Boehringer Ingelheim and Zai Lab Collaborate on DLL3-Targeting Therapy for Small Cell Lung Cancer

Boehringer Ingelheim and Zai Lab announce collaboration on DLL3-targeting T-Cell Engager and ADC combination in Small Cell Lung Cancer and other Neuroendocrine Carcinomas.

Clinical collaboration between Boehringer Ingelheim and Zai Lab has announced the evaluation of a dual DLL3-targeting combination therapy in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and other neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs).  

The Phase Ib/II study will test the combination of obrixtamig, a DLL3/CD3 T-cell engager, with Zai Lab’s zocilurtatug pelitecan (zoci), a DLL3-targeting ADC, to explore safety and potential clinical benefit. 

According to Towards Healthcare, the ADC Cytotoxic Payloads and Warheads Market is projected to experience significant growth, with estimates suggesting the market size will increase from USD 2.78 billion in 2026 to approximately USD 7.63 billion by 2035, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.9% from 2026 to 2035. Growth is driven by the increasing demand for commercialised ADCs due to their efficacy and safety profile, the confluence of multiple shifts, including the increasing dominance of biologics with targeted delivery mechanisms, the shift towards warheads with tunable potency, minimal off-target toxicity, and compatibility with site-specific conjugation technologies. 

Rafael G. Amado, M.D., Head of Global Research and Development at Zai Lab and President, stated that Zoci has shown encouraging activity and good tolerability in SCLC. We have rapidly advanced zoci into a pivotal stage and are pursuing opportunities to explore multiple combination approaches in SCLC and other NECs. 

About Boehringer Ingelheim 

Boehringer Ingelheim is a biopharmaceutical company active in both human and animal health. As one of the industry’s top investors in research and development, the company focuses on developing innovative therapies that can improve and extend lives in areas of high unmet medical need. Independent since its founding in 1885, Boehringer takes a long-term perspective, embedding sustainability throughout its entire value chain.  

It focuses on developing prescription medicines and consumer healthcare products, focusing on respiratory diseases, metabolism, immunology, oncology, and central nervous system disorders, and animal health, producing vaccines, treatments, and preventive solutions for livestock and pets, emphasizing disease prediction, prevention, and treatment. 

A recent report by Towards Healthcare highlights that the ADC Cytotoxic Payloads and Warheads Market is witnessing growth due to the increasing demand for targeted cancer therapies and advancements in biopharmaceuticals. The market is projected to grow from the rising prevalence of cancers worldwide, and a growing number of partnerships between pharmaceutical companies and research institutions create ample opportunities for market expansion and the integration of technologies like machine learning in drug development, and the rise of biosimilars further contributes to the evolving landscape.