Corbus Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage oncology company whose lead asset CRB-701 (SYS6002) is a next-generation Nectin-4-targeting antibody-drug conjugate. CRB-701 uses a site-specific cleavable linker, a homogeneous drug-antibody ratio of 2, and an MMAE payload — a design intended to improve on the first-generation Nectin-4 ADC enfortumab vedotin (Padcev) on the therapeutic-window axis.
At ASCO 2026, Corbus reported confirmed objective response rates of 42.9% in second-line oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and 34.4% in second-line cervical cancer at the 3.6 mg/kg dose, with median durations of response of 6.3 and 8.0 months respectively. Both tumor types express high Nectin-4 and are driven by human papillomavirus (HPV). The FDA granted CRB-701 two Fast Track designations. Corbus plans to start the registrational TEMPO-1 study in 2L OPSCC in summer 2026 — a randomized 250-patient trial versus investigator's-choice monotherapy with ORR as the primary endpoint for potential accelerated approval.
CRB-701 competes in the Nectin-4 space against Pfizer's Padcev and Bicycle Therapeutics' bicyclic-peptide zelenectide pevedotin. Stories here cover CRB-701 trial readouts and the broader Nectin-4 conjugate landscape. See #crb-701, #nectin-4, and #antibody-drug-conjugate for adjacent threads.
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.
The ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting opens tomorrow Friday May 29 at McCormick Place Chicago, running through June 2. The peptide-and-targeted-conjugate oncology slate that landed in the May 21 abstract release and the May 26 embargoed press briefing: Bicycle Therapeutics Duravelo-2 Phase 2 (zelenectide pevedotin 65% ORR / 58% BICR-confirmed in 1L urothelial, oral June 1 8:30 AM); Avacta AVA6000 FAP-Dox Phase 1a/1b in salivary gland (90% disease control); BriaCell Bria-IMT 16.6-month median OS in metastatic breast cancer; Sapience lucicebtide 28.4-month projected median PFS in glioblastoma; Corbus CRB-701 Nectin-4 ADC in HNSCC and cervical (oral May 29); Crinetics CRN09682 SSTR2 non-peptide drug conjugate BRAVESST2; Aktis AKY-2519 B7-H3 miniprotein radioconjugate; Mayo Clinic TPIV200 folate-receptor peptide vaccine in TNBC; plus the GLP-1 cancer slate (Abstract 3143, Roswell Park breast cancer). ASCO 2026 follows immediately after EASL 2026 closes May 30 — the back-to-back meeting structure makes the May 27-June 2 window the highest-density peptide-data week of 2026.
Corbus Pharmaceuticals announced ASCO 2026 abstracts featuring updated clinical data from the Phase 1/2 study of CRB-701 (SYS6002), a next-generation antibody-drug conjugate targeting Nectin-4. The oral presentation in cervical cancer is scheduled for Thursday May 29 at 4:57 PM CDT; the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) poster on Friday May 30 at 4:30 PM CDT. The data will include clinical response durability and HNSCC patient-subgroup analysis. Corbus reached broad alignment with the FDA on registrational-study designs in second-line HNSCC and cervical cancer, enabling potential accelerated approval based on objective response rate and full approval on overall survival. The company expects to initiate a registrational study for CRB-701 in second-line HNSCC mid-2026. CRB-701 targets the same Nectin-4 antigen as enfortumab vedotin (Padcev) and Bicycle Therapeutics' zelenectide pevedotin — the second-line HNSCC opportunity is the segment where the three programs will compete most directly.
ASCO 2026 in Chicago opens Friday May 29 with the peptide-oncology calendar now fully fixed. Thursday May 29 4:57 PM CDT: Corbus CRB-701 Nectin-4 ADC oral session in cervical cancer. Friday May 30 4:30 PM CDT: Corbus CRB-701 HNSCC poster. Saturday May 30: BriaCell Bria-IMT three posters in metastatic breast cancer. Sunday May 31: Bicycle Therapeutics zelenectide pevedotin Phase 1 Duravelo-1 monotherapy update poster; Avacta AVA6000 FAP-Dox Phase 1a/1b in salivary gland cancers poster session. Monday June 1 8:30-8:36 AM CT: Bicycle Therapeutics Duravelo-2 oral abstract (Abstract 4516). Monday June 1: Sapience Therapeutics lucicebtide poster session for newly-diagnosed GBM. The peptide-oncology cohort is the largest single-meeting concentration of peptide-mechanism oncology data in recent ASCO history.