ASCO is a barometer for the industry — and a catalyst for deeper insight
ASCO remains the premier global forum for oncology clinical developments. At Intelligencia AI, we apply proprietary ML models to clinical trial data and program features to estimate the Probability of Technical and Regulatory Success (PTRS).
Ahead of new clinical readouts, we utilized PTRS predictions to identify oncology programs with strong potential, informed by both model insights and internal scientific expertise. This illustrates the predictive power of PTRS as an early indicator of success.
List of companies to watch after ASCO 2025
The five selected companies on our 2025 ASCO watchlist include:
Here’s a snapshot of the characteristics that led these pharma companies to be included on our ASCO 2025 watchlist.
- High PTRS: Primary selection was based on programs with a high Probability of Technical and Regulatory Success (PTRS) using our ML-driven model.
- Clinical Stage: We considered where the program is in development, prioritizing those closer to pivotal results or commercialization.
- Novelty of Approach: Preference was given to programs using innovative mechanisms, modalities, or advanced technology systems.
- Differentiation: Selected programs show clear potential to stand out versus competitors.
- Broad Therapeutic Potential: Emphasis was given to assets with the potential for application across multiple indications within a disease area, suggesting wider commercial and clinical impact.
- Expert Judgment: Final selections balanced algorithmic output with domain expertise to ensure scientific and commercial relevance.
A Deeper Look: Understanding why we selected these companies
Allogene Therapeutics
Allogene’s off-the-shelf AlloCAR T targeting CD70 offers a promising new avenue in renal cell carcinoma by leveraging a novel tumor-associated antigen and releasing an immune system brake
ALLO-316, Clear cell renal carcinoma (cRCC), Ph1, NCT04696731
Drug Characteristics:
•Targeted CD70 engagement: ALLO-316 is an allogeneic CAR T-cell therapy engineered to recognize and kill CD70-expressing tumor cells, a target highly expressed in renal cell carcinoma and other malignancies but limited in normal tissues.
•Off-the-shelf design with rapid deployment: Unlike autologous CAR T therapies, ALLO-316 is produced from healthy donor T cells, enabling immediate availability, standardized dosing, and reduced manufacturing time—key advantages in rapidly progressing cancers.
Positive Clinical Trial Characteristics:
•The program is rewarded for the positive interim efficacy results that have already been announced, as well as the number of successfully enrolled patients. Among patients with CD70-positive tumors and a tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥50%, ALLO-316 achieved a 50% overall response rate (ORR) and a 33% complete response (CR) rate following a single infusion.
Regulatory Designations:
•The program received a Fast-track designation on March 2022, only a year after it was initiated, as well as a Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation in October 2024, both of which are major positive predictors for a program this early in development.
Perspective Therapeutics
Perspective’s targeted alpha therapy delivers tumor-specific radiation, primes immunity, and enables precision via melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) imaging in melanoma patients with limited options
[212Pb]VMT01, Melanoma, Ph1/2, NCT05655312
Drug Characteristics:
•MC1R-Targeted Alpha Therapy: [²¹²Pb]VMT01 is a radiopharmaceutical designed to deliver alpha radiation specifically to melanoma cells overexpressing the MC1R. Upon binding to MC1R, the compound is internalized, allowing the alpha-emitting isotope ²¹²Pb to induce potent DNA damage, leading to tumor cell death while sparing surrounding healthy tissue due to the short path length of alpha particles.
•Theranostic Capability with ²⁰³Pb: The VMT01 ligand can also be labeled with ²⁰³Pb, a gamma-emitting isotope, enabling imaging via SPECT to assess MC1R expression and predict therapeutic uptake.
•Synergistic Potential with Immunotherapy: Preclinical studies have demonstrated that [²¹²Pb]VMT01 not only causes direct tumor cell killing but also stimulates an immune response, enhancing the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors like anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies.
Positive Clinical Trial Characteristics:
•The program is rewarded for the positive interim efficacy results that have already been announced, as well as the number of successfully enrolled patients. Among patients treated with a specific dosage, a 33% ORR and a 100% disease control rate (DCR) were achieved.
Regulatory Designations:
•The program received a Fast-track designation in September 2024, which is a major positive predictor for a program this early in development.
