ASCO 2026 — the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago, May 29 to June 2 — is the year's main venue for late-breaking oncology peptide data. Abstract titles released April 21; full abstracts publish May 21 at 5:00 PM ET.
Notable peptide-related programs slated for the meeting: Bicycle Therapeutics is presenting initial Duravelo-2 dose-selection data for nuzefatide pevedotin (BT5528) across multiple tumor types, including a Rapid Oral Abstract Session for the urothelial cohort. BriaCell will show 12- and 24-month overall survival data for Bria-IMT plus checkpoint inhibition in advanced metastatic breast cancer across three poster presentations and three publication-only abstracts. BioVaxys had its PESCO Phase 1B/2 abstract accepted for the MVP-S survivin peptide vaccine combined with pembrolizumab and cyclophosphamide in recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer.
Stories here cover the readouts and the company press releases that lead into them. See #peptide-vaccine, #peptide-drug-conjugate, and #bicycle-therapeutics for related coverage.
A target trial emulation of more than 160,000 patients, published online June 7, 2026 in Annals of Oncology and presented at ASCO 2026, reported that adults with obesity but without diabetes who received GLP-1 receptor agonists had a 41% lower risk of obesity-associated cancers compared with non-users. Subgroup signals included a 68% reduction in men and a 58% reduction in endometrial cancer. Lead author Arthur Heng-Cheng Hsu (Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center) and colleagues examined 13 obesity-associated cancers across the TriNetX nationwide database. The findings extend prior signals from the SELECT trial (cardiovascular benefit) and FLOW (kidney benefit) into oncology and add empirical weight behind the 21-expert global panel proposal for a 10-year prospective GLP-1 cancer-prevention trial first surfaced at ECO 2026 in Istanbul.
At ASCO 2026, Sapience Therapeutics presented updated Phase 2 data for lucicebtide (ST101), a first-in-class peptide antagonist of the transcription factor C/EBPβ, now studied in 125 patients. In newly diagnosed glioblastoma plus standard of care, projected median PFS reached 28.4 months and median OS was not yet reached, with 6 of 9 patients alive beyond 22.3 months. Spatial transcriptomics confirmed on-target activity through negative enrichment of the C/EBPβ regulon and suppression of mesenchymal transformation, with no dose-limiting toxicities or related serious adverse events.
The ASCO Annual Meeting closed June 2 after a week that moved peptide and targeted-conjugate oncology from abstract to podium: Bicycle's bicyclic peptide-drug conjugate and Avacta's FAP-activated conjugate in solid tumors, Mayo's folate-receptor and BioVaxys' survivin peptide vaccines, Sapience's C/EBPβ antagonist in glioblastoma, and PSMA and lead-212 radioligands from Telix and Perspective. Attention now shifts to ADA 2026 in New Orleans and the July 23-24 PCAC compounding vote.
In the June 1 rapid oral session (Abstract 4516, Yohann Loriot), the dose-optimization stage of the randomized Phase 2 Duravelo-2 trial showed the optimal dose of the bicyclic peptide-drug conjugate zelenectide pevedotin (BT8009) plus pembrolizumab produced response rates comparable to published standard-of-care data in previously untreated locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma, with roughly four-fold lower skin reactions and about half the peripheral neuropathy. The separate Duravelo-1 Phase 1 trial showed median progression-free survival comparable to standard of care in cisplatin-ineligible patients.
Mayo's randomized Phase 2 trial across 11 sites tested low-dose (825 μg) against high-dose (2.5 mg) TPIV200, a multi-epitope folate-receptor-alpha peptide vaccine adjuvanted with GM-CSF, with or without cyclophosphamide pretreatment in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer. The low dose matched the full dose on immunogenicity, cyclophosphamide pretreatment had no impact, and vaccination induced persistent polyepitope immunity. Kathryn Ruddy, Keith Knutson, and Saranya Chumsri presented the data June 1.
On June 1 Avacta reported updated Phase 1a/1b data for faridoxorubicin (AVA6000), a pre|CISION-enabled, FAP-activated doxorubicin peptide-drug conjugate that releases its payload inside the tumor microenvironment. At the recommended expansion dose of 310 mg/m², nearly three times conventional doxorubicin's 75 mg/m² maximum tolerated dose, toxicity stayed below historical doxorubicin rates, and the salivary gland cancer cohort held multiple confirmed responses: four partial and nine minor responses among 38 evaluable patients.
BriaCell's three June 1 poster presentations moved past the previously reported 16.6-month Phase 2 median overall survival to the first blinded data from the pivotal Phase 3 Bria-ABC study: sustained quality of life despite advanced disease and a meaningful TWiST (time without symptoms or toxicity) result. Biomarker tracking continued, with stable or decreasing CAML counts correlating with better progression-free survival in 60% of evaluable patients. The Phase 3 regimen starts the checkpoint inhibitor in Cycle 1 and uses a Bria-IMT formulation without interferon-gamma.
