BEIJING, February 8, 2026 — InnoCare Pharma (HKEX: 9969; SSE: 688428), a leading biopharmaceutical company focused on treating cancer and autoimmune diseases, today announced that the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved the Investigational New Drug (IND) application to launch clinical trials of ICP-538, a VAV1-targeted molecular glue degrader (MGD). This is the first VAV1 degrader cleared to enter clinical trials in China and the second globally.
ICP-538 is a novel, potent, highly selective oral molecular glue degrader that targets VAV1—a key protein downstream of T-cell and B-cell receptors—for the treatment of autoimmune diseases including inflammatory bowel disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, and multiple sclerosis. By selectively mediating the formation of a ternary complex between the CRBN E3 ubiquitin ligase and VAV1, ICP-538 induces rapid, efficient, dose-dependent degradation of the VAV1 protein. Currently, there are no approved VAV1-targeted therapies worldwide.
Degrading VAV1 effectively inhibits T-cell proliferation, differentiation, activation, and cytokine release, as well as B-cell activation and cytokine secretion—thereby exerting anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects and alleviating autoimmune and inflammatory pathological processes. Preclinical studies show that ICP-538 drives deep VAV1 degradation, leading to a significant reduction in cytokines associated with immune-mediated diseases, with no detectable impact on other proteins.
Dr. Jasmine Cui, Co-founder, Chairwoman, and CEO of InnoCare, stated: “InnoCare has long been developing novel drugs for autoimmune disease treatment. As a new targeted therapeutic agent, the VAV1 molecular glue degrader offers three major advantages: high target selectivity, the ability to mediate multiple mechanisms of action, and strong efficacy—all of which make it a promising new treatment option for patients with autoimmune diseases.”
About InnoCare
InnoCare is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing, and commercializing first-in-class and/or best-in-class drugs for cancers and autoimmune diseases with unmet medical needs in China and globally. The company has operations in Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and the United States.
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