BioAtla
With its pH-responsive targeting of receptor tyrosine kinase like orphan receptor 2 (ROR2), BioAtla’s novel ADC has the potential to transform treatment across diverse tumor types if proven to be efficacious
Ozuriftamab Vedotin, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, Ph2, NCT05271604
Drug Characteristics:
•Conditionally Active Biologic (CAB) Targeting ROR2: Ozuriftamab Vedotin is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that selectively binds to ROR2, a protein overexpressed in various tumors. Its binding is activated in the acidic tumor microenvironment, minimizing interaction with healthy tissues and enhancing tumor-specific targeting.
•Potent Cytotoxic Payload Delivery: Upon binding to ROR2-positive tumor cells, the ADC is internalized, releasing monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), a microtubule-disrupting agent. This leads to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, effectively killing the cancer cells.
Clinical Trial Outcomes:
•Ozuriftamab Vedotin achieved an ORR of 32%, including a complete response. The DCR was 86%, demonstrating its potential efficacy in treatment-resistant cancers.
Regulatory Designations:
•The program received a Fast-track designation in July 2024, which is a major positive predictor.
Actuate Therapeutics
Actuate advances Elraglusib, a first-in-class glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β) inhibitor, in pancreatic cancer-unmet need area-with promising anti-tumor and innate immune activation potential
Elraglusib, Pancreatic ductal carcinoma, Ph2, NCT03678883
Drug Characteristics:
•Conditionally Active Biologic (CAB) Targeting ROR2: Ozuriftamab Vedotin is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that selectively binds to ROR2, a protein overexpressed in various tumors. Its binding is activated in the acidic tumor microenvironment, minimizing interaction with healthy tissues and enhancing tumor-specific targeting.
•Potent Cytotoxic Payload Delivery: Upon binding to ROR2-positive tumor cells, the ADC is internalized, releasing monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), a microtubule-disrupting agent. This leads to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, effectively killing the cancer cells.
Clinical Trial Outcomes:
•Ozuriftamab Vedotin achieved an ORR of 32%, including a complete response. The DCR was 86%, demonstrating its potential efficacy in treatment-resistant cancers.
Regulatory Designations:
•The program received a Fast-track designation in July 2024, which is a major positive predictor.
Zai Lab
Zai’s novel delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3)-targeting ADC leverages tumor-acidic activation for precise delivery, aiming to treat a broad range of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors that express the target
ZL 1310, Small-cell lung carcinoma, Ph1, NCT06179069
Drug Characteristics:
•DLL3-Targeted ADC: ZL-1310 is an investigational ADC that targets DLL3, a protein overexpressed in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and other neuroendocrine tumors. The ADC comprises a humanized anti-DLL3 monoclonal antibody linked via a cleavable linker to a novel camptothecin derivative, a topoisomerase I inhibitor, facilitating targeted delivery of the cytotoxic agent to tumor cells.
•Tumor Microenvironment-Activatable Design: Utilizing Zai Lab’s proprietary TMALIN® platform, ZL-1310 is engineered to be activated within the tumor microenvironment. This design aims to enhance the selective release of the cytotoxic payload in tumor tissues, potentially improving efficacy while minimizing off-target effects.
Clinical Trial Outcomes:
•ZL-1310 demonstrated an ORR of 74%, all partial responses, with a favorable safety profile. These results suggest potential efficacy in a treatment-refractory population. Notably, patients with brain metastases also responded to the treatment. The safety profile was favorable, with no reports of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), which are concerns with other DLL3-targeted therapies like Amgen’s Imdeltra.
Regulatory Designations:
•The program received an Orphan Drug designation in January 2025, which is a major positive predictor for a program this early in development.
Our Methodology Behind the 2025 ASCO Analysis
By leveraging our AI-driven PTRS assessments, we highlighted five companies that we predict will distinguish themselves through positive outcomes at ASCO 2025. Below is an illustrated view of our process.
*This material is provided for informational purposes only, and it is not, and may not be relied on in any manner as investment advice or as an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy an interest in any fund or investment vehicle managed by Intelligencia AI or any other Intelligencia entity. The information and data are as of the publication date unless otherwise noted, and Intelligencia has no obligation to update such information or data. Certain information contained herein has been obtained from third-party sources. Although such content is believed to be reliable, it has not been independently verified as to its accuracy or completeness and cannot be guaranteed.