Pfizer presented updated Phase 1 data for sigvotatug vedotin (PF-08046047), an integrin β6-directed antibody-drug conjugate that carries the microtubule inhibitor MMAE through a cleavable linker, combined with pembrolizumab in non-small cell lung cancer. The early efficacy supports the ongoing first-line SigVie-003 Phase 3 trial, while SigVie-002 tests the conjugate as monotherapy in previously treated advanced NSCLC. The readout extends ASCO's targeted-conjugate theme from peptide scaffolds to antibody carriers sharing the same MMAE payload.
Perspective Therapeutics presented progress on its three clinical lead-212 (²¹²Pb) targeted alpha-therapy programs at ASCO 2026: [212Pb]VMT-α-NET in somatostatin-receptor-2-positive neuroendocrine tumors, VMT01 in melanoma, and PSV359 in solid tumors. The NET program's earlier Phase 1/2a readout showed a 39% objective response rate in its second cohort and no dose-limiting toxicities at the 5.0 mCi dose, supporting movement toward a registrational trial. The platform pairs a peptide-based targeting vector with a short-range alpha emitter.
BioVaxys presented results from the investigator-initiated PESCO trial of maveropepimut-S (MVP-S) combined with pembrolizumab and low-dose cyclophosphamide in recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer. MVP-S is a DPX-based vaccine built from five survivin-derived peptides plus a T-helper peptide and an innate immune stimulant, designed to drive a cytotoxic T-cell response against survivin, an antigen highly expressed in ovarian tumors but nearly absent in normal tissue.
BriaCell Therapeutics priced a registered direct offering of 1,449,300 common shares at $3.25 each for gross proceeds of about $4.7 million, with ThinkEquity as sole placement agent. The company plans to use proceeds for working capital, general corporate purposes, and advancing its pipeline. The raise lands days after BriaCell reported 16.6-month median overall survival for its Bria-IMT cell-based immunotherapy in heavily pretreated metastatic breast cancer at ASCO 2026.
ASCO's Sunday education and poster sessions in Chicago set up the meeting's densest peptide-oncology day on Monday, June 1, when Bicycle Therapeutics presents Duravelo-2 (zelenectide pevedotin in first-line urothelial cancer, Abstract 4516), Mayo Clinic presents the TPIV200 folate-receptor-alpha vaccine in triple-negative breast cancer (Abstract 536), and Telix presents ProstACT Global PSMA radioligand data. Corbus CRB-701 and BioVaxys MVP-S round out the targeted-conjugate and vaccine slate.
Immutep presented a pooled exploratory analysis at ASCO 2026 (May 30, Poster 359, Abstract 2569) of 592 late-stage cancer patients across five trials — TACTI-mel, TACTI-002, TACTI-003, AIPAC, and AIPAC-003 — spanning non-small cell lung cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, metastatic breast cancer, and melanoma. Patients who mounted an immune response to eftilagimod alfa (efti) lived a median 7.7 months longer than those who did not. Eftilagimod alfa is a soluble LAG-3 protein that activates antigen-presenting cells via MHC class II, driving rapid and sustained lymphocyte activation. The analysis showed that 30 mg subcutaneous efti plus standard of care (chemotherapy or a PD-1 antagonist) significantly increased circulating absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) — a blood-based immune-activity marker — versus standard of care alone. The data positions ALC increase as a potential pharmacodynamic biomarker of efti response. The result follows the earlier futility-halt of efti's Phase 3 first-line NSCLC trial, making the pooled survival signal a credibility rebuild for the MHC-II-activator mechanism.
ImPact Biotech presented first-cohort Phase 1 data at ASCO 2026 (May 30, 9:00 AM CT, GI Cancer session) on intra-arterial padeliporfin vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP) in locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (LA-PDAC). The light-dose escalation study showed a consistent tolerability profile with early signs of clinical efficacy, including potential to convert patients with unresectable stage III tumors to surgically resectable candidates — a meaningful endpoint in pancreatic cancer where surgical resection is the only curative path. Padeliporfin VTP is a minimally invasive drug-device combination: the bacteriochlorophyll-derived photosensitizer is activated by non-thermal laser light delivered via optical fibers, producing selective tumor ablation in the tumor microenvironment. ImPact's lead program is the Phase 3 ENLIGHTED trial in low-grade upper-tract urothelial carcinoma (updated data at AUA 2026 in May). The pancreatic data extends the VTP platform into one of oncology's hardest-to-treat solid tumors.
