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Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

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Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO
Business

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Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

2026-05-30 21:51 Last Updated At:22:15

CHENGDU, China, May 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (the "Company", 6990.HK) announced that at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting held in Chicago, USA, results from the pivotal Phase II study of the Company's next-generation selective RET inhibitor, lunbotinib fumarate (A400/EP0031, 宁泰莱®[1]), in advanced rearranged during transfection (RET) fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were presented as an oral report by Professor Qing Zhou from Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Abstract #8505, Lung Cancer—Metastatic Non-Small Cell). Based on these results, a New Drug Application (NDA) for lunbotinib fumarate for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic RET fusion-positive NSCLC has been accepted by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China.

The study enrolled 71 patients who had previously received platinum-based chemotherapy and immunotherapy (pre-treated patients) and 92 patients who had not received prior systemic therapy (treatment-naïve patients). As of the data cutoff date of October 29, 2025, the median follow-up was 22.6 months and 20.7 months, respectively.

The confirmed objective response rate (ORR) assessed by Independent Review Committee (IRC) was 81.3% (95% CI: 71.8–88.7) in treatment-naïve patients and 87.1% (95% CI: 77.0–93.9) in pre-treated patients.

In treatment-naïve patients, median duration of response (mDOR) and median progression-free survival (mPFS) were not reached. In pre-treated patients, mDOR was 25.7 months, and mPFS was 27.5 months.

Among 40 patients with central nervous system (CNS) metastases at baseline (assessed by IRC per response assessment in neuro-oncology brain metastases (RANO-BM) criteria), the intracranial complete response (CR) rate was 30%, and the disease control rate (DCR) was 92.5% (95% CI: 79.6–98.4).

Lunbotinib fumarate was well tolerated, with treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) being predominantly Grade 1–2. The rate of permanent discontinuation due to TRAEs was 1.2%, and no treatment-related deaths were reported.

The study shows that lunbotinib fumarate demonstrated robust and durable clinical activity in RET fusion-positive NSCLC, regardless of line of therapy, in a largely poor-prognostic patient population. Favorable CNS efficacy was observed in patients with measurable baseline CNS metastases. The safety profile was manageable, with no unexpected safety signals.

Professor Qing Zhou, principal investigator from Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, said: "From the first presentation of Phase I data at ASCO 2023 to today's pivotal Phase II results, we have witnessed the progression of lunbotinib fumarate from early exploration to a confirmatory study. These data show that lunbotinib fumarate delivers robust and durable responses in both treatment-naïve and pre-treated patients with RET fusion-positive NSCLC, with particularly remarkable intracranial efficacy in patients with CNS metastases at baseline. As a next-generation selective RET inhibitor, it will offer an important new treatment option for patients."

[1] Trade name to be approved by NMPA.

About lunbotinib fumarate (A400/EP0031, 宁泰莱®)

Lunbotinib fumarate is a novel, next-generation selective RET inhibitor for NSCLC, medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and other solid tumors with a high prevalence of RET alterations. The NDA of lunbotinib fumarate has been accepted for review by the NMPA of China for the treatment of adult patients with RET-fusion positive locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. The Company is also conducting a Phase Ib/II clinical study in China for the treatment of RET-positive solid tumors.

In March 2021, the Company granted Ellipses Pharma Limited, a U.K.-based international oncology drug development company, an exclusive license to develop, manufacture and commercialize this agent outside Greater China and certain Asian countries. In April 2024, lunbotinib fumarate was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to progress into a Phase II clinical trial (NCT05443126) which is currently recruiting in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe and United Arab Emirates, where it is being evaluated as a monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy in RET fusion positive advanced NSCLC.

About Kelun-Biotech

Kelun-Biotech (6990.HK) is a holding subsidiary of Kelun Pharmaceutical, which focuses on the R&D, manufacturing, commercialization and global collaboration of innovative biological drugs and small molecule drugs. Kelun-Biotech focuses on major disease areas such as solid tumors, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases, and in establishing a globalized drug development and industrialization platform to address the unmet medical needs in China and the rest of world. Kelun-Biotech is committed to becoming a leading global enterprise in the field of innovative drugs. At present, Kelun-Biotech has more than 30 ongoing key innovative drug projects, of which 4 projects with 8 indications have been approved for marketing, 1 project is in the NDA stage and more than 10 projects are in the clinical stage. Kelun-Biotech has established one of the world's leading proprietary ADC and novel DC platforms, OptiDC™, and has 2 ADC projects with 5 indications approved for marketing, and multiple ADC and novel DC assets in clinical or preclinical research stage. For more information, please visit https://en.kelun-biotech.com/.



