Lonza and Qurient partner on dual-payload ADC technology

Lonza, a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), has entered into an exclusive license agreement with the clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Qurient to utilize Qurient’s cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) inhibitors for dual-payload antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) applications.

Dual-payload ADCs are a next-generation cancer therapy designed to carry two different cytotoxic payloads on a single antibody, allowing for simultaneous attacks on tumor cells through multiple mechanisms. This approach aims to increase efficacy and overcome drug resistance.

As a result of this collaboration, the companies have unveiled ‘SYN-duo CC’, a linker-payload combination that pairs the TOP1 inhibitor exatecan with Qurient’s CDK7 inhibitor. This off-the-shelf combination is designed to induce DNA damage while inhibiting the cell's ability to repair it. Lonza intends to use this technology to strengthen its ADC platform, offering both standardized and customizable dual-payload formats to its global customers.