ASCO 2026 Day 2 in Chicago continued the meeting's peptide-and-targeted-conjugate oncology programming. Saturday May 30 brought the Immutep eftilagimod alfa survival pooled analysis and the ImPact Biotech padeliporfin VTP pancreatic data, alongside the Bicycle Therapeutics zelenectide pevedotin dose-optimization poster (Abstract 4567, May 31) approaching. The meeting's heaviest peptide-mechanism day is Monday June 1: Bicycle Duravelo-2 zelenectide pevedotin + pembrolizumab oral presentation in 1L urothelial (Abstract 4516, 8:30 AM CT); Mayo Clinic TPIV200 folate-receptor peptide vaccine in triple-negative breast cancer (Abstract 536, 1:30 PM CT); Telix ProstACT PSMA radioligand Phase 3 Part 1; Sapience lucicebtide GBM poster. The Corbus CRB-701 Nectin-4 ADC data (42.9% OPSCC / 34.4% cervical) landed Friday May 29. The targeted-conjugate categories — Nectin-4, PSMA, B7-H3, FAP, SSTR2 — remain the densest peptide-adjacent oncology competition, with the bulk of definitive readouts concentrated in the meeting's back half through June 2.
Corbus Pharmaceuticals reported updated CRB-701 (SYS6002) Phase 1/2 data at ASCO 2026, presented by Professor Yohann Loriot (Gustave Roussy) in the May 29 4:57 PM CDT gynecological cancer session (Abstract 5508). CRB-701 — a next-generation Nectin-4 antibody-drug conjugate with a site-specific cleavable linker, drug-antibody ratio of 2, and MMAE payload — demonstrated a confirmed objective response rate of 42.9% in second-line oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) at 3.6 mg/kg (median duration of response 6.3 months, PFS 5.6 months) and 34.4% in second-line cervical cancer (median DOR 8.0 months, PFS 4.3 months). Both tumor types express high Nectin-4 and are HPV-driven. The FDA granted CRB-701 two Fast Track designations. Corbus is on track to start the registrational TEMPO-1 study in 2L OPSCC in summer 2026 — a randomized 250-patient trial vs investigator's-choice monotherapy with ORR as the primary endpoint for potential accelerated approval. CRB-701 competes in the Nectin-4 space with Pfizer's Padcev (enfortumab vedotin) and Bicycle Therapeutics' bicyclic-peptide zelenectide pevedotin.
Telix Pharmaceuticals reported ProstACT Global Phase 3 Part 1 data at ASCO 2026 as a late-breaking presentation. TLX591-Tx (lutetium-177 rosopatamab tetraxetan) — a PSMA-targeted lutetium radio-antibody-drug conjugate — met its primary safety objectives in the safety and dosimetry lead-in, demonstrating an acceptable tolerability profile with no new safety signals when combined with enzalutamide (Xtandi), abiraterone (Zytiga), or followed by docetaxel in PSMA-positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). ProstACT Global is an international Phase 3 trial evaluating TLX591-Tx plus standard of care versus standard of care alone. The drug sits in the PSMA-targeted radioligand class alongside Novartis's approved Pluvicto (lutetium-177 PSMA-617, a peptide-based radioligand), but uses an antibody rather than a small-molecule peptide as the targeting vector. The PSMA radioligand field — Pluvicto, ProstACT, plus the Aktis AKY-2519 B7-H3 miniprotein radioconjugate covered earlier this week — is one of the fastest-growing targeted-conjugate categories in oncology.
The ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting opened today at McCormick Place Chicago, running through June 2, with more than 7,000 abstracts. The peptide-and-targeted-conjugate oncology cohort — pre-released in the May 21 abstract drop and the May 26 embargoed press briefing — now moves to live presentation. Friday May 29 brought the Corbus CRB-701 Nectin-4 ADC cervical/OPSCC data and the Dana-Farber/Bristol multiple myeloma and Pfizer lung cancer readouts. The peptide-mechanism slate across the meeting: Bicycle Therapeutics zelenectide pevedotin Duravelo-2 (bicyclic peptide-MMAE conjugate, oral June 1); Avacta AVA6000 FAP-Dox; BriaCell Bria-IMT cell-and-peptide immunotherapy; Sapience lucicebtide C/EBPβ antagonist (GBM); Aktis AKY-2519 B7-H3 miniprotein radioconjugate; Mayo TPIV200 folate-receptor peptide vaccine (TNBC, June 1); Telix ProstACT PSMA radioligand (June 1); plus the GLP-1 cancer slate (Abstract 3143, Roswell Park breast cancer). The targeted-conjugate categories — Nectin-4, PSMA, B7-H3, FAP, SSTR2 — are the densest peptide-adjacent oncology competition at the meeting.