Yantai University

MALVERN, Penn., Jan 20, 2026, 20n Bio, a peptide discovery company, and Yantai Lannacheng Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (“Lannacheng”), a clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company, today announced a long-term strategic partnership to accelerate the development of next-generation Radionuclide Drug Conjugates (RDCs). The collaboration brings together 20n Bio’s high-throughput peptide discovery platform and Lannacheng’s radiopharmaceutical R&D, clinical translation, and manufacturing capabilities to advance precision oncology programs with the potential for improved efficacy and safety. RDCs are designed to deliver therapeutic radionuclides to tumors using targeting ligands that recognize tumor-associated antigens. By concentrating radiation in diseased tissue, RDCs aim to maximize anti-tumor activity while limiting exposure to healthy organs. In addition, radionuclide payloads can create a “bystander effect,” damaging neighboring tumor cells and components of the tumor microenvironment even when target expression is heterogeneous - an attribute that may help address resistance and broaden patient benefit. RDCs also support theranostic strategies, pairing diagnostic imaging with targeted radiotherapy to guide patient selection and treatment decisions. 20n Bio has built an in-house high-throughput experimental screening system and a topologically diverse cyclic peptide library comprising up to 10 trillion sequences. The platform enables rapid identification of cyclic peptide ligands with strong binding profiles and developability characteristics, followed by systematic optimization tailored to RDC applications. In 2025, 20n Bio was selected to Bayer Co.Lab, underscoring the industry recognition of its approach and its potential for global collaboration. “Lannacheng is an outstanding partner with deep expertise across radiopharmaceutical discovery and development,” said Dr. Mingfu Zhu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of 20n Bio. “By combining our high-throughput cyclic peptide ligand engine with Lannacheng’s radiopharmaceutical capabilities, we intend to accelerate the creation of RDC programs that are more precise, more effective, and potentially safer. We believe this partnership can help expand the reach of targeted radiotherapy and bring meaningful new options to patients.” “RDCs are emerging as a major modality in oncology, and ligand innovation will be central to improving performance,” said Xiaoming Wu, General Manager of Lannacheng. “We are excited to work with 20n Bio to integrate their cyclic peptide discovery and optimization platform with our radiopharmaceutical technology stack, industrialization capabilities, and global partnership network. Together, we aim to advance differentiated RDC candidates and accelerate their translation toward clinical and commercial impact.” About 20n Bio 20n Bio is a venture-backed biotechnology company focused on the discovery of cyclic peptide therapeutics. The company’s mission is to develop peptide medicines through high-throughput screening and chemical optimization to address unmet medical needs. 20n Bio has established a proprietary cyclic peptide discovery platform capable of screening libraries containing up to 10 trillion peptide sequences. About Yantai Lannacheng Biotechnology Co., Ltd. Founded in 2021, Lannacheng is a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of radiopharmaceuticals for integrated cancer diagnosis and therapy. The company’s R&D engine spans target validation, radionuclide selection, and linker design, supported by proprietary pharmacokinetic engineering technologies and dual-target drug development capabilities to advance next-generation radiopharmaceutical candidates. With end-to-end integration supported by its controlling shareholder, Dongcheng Pharmaceutical - including R&D resources, a stable supply of medical radioisotopes, and GMP manufacturing capacity under construction in Yantai - Lannacheng aims to improve continuity and scalability and accelerate innovation in radiopharmaceutical development.

Today, a brief rundown of news announced ahead of the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, including licensing deals from AbbVie and Novartis, earnings announcements from Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, and regulatory updates from Beam Therapeutics and Atara Biotherapeutics.AbbVie is paying Yantai, China-based RemeGen $650 million up front, and potentially more than $5 billion overall, for a bispecific antibody drug targeting the proteins PD-1 and VEGF.The deal announced Monday hands AbbVie rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize RemeGens RC148 outside of China and nearby territories. The drug being evaluated in a Phase 1 lung cancer study and Phase 2 trials in other solid tumors and breast cancer. Some of those mid-stage studies are evaluating RC148 alongside an antibody-drug conjugate Pfizer gained rights to through a buyout of Seagen.That ADC is approved in China, as is an autoimmune drug RemeGen licensed to Vor Biopharmalast year. Jonathan GardnerAhead of a Monday presentation at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals on Sundaypre-announced fourth quarter results and issued revenue guidance for the coming year. Alnylam said its closely watched transthyretin amyloidosis drug Amvuttra generated $827 million between October and December, which missed consensus estimates by more than $20 million. But the $4.4 billion to $4.7 billion in projected 2026 net revenue from its TTR drugs which include Amvuttra as well as an older medication, Onpattro came in ahead of analysts projections. The numbers were issued alongside a new five-year strategy that involves hitting at least a 25% average annual growth rate through the end of 2030. Shares ticked down about 8%. Ben FidlerVertex Pharmaceuticals also issued a business update that included insight into the recent sales performance for its pain drug Journavx. According to Vertex, more than 500,000 prescriptions have been filled since Journavxs approval in January, and the company expects that number to more than triple in the coming year. Vertex has also secured coverage in acute pain with all of the large national pharmacy benefit managers. The updates suggest steady growth but imply fourth-quarter sales could come in slightly below consensus estimates of $33 million, wrote RBC Capital Markets analyst Brian Abrahams. Vertex also pre-reported $100 million in revenue for its gene editing treatment Casgevy.That number would come in slightly ahead of Wall Street projections, but the program remains of low investor interest, Abrahams wrote. Ben FidlerBeam Therapeutics, meanwhile, said that it's aligned with U.S. regulators on a potential accelerated approval submission for one of its base editing therapies. Beam is testing the therapy in people with the rare lung disease alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and, last year, delivered early results suggesting the treatment could correct the disease-causing mutation underlying the condition. On Sunday, Beam said that the Food and Drug Administration could clear the drug, BEAM-302, based on positive effects on surrogate markers over the course of a year. Beam expects to enroll about 50 more patients in an ongoing trial and treat them with the “optimal“ dose, and will report updated results, as well as next steps for the program, by the end of the first quarter. Beam additionally anticipates seeking approval of a sickle cell therapy, risto-cel, later this year. Company shares climbed more than 25%. Ben FidlerNovartis is paying $165 millionin upfront cash to license an experimental Alzheimers disease treatment from SciNeuro Pharmaceuticals. The drug is designed to remove toxic amyloid deposits from the brains of people with Alzheimers, but with the help of a shuttle technology that helps the medicine cross the blood-brain barrier. Mulitple other companies, including Roche, are evaluating similar approaches.SciNeuro, which recently raised $53 millionin venture funding, could receive another $1.5 billion in the deal. Jonathan GardnerThe FDA has again rejected a cell therapyfrom Atara Biotherapeutics, the company said Monday.A year ago, the agency cited manufacturing issues in turning back Ataras request to approve Ebvallo for a type of post-transplant disease associated with Epstein Barr virus infections.Now, however, Atara said that the agency has reversed its previous position and claimed that the single-arm study supporting the companys application is no longer sufficient to support an approval. Atara had previously aligned with FDA leaders on the studys design through multiple, documented meetings over the last five years. Partner Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals, which holds commercial rights to Ebvallo,intends to meet with the FDA to find a path forward. Atara shares fell by more than 50%. Delilah Alvarado '

DULLES, Va., Jan. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SOFIE Biosciences (SOFIE), an established US manufacturer and developer of radiopharmaceuticals, will be supporting, through companion diagnostic [68Ga]FAPI-46 PET, Yantai LNC Biotechnology's recently FDA accepted clinical study. On Jan 6th, 2023 Yantai LNC Biotechnology received FDA clearance to proceed with a Phase 1 clinical study of 177Lu-LNC1004 injection, targeting fibroblast activation protein (FAP). The study accepted as part of the FDA IND review is a Phase I, open label study of the safety and dosimetry of a 4-dose regimen of escalating doses of 177Lu-LNC1004 injection in adult patients with advanced FAP-positive solid tumors. As the companion diagnostic agent of 177Lu-LNC1004 Injection, [68Ga]FAPI-46 PET will be used to screen subjects and assess therapeutic effect. Yantai obtained access to [68Ga]FAPI-46 through a letter of cross reference to SOFIE Biosciences' IND along with corresponding precursor and reference standard for use. Prof. Xiaoyuan (Shawn) Chen, co-founder of Yantai LNC Biotechnology and editor-in-chief of the journal Theranostics, stated, "we appreciate the opportunity to work closely with SOFIE in pushing the long-acting FAPI formula 177Lu-LNC1004 forward. Applying Evans blue derivatives to modify pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics is a platform technology Yantai LNC Biotechnology has successfully implemented to multiple radioligands such as FAP inhibitors." Sherly Mosessian, Ph.D., SOFIE's Chief Scientific Officer, added, "as license holders of FAPI family of compounds for diagnostic and companion diagnostic use, we are excited to support this very promising study by having [68Ga]FAPI-46 serve as a companion diagnostic tool for patient selection and treatment monitoring with 177Lu-LNC1004. This highlights the power of theranostics in utilizing the same target, FAP, for imaging and treatment interventions." The study is expected to enroll up to 24 subjects in advanced solid tumors that show high level of FAP expression detected by [68Ga]FAPI-46 and will establish the recommended expansion phase dose with 177Lu-LNC1004. Site feasibility and selection is complete and the study is expected to launch in Singapore Q2 2023. About Yantai LNC Biotechnology Yantai LNC Biotechnology Singapore Pte. Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Yantai Dongcheng Pharmaceutical Group. As the unique innovative nuclear medicine development platform in Dongcheng Group, Yantai LNC Biotech is committed to radionuclide diagnosis and therapy innovation. For more information, contact [email protected]. About 177Lu-LNC1004 177Lu-LNC1004 is a fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) modified with Evans blue (EB) and a metal chelator (DOTA), radiolabeled with beta-emitting radionuclide lutetium Lu-177. As a first-in-class drug the FAP-targeting probe will be used to treat adult patients with advanced FAP-positive solid tumors. About FAPI Fibroblast Activation Protein (FAP) is highly expressed in cancer associated fibroblasts (CAF) across several tumor entities. Developed by the team at the Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD), quinoline-based PET tracers that act as FAP inhibitors (FAPI) have shown encouraging results in pre-clinical and clinical studies. SOFIE has licensed the rights for diagnostic and companion diagnostic use of FAPI family of compounds from Heidelberg University. [68Ga]FAPI-46 is the lead gallium-68 and [18F]FAPI-74 is the lead fluorine-18 radiolabeled PET tracer of FAPI family of compounds. They have demonstrated favorable dosimetry, avidity, safety and biodistribution profile amenable for detection of FAP-expressing cells in patients with various cancers. Both products have active INDs for Phase 2 studies in cancers of the digestive system. About SOFIE SOFIE's vision is to improve patient outcomes by developing and delivering molecular diagnostics and therapeutics (theranostics). With its robust radiopharmaceutical production and distribution network, mature contract manufacturing services, and now, high value theranostic intellectual property, SOFIE is poised to deliver on the promise of radiopharmaceuticals. For more information, contact [email protected]. SOURCE SOFIE