Molecular Partners Updates on Clinical Progress Across Expanding Pipeline of DARPin Radiotherapeutics

ZURICH-SCHLIEREN, Switzerland and CONCORD, Mass., July 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR – Molecular Partners AG (SIX: MOLN; NASDAQ: MOLN), a clinical-stage biotech company developing a novel class of custom-built protein drugs known as DARPin therapeutics (“Molecular Partners” or the “Company”), today provided an update across its pipeline of targeted alpha Radio-DARPin therapeutics (RDTs).

“Molecular Partners has made significant progress in the first months of 2026, with our DLL3 radiotherapy candidate MP0712 progressing through Phase 1 initiation and dosing of patients in the first cohort. In addition, we have shown impressive data highlighting the unique advantages of our DARPins as interchangeable, isotope-agnostic vectors for alpha-emitting payloads, enabling us to tailor radiopharmaceuticals to target and disease biology. We look forward to first clinical data on MP0712 and to progressing our next Radio-DARPin candidates to first-in-human imaging in the second half of the year,” said Patrick Amstutz, Ph.D., CEO of Molecular Partners.

Dosing of patients is ongoing in the first cohort of the US multicenter Phase 1/2a study of MP0712 (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT07278479). MP0712, targeting the tumor-associated protein delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3) and carrying the therapeutic payload Lead-212 (²¹²Pb), is being developed for patients with small cell lung cancer and other neuroendocrine cancers, with strategic partner Orano Med. The Phase 1 study contains up to 4 dose levels (cohorts). Each patient will receive up to 4 doses of MP0712 within their assigned dose level. At present five centers are open and recruiting. Initial data from the MP0712 Phase 1/2a study are expected within the next months, with a more comprehensive dataset on safety and efficacy in 2027.

Based on his successful experience with MP0712 and on access to other isotopes, Dr. Mike Sathekge of the Nuclear Medicine Research Institute (NuMeRI) in South Africa has made a request for an early-access clinical program (under the legal framework for compassionate care in South Africa, Section 21 of the Medicines and Related Substances Act) with a DLL3-targeting Radio-DARPin, this time utilizing ¹⁷⁷Lu/²²⁵Ac as theranostics pair to image and treat patients, respectively (referred to as MP0714). Molecular Partners remains fully focused on the execution of the US Phase 1/2a study of MP0712 with ²¹²Pb. PanTera, a leading radioisotope producer, is among the suppliers of ²²⁵Ac for the use of MP0714 at NuMeRI. This work is enabled by the versatility of DARPins to interchange isotopes.

The Company’s ability to explore targets in an alpha isotope-agnostic manner is supported by preclinical data presented at the 3^rd Global Radiopharmaceuticals Development Summit in March 2026 in Shanghai, China. The data show highly comparable biodistribution profiles of two Radio-DARPin candidates, each specific for a different tumor target, labeled with ¹⁷⁷Lu or ²⁰³Pb. Imaging with ¹⁷⁷Lu can be indicative of behavior with the therapeutic isotope ²²⁵Ac, and similarly with ²⁰³Pb for ²¹²Pb.

MP0726, the Company’s second Radio-DARPin candidate, targets mesothelin (MSLN), a tumor target overexpressed across several cancers with high unmet need such as ovarian cancer. Molecular Partners plans to advance MP0726 towards first-in-human imaging in H2 2026.

As part of its growing pipeline, the Company plans two INDs across its portfolio of targeted cancer therapeutics in 2027 and expects to nominate a new RDT target in the second half of this year.