World Ovarian Cancer Day 2026: New Diagnostics and ADCs

While ovarian cancer is not one of the most common cancers, it is often found late.

In the US, ovarian cancer represents about 1% of new cancer cases, yet it is expected to cause 12,450 deaths in 2026. About 22% of cases are diagnosed while the cancer is still localized, when five-year relative survival is about 91.9%. More than half are diagnosed after distant spread, when five-year relative survival is about 31.5%.

On World Ovarian Cancer Day, observed on May 8, the campaign focuses on access, with the 2026 theme, #NoWomanLeftBehind, calling for support, research and treatment to reach women wherever they may be.

Ovarian cancer can be misdiagnosed when symptoms resemble conditions such as diverticulitis or irritable bowel syndrome. In some cases, the reverse can happen too, where tests may raise concern for cancer when another condition is responsible.

The last two years have seen more movement in the ovarian cancer research space. AbbVie added the ovarian cancer ADC Elahere to its portfolio with ImmunoGen’s acquisition. Genmab acquired ProfoundBio, gaining the FRα-targeted ADC candidate Rina-S. By 2025, the FDA had approved Verastem’s avutometinib and defactinib combination for KRAS-mutated recurrent low-grade serous ovarian cancer.

More recently, the FDA approved Corcept Therapeutics’ Lifyorli (relacorilant) with nab-paclitaxel, a chemotherapy, for certain adults with platinum-resistant ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer. The approval gives this harder-to-treat group another treatment option after prior systemic therapy, meaning treatment that works throughout the body. 

Xtalks Insights

Get industry leading pharma and biotech news, events and expert insights delivered to your inbox.

First Name *

Email *

By clicking this checkbox, I agree to receive Xtalks communications and understand that I may unsubscribe at any time. Please review the Xtalks privacy policy here.

Protected by reCAPTCHA.

Continue

What topics would you like to hear more about?

Select all that apply.

Science and Discovery Clinical Development Regulatory Safety and Quality Manufacturing and Supply Chain Commercial and Market Access Data AI and Digital Therapeutic Areas

Progress

1 2 3

Next Step

Want to get even more specific?

Help us narrow down the sub-topics that you're most interested in.

Progress

1 2 3

Save Preferences

Thank you!

For webinars, videos, podcasts and more from Xtalks, join our community today.

BECOME A FREE MEMBER

Progress

1 2 3

ADC Development Remains Active in Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is drawing attention in the antibody-drug conjugate or ADC space. ADCs are medicines that link a targeted antibody to a cancer-killing drug. 

Gilead Sciences plans to acquire Tubulis, a Germany-based clinical-stage biotech company developing ADCs. The deal includes Tubulis’ lead investigational asset, TUB-040, which is being studied in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and non-small cell lung cancer.

TUB-040 targets NaPi2b, an antigen that Tubulis says is highly overexpressed in ovarian cancer, lung adenocarcinoma and endometrial cancer. The candidate is being studied in a Phase I/IIa trial in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and relapsed or refractory non-small cell lung cancer.

Tubulis recently shared updated Phase I/IIa data from the ovarian cancer cohort of its ongoing NAPISTAR 1-01 trial, which will be presented at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting. 

Fast Track Programs Focus on Genomic-Defined Disease

Other ovarian cancer programs are focusing on tumors with specific genetic or molecular features.

Debiopharm announced that the FDA bestowed Fast Track designation to lunresertib in combination with zedoresertib for genomic-defined platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. 

The combination is being studied in the Phase I MYTHIC trial in patients with advanced solid tumors that carry certain genomic alterations. The approach targets DNA damage repair, a process cancer cells can rely on to keep growing despite genetic damage.

Lunresertib is designed to inhibit PKMYT1, while zedoresertib inhibits WEE1. The combination is meant to interfere with the way certain cancer cells manage DNA damage, making it harder for those cells to survive.

858 Therapeutics also received FDA Fast Track designation in January for ETX-19477, an oral PARG inhibitor being studied in adults with BRCA-mutated, platinum-resistant, high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

The drug is being evaluated in an ongoing Phase I/II study in patients with advanced solid tumors, including selected tumors with BRCA mutations. Like the Debiopharm program, ETX-19477 remains investigational.

A New Companion Diagnostic for Keytruda Eligibility

In February 2026, the FDA approved Agilent’s PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx as a companion diagnostic for epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal carcinoma. 

A companion diagnostic is a test that helps pathologists check whether a tumor expresses PD-L1, a protein that can help some cancer cells avoid immune attack. Patients whose tumors express PD-L1 may be eligible for Keytruda (pembrolizumab), Merck’s anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.

The approval was supported by the KEYNOTE-B96 clinical trial, where PD-L1 expression was evaluated using the diagnostic test. 

Could an AI “Nose” Help Detect Ovarian Cancer Earlier?

A team including researchers from Linköping University and VOC Diagnostics AB tested a machine learning-driven “electronic nose” for ovarian cancer detection. The device analyzed chemical signals released from blood plasma. In the study, the model distinguished ovarian cancer patients from healthy controls with 97% sensitivity and 97% specificity.