky Zanganeh, President and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Summit Therapeutics, added: “The developments announced today with AstraZeneca open an exciting new chapter in the advancement of ivonescimab.

”With a growing body of evidence supporting ivonescimab’s differentiated PD-1 / VEGF bispecific approach, we look forward to further broadening the development plan of ivonescimab and initiating new clinical trials exploring the potential to combine ivonescimab with promising novel anti-cancer compounds, including ADCs, to bring together complementary approaches to tumour-cell killing, antitumour immunity, and the tumour microenvironment.”

The present collaboration agreement builds on increasing industry interest in the ADC market. In July, the Lonza invested in an expansion of its facility in Visp, Switzerland to capitalise on this. The CDMO’s decision is based on ADCs being “one of the fastest-growing segments in the pharmaceutical market.”