Helix BioPharma Corp. presented new data on its CEACAM6-directed antibody-drug conjugate program at the 16th Annual World ADC London conference. The presentation, delivered by Director of ADC Discovery Jonathan Davis, PhD, focused on the development of next-generation ADCs designed to deliver potent therapeutic payloads directly to cancer cells while minimizing off-target effects.
The significance of this presentation lies in the potential of CEACAM6 as a therapeutic target for multiple epithelial cancers. CEACAM6 demonstrates elevated expression across a broad range of epithelial cancers and is associated with poor clinical outcomes, while showing limited expression in healthy tissues. This combination makes it an attractive target for cancer therapies seeking to maximize effectiveness while reducing side effects.
Dr. Davis presented data supporting the tumor-selective binding profile of Helix's proprietary anti-CEACAM6 VHH, a single-domain antibody fragment derived from camelid antibodies. This nanobody demonstrated preferential binding to tumor-expressed CEACAM6, supporting the development of ADCs designed to deliver potent therapeutic payloads directly to cancer cells. This approach builds on the clinical foundation established by Helix's lead CEACAM6-targeted candidate, Tumor Defense Breaker™ L-DOS47, which has demonstrated favorable safety and encouraging clinical activity in Phase I/II studies in non-small cell lung cancer.
The implications for cancer treatment are substantial. As Dr. Davis noted, "CEACAM6 represents a compelling and underexploited target with broad potential across multiple hard-to-treat cancers." The proprietary VHH-based targeting approach enables highly selective tumor binding, which could lead to more effective treatments with fewer side effects for patients. The presentation generated strong interest among conference participants, reflecting growing recognition of CEACAM6 as an important emerging target in oncology.
The World ADC London conference, now in its 16th year, is the longest-standing global conference dedicated to ADC research and development. The event brings together more than 700 industry stakeholders from over 240 companies, including biopharma organizations, clinicians, investors, and regulatory experts. More information about the conference is available at https://worldadc-europe.com/.
A copy of Dr. Davis's presentation is available on the Company's website at https://helixbiopharma.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Unlocking-the-Potential-of-CEACAM6.pdf. The presentation was part of the conference's Seminar Day program, which brings together leading ADC experts to address key challenges and opportunities in next-generation conjugate design, safety, combination strategies, and regulatory development.
The development of CEACAM6-targeted therapies represents a significant advancement in oncology research, particularly for cancers that have proven difficult to treat with existing therapies. The selective binding approach demonstrated in Helix's research could potentially improve treatment outcomes while reducing the debilitating side effects often associated with cancer therapies. As the field of ADC development continues to evolve, presentations like this one at major scientific conferences help advance the collective understanding of how to better target cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.