CHENGDU, China, May 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (the "Company", 6990.HK) announced that at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting held in Chicago, USA, results from the pivotal Phase II study of the Company's next-generation selective RET inhibitor, lunbotinib fumarate (A400/EP0031, 宁泰莱®[1]), in advanced rearranged during transfection (RET) fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were presented as an oral report by Professor Qing Zhou from Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Abstract #8505, Lung Cancer—Metastatic Non-Small Cell). Based on these results, a New Drug Application (NDA) for lunbotinib fumarate for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic RET fusion-positive NSCLC has been accepted by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China.

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Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

The study enrolled 71 patients who had previously received platinum-based chemotherapy and immunotherapy (pre-treated patients) and 92 patients who had not received prior systemic therapy (treatment-naïve patients). As of the data cutoff date of October 29, 2025, the median follow-up was 22.6 months and 20.7 months, respectively.

The confirmed objective response rate (ORR) assessed by Independent Review Committee (IRC) was 81.3% (95% CI: 71.8–88.7) in treatment-naïve patients and 87.1% (95% CI: 77.0–93.9) in pre-treated patients.

In treatment-naïve patients, median duration of response (mDOR) and median progression-free survival (mPFS) were not reached. In pre-treated patients, mDOR was 25.7 months, and mPFS was 27.5 months.

Among 40 patients with central nervous system (CNS) metastases at baseline (assessed by IRC per response assessment in neuro-oncology brain metastases (RANO-BM) criteria), the intracranial complete response (CR) rate was 30%, and the disease control rate (DCR) was 92.5% (95% CI: 79.6–98.4).

Lunbotinib fumarate was well tolerated, with treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) being predominantly Grade 1–2. The rate of permanent discontinuation due to TRAEs was 1.2%, and no treatment-related deaths were reported.

The study shows that lunbotinib fumarate demonstrated robust and durable clinical activity in RET fusion-positive NSCLC, regardless of line of therapy, in a largely poor-prognostic patient population. Favorable CNS efficacy was observed in patients with measurable baseline CNS metastases. The safety profile was manageable, with no unexpected safety signals.

Professor Qing Zhou, principal investigator from Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, said: "From the first presentation of Phase I data at ASCO 2023 to today's pivotal Phase II results, we have witnessed the progression of lunbotinib fumarate from early exploration to a confirmatory study. These data show that lunbotinib fumarate delivers robust and durable responses in both treatment-naïve and pre-treated patients with RET fusion-positive NSCLC, with particularly remarkable intracranial efficacy in patients with CNS metastases at baseline. As a next-generation selective RET inhibitor, it will offer an important new treatment option for patients."

[1] Trade name to be approved by NMPA.

About lunbotinib fumarate (A400/EP0031, 宁泰莱®)

Lunbotinib fumarate is a novel, next-generation selective RET inhibitor for NSCLC, medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and other solid tumors with a high prevalence of RET alterations. The NDA of lunbotinib fumarate has been accepted for review by the NMPA of China for the treatment of adult patients with RET-fusion positive locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. The Company is also conducting a Phase Ib/II clinical study in China for the treatment of RET-positive solid tumors.

In March 2021, the Company granted Ellipses Pharma Limited, a U.K.-based international oncology drug development company, an exclusive license to develop, manufacture and commercialize this agent outside Greater China and certain Asian countries. In April 2024, lunbotinib fumarate was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to progress into a Phase II clinical trial (NCT05443126) which is currently recruiting in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe and United Arab Emirates, where it is being evaluated as a monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy in RET fusion positive advanced NSCLC.

About Kelun-Biotech

Kelun-Biotech (6990.HK) is a holding subsidiary of Kelun Pharmaceutical, which focuses on the R&D, manufacturing, commercialization and global collaboration of innovative biological drugs and small molecule drugs. Kelun-Biotech focuses on major disease areas such as solid tumors, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases, and in establishing a globalized drug development and industrialization platform to address the unmet medical needs in China and the rest of world. Kelun-Biotech is committed to becoming a leading global enterprise in the field of innovative drugs. At present, Kelun-Biotech has more than 30 ongoing key innovative drug projects, of which 4 projects with 8 indications have been approved for marketing, 1 project is in the NDA stage and more than 10 projects are in the clinical stage. Kelun-Biotech has established one of the world's leading proprietary ADC and novel DC platforms, OptiDC™, and has 2 ADC projects with 5 indications approved for marketing, and multiple ADC and novel DC assets in clinical or preclinical research stage. For more information, please visit https://en.kelun-biotech.com/.

** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

Kelun-Biotech Presents Pivotal Phase II Data for Lunbotinib Fumarate (A400/EP0031) in RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC at 2026 ASCO

At his first graduation as Dean, Patrick Tan presides over a record class of 135 graduates, with Guest of Honour Mdm Rahayu Mahzam and keynote speaker Dr Robert Califf

SINGAPORE, May 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- From engineers and business graduates to literature and communications majors, Duke-NUS Medical School's largest graduating class to date reflects the widening range of backgrounds now flowing into medicine in Singapore. A total of 135 graduates crossed the stage on Saturday, including 78 new doctors from the MD programme.

