US FDA Approval of IND for CTLA-4 Antibody YH001 for the Treatment of Front-line Sarcoma Patients in Combination with Envafolimab
14.9.2022 18:51:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals (Beijing) Co., Ltd. ("Biocytogen") and TRACON Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: TCON), today jointly announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the initiation of a Phase 1/2 clinical study of YH001 in combination with envafolimab and doxorubicin for the treatment of sarcoma patients, including patients who have not received prior therapy.
The Phase 1/2 trial will assess the safety and efficacy of YH001 and envafolimab in patients with the rare sarcoma subtypes of alveolar soft part sarcoma and chondrosarcoma and assess the safety and efficacy of the combination of YH001, envafolimab and doxorubicin in the common sarcoma subtypes of leiomyosarcoma and dedifferentiated liposarcoma.
“YH001 was discovered using Biocytogen’s evidence-based in vivo drug efficacy screening platform and has demonstrated a favorable safety profile and promising anti-tumor activity in combination with a PD-1 antibody in an earlier phase 1 clinical study,” said Rong Chen, M.D., Ph.D., VP of Biocytogen, CEO and CMO of Eucure Biopharma. “As an antibody targeting the validated checkpoint CTLA-4, YH001 is expected to play a very important role in immune-oncology therapy. We are glad to learn that the combination therapy of YH001 + envafolimab and doxorubicin received IND approval by the FDA.”
“We are pleased to receive approval from the FDA to initiate our triplet combination therapy study in sarcoma, which includes our potentially best-in-class CTLA-4 antibody YH001 and the only subcutaneous checkpoint inhibitor approved anywhere in the world, envafolimab,” said Charles Theuer, M.D., Ph.D., TRACON’s Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to enrolling patients in this study and giving patients additional options for their sarcoma treatment.”
About YH001
YH001 is an IgG1 antibody targeting CTLA-4 that was invented by Biocytogen, the parent company of Eucure Biopharma, and licensed by TRACON. YH001 has shown enhanced antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) in vitro when compared with ipilimumab. In preclinical studies YH001 demonstrated superior T cell activation and superior tumor growth inhibition activity compared to ipilimumab as a single agent and when combined with a PD-(L)1 antibody in human transgenic mouse tumor models. In these models, single agent YH001 depleted regulatory T cells and increased CD8+ T cells in tumor tissue. YH001 has been dosed as a single agent in a Phase 1 trial in China (NCT04699929) and in combination with the PD-1 antibody toripalimab in a Phase 1 trial in Australia (NCT04357756).
About Eucure Biopharma
As a wholly owned subsidiary of Biocytogen, Eucure Biopharma undertakes the mission of clinical development for Biocytogen’s R&D pipelines. Relying on a strong clinical development team and extensive clinical development experience, Eucure Biopharma focuses on antibody drug therapy for oncology and other indications. The company has established a product pipeline for more than 10 targets, with two products in launched phase II multi-regional clinical trials (MRCT) and two in phase I. For details, please visit www.eucure.com.
About Biocytogen
Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals (Beijing) Co., Ltd. is a global biotechnology company that drives the research and development of novel antibody-based drugs with innovative technologies. Using its proprietary RenMabTM /RenLite® mice platforms for fully human monoclonal and bispecific antibody development, Biocytogen has integrated its in vivo drug efficacy screening platforms and strong clinical development expertise to streamline the entire drug development process. Biocytogen is undertaking a large-scale project to develop antibody drugs for more than 1000 targets, known as Project Integrum, and has entered ongoing collaborations with dozens of partners worldwide to produce a variety of antibody drugs. The company's pipeline includes 12 core products, among which two products are in phase II multi-regional clinical trials and two products are in phase I. Headquartered in Beijing, Biocytogen has branches in Haimen Jiangsu, Shanghai and Boston, USA. For more information, please visit www.biocytogen.com.cn.
