Helix BioPharma Corp. presented new data on its CEACAM6-directed antibody-drug conjugate program at the 16th Annual World ADC London conference, highlighting the target's potential across multiple epithelial cancers and the company's proprietary tumor-selective binding technology. The presentation, delivered by Dr. Jonathan Davis, Helix's Director of ADC Discovery, focused on CEACAM6 as an attractive therapeutic target due to its elevated expression in various cancers, association with poor clinical outcomes, and limited expression in healthy tissues.
The importance of this presentation lies in addressing one of oncology's persistent challenges: developing treatments that effectively target cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissues. CEACAM6 represents an emerging target that could expand treatment options for patients with hard-to-treat cancers. 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, which demonstrated preferential binding to tumor-expressed CEACAM6.
This selective binding profile supports the development of next-generation ADCs designed to deliver potent therapeutic payloads directly to cancer cells while minimizing off-target effects. The technology 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. 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 implications of this research extend across the oncology landscape, potentially offering new treatment avenues for patients with cancers that currently have limited therapeutic options. CEACAM6's broad expression across epithelial cancers suggests that successful targeting could benefit multiple patient populations. The World ADC London conference, now in its 16th year, serves as a key forum for scientific exchange in ADC research, bringing together more than 700 industry stakeholders from over 240 companies according to conference information available at https://worldadc-europe.com/.
Dr. Davis noted that 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, supporting the development of next-generation ADCs designed to maximize therapeutic impact while minimizing off-target effects. The presentation generated strong interest among conference participants, reflecting growing recognition of CEACAM6 as an important emerging target in oncology.
For the pharmaceutical industry, successful development of CEACAM6-targeted therapies could create new market opportunities while addressing unmet medical needs. For patients, this research represents potential progress toward more effective, targeted treatments with reduced side effects. The continued advancement of ADC technology represents a significant area of innovation in cancer treatment, with implications for drug development pipelines and clinical practice across multiple cancer types.
