ESMO TAT Asia 2026 Highlights AI-Driven Drug Development, Theranostics, and Gastric Cancer Advances in Hong Kong
Key Insights
The second ESMO Targeted Anticancer Therapies Asia Congress drew nearly 600 attendees to Hong Kong from June 12–14, 2026, reinforcing the region's role in early-phase oncology drug development.
Prof. Rui-Hua Xu delivered a keynote on emerging molecular targets and drugs for gastric cancer (search), highlighting new pipeline candidates, particularly from China.
A dedicated session on theranostics and radioligand therapy emphasized that building infrastructure, multidisciplinary expertise, and region-specific evidence is critical for translating innovation into patient outcomes.
The second edition of the ESMO Targeted Anticancer Therapies Asia Congress (ESMO TAT Asia 2026) convened from June 12 to 14 in Hong Kong SAR, China, drawing nearly 600 attendees from across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Under the theme "Advancing cancer drug discovery in Asia together," the congress served as a focused platform for clinical investigators, scientists, pharmaceutical leaders, biotech innovators, and investors to exchange knowledge on the latest progress in targeted anticancer therapies, translational research, and biomarker-driven treatment strategies.
Brigette B.Y. Ma, Francis Lee Professor and Director of the Phase 1 Clinical Trial Centre at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, described the event as "the premier early drug development forum in APAC," noting the presence of KOL speakers and many exciting presentations. "We hope to bring the latest advances in drug development in APAC to the world," Ma stated.
Gastric Cancer (search) Takes Center Stage
A highlight of the opening day was the keynote lecture delivered by Prof. Rui-Hua Xu, president of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (search) in China. Presided over by ESMO President Prof. Curigliano and President-Elect Prof. Andres, the lecture provided a comprehensive overview of emerging molecular targets and drugs for cancers prevalent in Asia, with a particular focus on gastric cancer (search).
Rashid Lui, commenting on the presentation, noted that "many new drugs are in the pipeline, especially from China," underscoring the rapidly evolving oncology drug development landscape in the region. The keynote set the tone for a congress deeply invested in addressing cancers with high prevalence in Asian populations.
Theranostics and Radioligand Therapy: From Innovation to Implementation
A dedicated session titled "From Innovation to Implementation in Theranostics and Radioligand Therapy" brought together experts including Grace Kong from Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (search), Ravindran Kanesvaran from National Cancer Centre Singapore, Julie Crouch, and Stefan Albrecht from Novartis.
Ravindran Kanesvaran emphasized that while the rapid evolution of theranostics and radioligand therapy is reshaping cancer care, successful implementation requires more than scientific breakthroughs. "Building sustainable infrastructure, developing multidisciplinary expertise, ensuring equitable access, and generating region-specific evidence will be critical to translating innovation into meaningful patient outcomes across Asia-Pacific," Kanesvaran remarked.
Julie Crouch described the session as a privilege, highlighting the collaborative spirit among global experts and regional leaders working to "accelerate the translation of novel therapies into clinical practice."
AI in Early Drug Development: Excitement Tempered with Realism
The final day of the congress featured a session on AI-driven applications in early drug development, chaired by Dr. Ho Min Kim from Daejeon, Republic of Korea, and Dr. Julien Vibert from Villejuif, France. The discussion captured both the transformative potential and the need for measured expectations.
Sreedhar Jayakrishnan characterized the session as "a great final session," noting that "the discussion around artificial intelligence balanced excitement with realism." He added, "There are incredible frontiers opening up with the use of AI, but rationality should not be lost in the hype."
Tan Wu Meng offered a broader perspective on the convergence of technology and life sciences, observing that "frontier AI and frontier life science are becoming one conversation," while cautioning that "the binding constraint of this synthetic age may not be compute — it may be trust, and trust is work only humans can do."
Bispecific Antibodies and STEAP1 (search)-Targeted T-Cell Engagers
Connie Lai highlighted discussions on bispecific antibodies and STEAP1 (search)-targeted T-cell engagers, reflecting the congress's breadth in covering novel immunotherapeutic modalities alongside targeted small molecules and radiopharmaceuticals.
Regional Collaboration and Hong Kong's Biotech Ambitions
Andy Wong, who delivered a presentation on policies driving drug market access and clinical trials, emphasized Hong Kong's commitment to becoming an "excellence biotech hub in Asia." The congress also recognized young researchers through the ESMO Merit Awards, celebrating the scientific merit of their abstracts.
Julien Vibert reflected on the congress as "an exceptional congress and, above all, a wonderful opportunity for exchanges with our Asian colleagues, planting the seeds for future collaborations and new friendships." Looking ahead, the next meeting in Hong Kong will be ESMO GU Asia 2027, continuing the momentum for advancing targeted therapies across the region.