Adlai Nortye Partners with Lilly and Merck for Trial
The company secured a clinical supply agreement to test its investigational cancer treatment AN4035.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Cancer
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Adlai Nortye has entered a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Eli Lilly and Merck KGaA. The companies will provide the drug cetuximab at no cost to support the testing of AN4035 as both a monotherapy and a combination treatment.
Why it matters
Researchers are testing the combination of AN4035 and cetuximab to determine if targeting tumor biology from two distinct angles improves clinical efficacy. The agreement allows the trial to proceed without requiring additional purchase prices or milestone payments from the sponsor.
Adlai Nortye is conducting a Phase I trial for AN4035, an antibody-drug conjugate targeting the CEACAM5 antigen, with sites spanning the United States, Australia, and China.
The players
Adlai Nortye
This biotechnology company focuses on the development of cancer therapies and is the sole sponsor of the AN4035 trial.
Eli Lilly
This major global pharmaceutical corporation is a long-standing developer of oncology treatments and therapeutic drugs.
Merck KGaA
This multinational science and technology company operates in the healthcare, life science, and electronics sectors.
The details
Adlai Nortye remains the sole sponsor of the trial, while Lilly supplies cetuximab for U.S. sites and Merck KGaA covers sites in Australia and China. The deal includes no equity stake or milestone payments between the participants.
Timeline
15 October 2026: Clinical supply agreement announced.
First half of 2027: Expected Phase Ia data release for AN9025.
The Big Picture
This agreement is centered on the AN4035 cancer drug trial, which serves as the primary research vehicle for the company's antibody-drug conjugate development pipeline.
This agreement standardizes the availability of cetuximab across international trial sites, potentially streamlining the participant experience. It does not immediately impact standard treatment protocols, as AN4035 remains in an early-stage investigational trial phase.
The takeaway
Collaborative supply agreements between developers and major pharmaceutical firms often provide the resources needed to test combination therapies without diluting equity. Patients should note that AN4035 is still in Phase I testing and is not yet available for general clinical use.
Further reading
For broader context on oncology research developments, see the latest updates in Cancer.
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