Crescent Biopharma details pipeline timelines for CR-001, CR-002 and CR-003

Crescent Biopharma issued a press release on October 15, 2026 describing updates across its clinical pipeline, according to an 8-K filed the same day. The update covers enrolling patients in cohorts combining CR-001, a PD-1 x VEGF bispecific antibody, plus standard of care chemotherapy regimens in its global Phase 1/2 ASCEND trial, the initiation of additional antibody-drug conjugate combination studies with CR-001, anticipated initiation of the Phase 1/2 APOLLO trial of CR-002, a topoisomerase inhibitor ADC targeting PD-L1, and expected timing of clinical data readouts.¹

In the ASCEND trial, Crescent has completed dose escalation and enrolled participants across several tumor types at sites in the United States, Europe and South Korea.¹ The company expects to report initial monotherapy data in the first quarter of 2027, including preliminary response data from a first-line NSCLC cohort of up to 12 patients, along with safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data from more than 125 patients across multiple solid tumor types.¹ Enrollment has also started in chemotherapy combination expansion cohorts spanning several tumor types, with initial data anticipated in mid-2027, and Crescent plans to begin the first of multiple Phase 3 trials of CR-001 in early 2028, pending results and regulatory discussions.¹

For CR-002, the FDA allowed the Investigational New Drug Application to proceed in October 2026.¹ Crescent expects to start the global Phase 1/2 APOLLO trial in the fourth quarter of 2026 in patients with advanced solid tumors, with initial data expected in the second half of 2027.¹

On CR-003, an integrin-beta 6-targeted ADC, Kelun-Biotech granted Crescent exclusive rights to research, develop and commercialize the asset in the United States, Europe and markets outside Greater China.¹ A Phase 1/2 trial of CR-003 in advanced solid tumors, conducted by Kelun-Biotech in China, is already ongoing, with proof-of-concept data expected in the first quarter of 2027.¹ Separately, a Phase 1/2 trial combining CR-001 with CR-003 is expected to commence in the first half of 2027.¹