DualityBio and Genentech Ink Billion-Dollar ADC Development Deal

Shanghai-based DualityBio has secured a global licensing agreement with Genentech to advance next-generation antibody-drug conjugates. By leveraging DualityBio’s DUPAC platform, the partnership aims to develop cancer therapies specifically engineered to overcome resistance to existing topoisomerase inhibitor-based treatments that have become standard in modern oncology care.

Corp and Tech·August 28, 2026·reads: 459

Under the agreement, DualityBio will receive an initial payment of 45 million USD, with the potential for over 1 billion USD in future development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments. The collaboration focuses on oncology targets defined by Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, with DualityBio leading discovery and initial clinical development. Once these programs pass the Phase 1a stage, Genentech will assume full responsibility for global clinical development and commercialization.

The DUPAC platform is designed to address a growing medical gap: patients whose tumors no longer respond to conventional ADC payloads. By utilizing unique mechanisms of action, the platform seeks to maintain antitumor activity in resistant or refractory cases. DualityBio’s CEO Dr. John Zhu noted that combining their proprietary payload innovation with Genentech’s global reach will accelerate the delivery of differentiated medicines. This deal adds to DualityBio’s broader portfolio of four ADC technology platforms, which have been showcased at recent medical conferences including the 2026 AACR meeting.