The commencement ceremony, the first to be led by Dean Professor Patrick Tan, was attended by Guest of Honour Mdm Rahayu Mahzam, Minister of State for Digital Development and Information and for Health, and featured keynote remarks by Dr Robert Califf, who spoke about the extraordinary opportunities and upheavals now reshaping medicine, healthcare and biomedical science.

The Class of 2026 comprised 72 graduates from the MD programme, 6 MD-PhD graduates, 38 PhD graduates from Duke-NUS' Integrated Biology and Medicine, Quantitative Biology and Medicine, and Clinical and Translational Sciences programmes, and 19 graduates from the Master's in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality. Among the MD graduands, there was an even split of 39 men and 39 women.

Another hallmark of Duke-NUS' graduate-entry model is the breadth of experience its students bring into medicine. In the Class of 2026, that range includes graduates from engineering, product development, computer science, multimedia, business, accountancy, linguistics, psychology, history, communications, literature and the sciences.

A defining feature of Duke-NUS' graduate-entry model is its emphasis on research. MD students devote their entire third year to research, and the Class of 2026 leaves behind a substantial body of published work across topics such as artificial intelligence in healthcare, predictive clinical tools, biological discovery, diagnostic innovation and population health. Together, the class produced 71 papers, including in journals such as Cell, The Lancet Microbe, Nature Communications, and npj Digital Medicine.

One of the standout papers, by MD-PhD graduate Charles Kevin Dee Tiu, described a rapid test that identified infection-blocking antibodies within hours to support Singapore's COVID-19 response. Published in Nature Biotechnology, the paper has been cited 1,392 times.  

Dean Professor Patrick Tan said, "When the School was established, the aim was not simply to add another medical school to Singapore. It was to create something different by design: a graduate-entry medical school that brings together the strengths of Duke and NUS and is deeply embedded in Singapore's healthcare system through SingHealth. That vision is reflected in this class. Our graduates bring intellectual range, a strong sense of service and the ability to think across disciplines at a time when medicine is being reshaped by science, technology and wider societal change."

Community service also stood out strongly in the Class of 2026. Across their years at Duke-NUS, students took part in at least 14 community projects in Singapore and overseas.

These included school-readiness programmes for families, overseas medical missions to Nepal and Sri Lanka, Healthy-To-Thrive, a project which offers public health screening for chronic diseases for migrant workers, and community initiatives such as the Paediatric Solid Brain Tumour Awareness Day and Camp SIMBA, an annual camp for children whose loved ones are living with cancer.

Dr Jiang Qianfeng, graduating speaker of the MD Class of 2026 and recipient of both the Ngee Ann Kongsi Distinguished Scholars Programme and the Mount Elizabeth-Gleneagles Graduate Scholarship, said, "Our Class of 2026 demonstrated a deep commitment to service across diverse communities, from rural outreach programmes in Nepal and Sri Lanka, to local initiatives supporting children with brain tumours, migrant workers, community health and women's health. These experiences reminded us that medicine doesn't start and end within hospital walls and they strengthened our commitment to serve wherever the need is greatest."

Among the initiatives shaped during the class's time at Duke-NUS was Project WISE (Women's Integrated Screening & Education), a programme that provides women with blood pressure and body mass index screenings, alongside education on mental health and breast cancer awareness. It is organised by the Women in Medicine student interest group, founded by MD graduand Dr Chan Kai Lin, and supported by the Association of Women Doctors (Singapore).

As Patrick Tan's first graduating class as Dean, the Class of 2026 signals where Duke-NUS is headed: educating doctors and scientists who not only have their strengths in clinical practice, but are also able to work across research, innovation, technology and broader challenges shaping health today.

About Duke-NUS Medical School

Duke-NUS is Singapore's flagship graduate-entry medical school, established in 2005 with a strategic, government-led partnership between two world-class institutions: Duke University and the National University of Singapore (NUS). Through an innovative curriculum, students at Duke-NUS are nurtured to become multi-faceted 'Clinicians Plus' poised to steer the healthcare and biomedical ecosystem in Singapore and beyond. A leader in ground-breaking research and translational innovation, Duke-NUS has gained international renown through its five Signature Research Programmes and ten Centres. The enduring impact of its discoveries is amplified by its successful Academic Medicine partnership with Singapore Health Services (SingHealth), Singapore's largest healthcare group. This strategic alliance has led to the creation of 15 Academic Clinical Programmes, which harness multi-disciplinary research and education to transform medicine and improve lives.   

For more information, please visit www.duke-nus.edu.sg 

** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **

Duke-NUS graduates biggest class yet, with new doctors drawn from business, engineering and the humanities

Duke-NUS graduates biggest class yet, with new doctors drawn from business, engineering and the humanities

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