AstraZeneca has signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Abbisko Therapeutics to study the combined use of Tagrisso (osimertinib) and lumipodlin (ABSK043) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
The multicentre, open-label Phase I/II trial will assess the safety and efficacy of the combination in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) positive locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC.
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The investigational new drug (IND) application for the trial received clearance from China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) on 20 May 2026.
Abbisko will lead the study, with both companies jointly sharing clinical trial responsibilities.
Lumipodlin, developed by Abbisko, is an oral small molecule PD-L1 inhibitor designed to selectively bind to the PD-L1 receptor and induce its internalisation, thereby blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction and reducing suppression of T-cell activation.
Preclinical models show that its anti-tumour activity is comparable to approved PD-L1 antibodies, yet there are currently no approved orally bioavailable PD-1/PD-L1 small molecule drugs.
Lumipodlin is under investigation in an ongoing Phase I study in Australia and China for advanced solid tumours.
AstraZeneca’s third-generation, irreversible EGFR-TKI, Tagrisso, is available as 40mg and 80mg once daily oral tablets. It has been prescribed to more than one million patients. The company continues to explore Tagrisso in multiple indications for EGFR-mutant NSCLC.
Abbisko focuses on oncology, targeting unmet medical needs in China and globally.
The company’s pipeline centres on precision oncology and immuno-oncology, led by a team with research and development experience in multinational pharmaceutical companies.
In April 2026, AstraZeneca reported positive high-level data from the EMERALD-3 Phase III trial, evaluating Imfinzi (durvalumab) plus Imjudo (tremelimumab), lenvatinib and transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
