Pharma BD Deal Intelligence
Lilly acquired French ADC specialist Mablink Bioscience, gaining the PSARLink hydrophilic polysarcosine linker technology and lead candidate MB-1707 (a.k.a. MBK-103), an FRalpha-targeted exatecan ADC positioned as a next-generation rival to AbbVie's Elahere. Announced October 18, 2023; closed December 1, 2023. Deal terms undisclosed; press estimates ~$250M including milestones. Post-close the asset was renamed LY4170156 and received the INN sofetabart mipitecan. It advanced into a Phase 1a/b study (NCT06400472), with first clinical data at ASCO 2025 (June) showing a preliminary ORR of ~55% at the 4 mg/kg Q3W dose in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, including responses in patients who had progressed on prior mirvetuximab soravtansine; updated data followed at ESMO 2025 (October). On January 20, 2026 the FDA granted sofetabart mipitecan Breakthrough Therapy Designation for platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer in patients who received prior bevacizumab and mirvetuximab soravtansine, and the asset advanced into the Phase 3 FRAmework-01 program (NCT07213804). The original bolt-on thesis has been strongly validated.