Biointron’s Q2 2026 Antibody Industry Trends report aims to explore the events and trends of the biopharmaceutical industry in April, May, and June. This quarter, six novel monoclonal antibody drugs have received first approval.

Gain exclusive insights into current trends such as: 

• 📣 6 novel antibody drugs approved for the first time in Q2 2026 
• 💸 Top 20 antibody drug deals, including M&As, licensing agreements, and collaborations of up to US$15.2B 
• 🤖 Antibody discovery in the AI era, from candidate sequences to model-ready experimental data 
• 🔬 Conditionally activatable antibodies through specific biological or physical cues 
• 💊 A list of antibody drugs with soon approaching approval action dates to keep an eye out for in Q3 2026

Register now for a free download of the report!

Selected Report Highlights

This quarter, six novel monoclonal antibody drugs have been approved, 4 by China and 2 by the US.

1. Pivekimab Sunirine (Decnupaz): First approved on May 27, 2026, in the United States, it is a CD123-targeting ADC for adult patients with blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN), an ultra-rare and aggressive hematologic malignancy with limited treatment options.
2. Anbenitamab (恩尼妥): First approved on May 29, 2026, in China, it is an anti-HER2 bispecific antibody (bsAb) for treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric cancer/gastroesophageal junction cancer (GC/GEJ) who have previously received at least one trastuzumab-containing regimen.
3. Gumokimab: First approved on June 11, 2026, in China, it is a humanized anti-IL-17A monoclonal antibody (mAb) for the treatment of adult patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.
4. Silevimig: First approved on June 22, 2026, in China, it is a fully human bispecific antibody targeting the viral envelope glycoprotein (G protein) of RABV for passive immunization in adults following rabies virus exposure.
5. Iza-bren: First approved on June 23, 2026, in China, it is a EGFR×HER3 bispecific antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) for patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) who have progressed following prior platinum-based chemotherapy and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor therapy.
6. Veligrotug (Lumvoa): First approved on June 26, 2026, in the US, it is a humanized anti-IGF-1R mAb for treatment of thyroid eye disease (TED). TED is a rare, debilitating autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and tissue remodeling around and behind the eyes.

Q2 2026 saw many acquisitions, collaborations, and licensing agreements for multiple assets (up to 13 at a time). Significant investment has been directed toward startups developing antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Antibody discovery with AI has become a large topic in research, as well as antibody formats such as ATP-switch antibodies.

Top 5 deals by volume:

• May 12: Bristol Myers Squibb and Hengrui Pharma enter collaboration worth $15.2B in 13-asset deal (oncology, hematology, immunology).
• May 28: Pfizer and Innovent Biologics strike $10.5B deal to collaborate on development of up to 12 antibody drugs (ADCs & multispecifics).
• Jun 25: Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany to acquire Bio-Techne for $11.3B, gaining portfolio of cytokines, growth factors, antibodies, and immunoassay kits.
• Jun 22: AbbVie to acquire Apogee Therapeutics, adding zumilokibart to their pipeline for $10.9B. The late-stage, half-life extended mAb targeting IL-13 is in development for patients with atopic dermatitis.
• Apr 7: Gilead Sciences to acquire Tubulis GmbH, adding TUB-040, a NaPi2b targeting ADC for ovarian cancer and a next generation platform to further strengthen oncology pipeline, in up to $5B deal.

AI-Driven Antibody Discovery

AI is increasingly being used to accelerate antibody discovery by expanding the number of sequences that can be generated, evaluated, and prioritized before entering the laboratory. Computational approaches can support de novo antibody design, sequence optimization, structure prediction, and virtual screening, helping researchers explore a broader design space than may be practical using conventional experimental methods alone.

Depending on the platform, models may be used to predict characteristics such as target binding, specificity, structural compatibility, developability, stability, aggregation risk, and potential immunogenicity. These predictions can help narrow large sequence libraries into smaller panels of candidates for experimental testing.

Antibody Startup Launches/Companies to Watch

Date: May 26, 2026 | Seed Round: $9.5 million

• Protuoso Biosciences raises $9.5M seed financing for hub-and-spoke platform to advance multifunctional Muxbodies (fully recombinant fusion proteins). Combining AI-driven protein design with synthetic biology, the platform allows for modular “mix-and-match” construction of multi-specific biologics. This approach enables coordinated, multi-modal activity within one molecule, with optimized pharmacokinetics and programmable functionality, particularly for complex diseases like cancer, cardiometabolic, and autoimmune disorders.

Date: June 10, 2026 | Series A: $101 million

• Ethyreal Bio emerges from stealth with $101M Series A to advance an mAb targeting the root cause of Graves’ disease and thyroid eye disease. Their lead program, ETHY-001, is a TSHR (thyroid stimulating hormone receptor) antagonist designed to block autoantibody-mediated receptor activation, the shared pathogenic driver of both conditions, enabling mechanism-based disease control rather than symptomatic treatment. Engineered with half-life extension for infrequent, subcutaneous dosing, the therapy aims to deliver durable, patient-friendly treatment.

Date: April 6, 2026 | Series A: $100 million

• Stipple Bio to advance its oncology pipeline built on the Pointillist Platform, which maps tumor-specific cell surface epitopes to enable highly selective cancer targeting. Its lead candidate, STP-100, is a novel ADC designed to improve therapeutic index by incorporating binders that selectively recognize tumor epitopes while minimizing on-target/off-tumor toxicity. By shifting from gene-level to epitope-level tumor profiling, the platform aims to expand druggable oncology space, with STP-100 expected to enter early clinical studies in 2027.

Date: April 8, 2026 | Series B: $137 million

• Sidewinder Therapeutics, Inc to advance bispecific antibody-drug conjugates (bsADCs) designed to improve tumor selectivity and drug delivery in cancer. Its platform targets tumor-specific receptor co-complexes, maximizing therapeutic activity while minimizing on-target toxicities and addressing key biological mechanisms of resistance in advanced tumors. They aim to advance treatments for difficult solid tumors such as lung, head and neck, and colorectal cancers, with its lead program expected to enter the clinic in 2027.

Conditionally Activatable Antibodies

Conditionally activatable antibodies are engineered antibody modalities designed to remain functionally silent or attenuated in systemic circulation and become activated preferentially within disease-associated microenvironments. This approach aims to widen the therapeutic index by reducing on-target, off-tumor toxicity while preserving potent target engagement at the site of pathology.

Antibodies to Watch in Q3 2026

1. Apitegromab by Scholar Rock: mAb targeting myostatin for muscular disorder indications. Currently under review in Europe and US, with an EMA decision expected mid-2026, and a PDUFA of September 2026.
2. Garetosmab by Regeneron: mAb targeting activin A protein for genetic disorder indications. Currently under US BLA Priority Review, with a PDUFA of August 2026.
3. Ifinatamab deruxtecan by Daiichi Sankyo US / Merck: ADC targeting B7-H3 for cancer indications. Currently under US BLA Priority Review, with a PDUFA of October 10, 2026.

For more detailed lists and analyses, register now for a free download of the report!

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