The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) meeting in Madrid is highlighting a wave of breakthroughs from Chinese biotech firms. Akeso Therapeutics announced that its experimental drug Iwoneselimab – a first‑in‑class PD‑1/VEGF bispecific antibody – has been put forward for priority review in China as a first‑line option for advanced biliary‑tract cancer when combined with chemotherapy. The same antibody already treats several forms of lung cancer. In parallel, HBM Biopharma (with CSPC) secured approval for Batoli‑mab, a Class‑1 therapy for generalized myasthenia gravis, while Baili Tianheng received regulatory acceptance for a new use of its ADC Lunconylontamab in hormone‑receptor‑positive, HER2‑negative breast cancer that has progressed after chemotherapy. Chinese research is making a splash at ESMO: 28 Chinese studies were chosen for the prestigious Breakthrough Abstracts, four of them earning plenary slots – a record share that signals a shift from “following” to “leading” in global oncology. New immunotherapy formats such as bispecifics, cytokine‑fusion proteins and tri‑specific antibodies are expanding the treatment toolbox, and combinations of antibody‑drug conjugates (ADCs) with immunotherapy are pushing into earlier‑line settings, even targeting historically “undruggable” RAS mutations. Investors are taking note, with Chinese innovative drugs now featuring prominently in worldwide licensing and partnership deals, marking a rapid internationalization of the nation’s drug pipeline.
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