About TRACON
TRACON is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company utilizing a cost-efficient, CRO-independent, product development platform to advance its pipeline of novel targeted cancer therapeutics and to partner with other life science companies. The Company’s clinical-stage pipeline includes: Envafolimab, a PD-L1 single-domain antibody given by rapid subcutaneous injection that is being studied in the pivotal ENVASARC trial for sarcoma; YH001, a potential best-in-class CTLA-4 antibody in Phase 1 development; TRC102, a Phase 2 small molecule drug candidate for the treatment of lung cancer; and TJ004309, a CD73 antibody in Phase 1 development for the treatment of advanced solid tumors. TRACON is actively seeking additional corporate partnerships through a profit-share or revenue-share partnership, or through franchising TRACON’s product development platform. TRACON believes it can serve as a solution for companies without clinical and commercial capabilities in the United States or who wish to become CRO-independent. To learn more about TRACON and its product pipeline, visit TRACON’s website at www.traconpharma.com.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220829005548/en/
Contact information
Biocytogen
Drug Assets: BD-Licensing@biocytogen.com
Media: pr@bbctg.com.cn
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Moore Nanotechnology Systems (Nanotech) Will Be Acquired by Shibaura Machine Group to Form a New Ultra-Precision Machine Tool Organization18.5.2026 22:36:00 EEST | Press release
MOORE NANOTECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS (“Nanotech”), today announced that it is being acquired by an affiliate of SHIBAURA MACHINE CO., LTD., an industrial machine-tool manufacturer headquartered in Japan. Founded nearly 30 years ago by Len Chaloux and Newman Marsilius III as a standalone subsidiary of the Moore Tool Company, Inc., Nanotech has become a global leader in the design, development and manufacture of state-of-the-art ultra-precision machine tools and associated processes for the production of advanced optical and reflective components. “As the world’s markets continue to develop, finding the right strategic partnerships is essential,” said Mark Boomgarden, President and CEO of Nanotech. “Partnering with Shibaura allows us to combine the true competencies of both organizations under one management team - affording both companies the ability to scale resources and invest on a global stage like never before.” Co-owner Newman Marsilius IV shared, “Moore Nanotechnology Systems grew to a p
First Guests Arrive at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Red Sea at Shura Island from 20 May, as Red Sea Global Launches First JV Resort18.5.2026 21:06:00 EEST | Press release
Red Sea Global (RSG), the regenerative tourism developer, has reached a major milestone as Four Seasons Resort and Residences Red Sea at Shura Island welcomes first guests from 20 May, marking the first joint venture-developed resort within its portfolio to enter the market. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260518349628/en/ An aerial view of Four Seasons Resort and Residences at Shura Island, set along the shoreline with clear views of the Red Sea. Developed in partnership with Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), the launch represents a shared milestone for both organizations and marks a new phase in RSG’s development model, highlighting the growing role of institutional and private sector partnerships in scaling Saudi Arabia’s luxury tourism sector. “With Four Seasons preparing to welcome guests, we are significantly scaling the capacity and offering of The Red Sea destination in time for one of the busiest travel
Belkin Advances Towards Carbon Neutrality in Scope 3 Emissions18.5.2026 19:10:00 EEST | Press release
Belkin, a leading consumer electronics brand for 40 years, published its 2025 Impact Report, highlighting key achievements and reaffirming its commitment to corporate responsibility. Having achieved carbon neutrality in scope 1 and scope 2 emissions in 2025, the company continues to advance toward scope 3 carbon neutrality through enhanced life cycle assessment capabilities and improved supplier and logistics data collection. In 2025, Belkin calculated 131 product carbon footprints across its portfolio, surpassed 21.6 million PCR products sold, and has achieved a 95% reduction in single-use plastic packaging since 2019, reflecting continued progress in carbon reduction and responsible product design. “As we continue to make progress against our sustainability goals, we are taking deliberate steps to reduce our impact,” said Steven Malony, CEO of Belkin. “Over the past year, we expanded the use of post-consumer recycled materials, further reduced single-use plastic packaging, and streng
Infobip Named a Leader in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Communications Platform as a Service18.5.2026 17:25:00 EEST | Press release
Infobip is excited to share that global AI-first cloud communications platform Infobip has been recognized as a Leader in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Communications Platform as a Service. Check back for a complimentary copy of the full report soon! In Infobip’s view, this recognition reflects what the company has spent 20 years building: a communications platform that stays focused on what customers actually need and evolves as markets change. Infobip believes that recognition in a fast-moving market comes not from chasing trends, but from disciplined execution and a clear long-term vision. As Infobip marks its 20th year of operations, the company thinks the shift to agentic AI represents the most significant transformation in customer communications in our history. Infobip believes enterprises need a partner that empowers them to move from campaigns and rigid workflows to autonomous, goal-driven interactions, while retaining the openness and flexibility to adapt as the technol
Seoul Design Foundation Announces ‘Seoul Design AI Film Festival’ Call for Entries18.5.2026 17:00:00 EEST | Press release
The Seoul Design Foundation (CEO Cha Kang Heui) is inviting visionaries worldwide to the Seoul Design AI Film Festival (SDAFF). This global competition aims to redefine the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)—the world’s largest atypical architecture—as a premier destination for AI-driven media art. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260518044745/en/ An official poster for Seoul Design AI Film Festival (Image: Seoul Design Foundation) The DDP’s 222-meter curved exterior wall, a Guinness World Record holder for the "World's Largest 3D Mapping on an Atypical Building," will serve as the digital canvas for the winners. ‘Seoul Light DDP’ has already achieved global acclaim by winning the world’s top three design awards: iF, Red Dot, and IDEA. Bridging AI Technology and K-Culture The festival seeks high-quality video works that blend artistic inspiration with cutting-edge AI technology. The competition features two main cat
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom