NovaRock Biotherapeutics

What NovaRock Biotherapeutics does

NovaRock Biotherapeutics is a privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company founded in January 2018 in Princeton, New Jersey (now headquartered in Ewing, NJ) that develops fully human monoclonal and bispecific antibody therapeutics for oncology and autoimmune diseases. Its pipeline comprises four clinical-stage molecules: NBL-015 (anti-Claudin-18.2 antibody for pancreatic and gastric cancer, with FDA Orphan-Drug Designation for both indications), NBL-012 (anti-IL-23p19 antibody for psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, and IBD), NBL-020 (TNFR2 antibody for advanced solid tumors, including PD-1-resistant settings), and NBL-028 (CLDN6 × CD137 bispecific T cell engager for CLDN6-positive tumors). Two proprietary technology platforms underpin the pipeline: NovaTE, a bispecific scaffold designed to selectively activate antigen-experienced T cells in the tumor microenvironment while minimizing systemic toxicity, and AFIS, used to discover the NBL-020 TNFR2 antibody, supplemented by protein engineering capabilities that enhance ADCC, CDC, and ADCP effector functions.

The company operates an asset-light, partnership-driven business model. NovaRock retains development control and global rights in selected markets and licenses regional or program rights to pharmaceutical partners for upfront payments, development and sales milestones, and royalties. Confirmed partnerships include Flame Biosciences (NBL-015 ex-Greater China plus two NovaTE-derived CD137 bispecifics, $7.5M upfront and up to $632.5M in potential milestones plus mid-single-digit royalties), CSPC through JMT-Bio (NBL-012 in Asia ex-Japan/EU/US), Bionyra Pharma (BYN-001 ex-Greater China), and ABL Bio (co-development of givastomig/ABL111, an anti-Claudin18.2 × 4-1BB bispecific that has received FDA Fast Track designation). The company has obtained FDA IND clearance for all four clinical candidates, parallel NMPA filings on two programs, and operates with a small (11–50 employee) R&D-centric organization, channeling value creation through licensing rather than in-house commercialization.

Name

NovaRock Biotherapeutics

Legal name

NovaRock Biotherapeutics Inc.

Website

https://novarockbio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NovaRock Biotherapeutics is a clinical-stage biotech developing fully human monoclonal and bispecific antibody therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases, monetizing through licensing and co-development partnerships with pharmaceutical companies such as Flame Biosciences, CSPC, ABL Bio, and Bionyra.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biopharmaceuticals — Antibody Therapeutics

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Antibody Discovery & Engineering Platforms (display tech, bispecifics, Fc engineering) (HLAAAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bispecific & Multispecific Antibodies (HLAAAAAF), Engineered Protein Therapeutics (de novo/AI-designed proteins, novel scaffolds) (HLAAAAAJ), Immunology & Autoimmune Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAB), Protein Interaction & Structural Biology Platforms (cryo-EM, X-ray, NMR, biophysics) (HLAAAIAH)

Keywords

• Antibody therapeutics
• Oncology biologics
• Bispecific antibody platform
• Clinical-stage biopharmaceuticals
• Autoimmune disease therapies

Headquarters

HQ city

Princeton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Licensing and Milestone Payments: NovaRock receives upfront payments, development milestone payments, and sales milestone payments from licensing partners for its proprietary antibody programs. Examples include $7.5M upfront from Flame Biosciences, up to $172.5M in development milestones, and up to $460M in sales milestones plus royalties.
2. Royalty Streams: NovaRock receives mid single-digit royalties on net product sales and royalties based on a certain percentage of net sales of licensed products in the territory.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

NovaRock Biotherapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that discovers and develops monoclonal and bispecific antibody therapeutics for cancer and autoimmune diseases. Its pipeline includes anti-Claudin-18.2 (NBL-015), anti-IL-23p19 (NBL-012), anti-TNFR2 (NBL-020), and CLDN6-CD137 bispecific (NBL-028) antibodies, supported by proprietary discovery and engineering platforms. The company out-licenses its pipeline assets and technology platforms to global pharmaceutical partners for development, manufacturing, and commercialization in defined territories while retaining rights in others.

Product overview

NovaRock Biotherapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative antibody therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases. The company operates a pipeline of monoclonal and bispecific antibodies including: NBL-015 (Claudin-18.2 for gastric/pancreatic cancer), NBL-012 (IL-23p19 for inflammatory diseases), NBL-020 (TNFR2 for solid tumors), and NBL-028 (CLDN6-CD137 T cell engager for solid tumors). NovaRock's technology portfolio includes the NovaTE bispecific T cell engager platform and AFIS antibody discovery platform. The company has granted exclusive licenses to partners including Flame Biosciences (NBL-015 ex-China) and CSPC (NBL-012 in Asia).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NovaTE: Bispecific antibody technology platform that selectively activates antigen-experienced T cells in the tumor microenvironment through tumor antigen and CD-137 bispecific antibodies.

Products and services

• NBL-015 NBL-015 is a fully human anti-Claudin-18.2 monoclonal antibody optimized for enhanced ADCC, CDC, and ADCP effector functions, developed for the treatment of advanced Claudin-18.2-positive solid tumors including pancreatic adenocarcinoma and gastric/esophageal/gastroesophageal junction cancers. Granted FDA Orphan-Drug Designation for both pancreatic and gastric cancer indications. Licensed to Flame Biosciences for ex-Greater China development and commercialization.
• NBL-012 NBL-012 is a fully human IL-23p19 neutralizing antibody for chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, and inflammatory bowel disease. Demonstrated favorable safety and superior pharmacokinetics versus commercial comparators in Phase I healthy volunteer trials. Licensed to CSPC/JMT-Bio for development and commercialization worldwide excluding US, Europe, and Japan.
• NBL-020 NBL-020 is a fully human tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) antibody for the treatment of advanced solid tumors, including PD-1/PD-L1 resistant or refractory tumors. Discovered using NovaRock's proprietary AFIS platform, it inhibits tumor growth as a single agent and in combination with anti-PD1 antibodies in preclinical PD-1 sensitive and resistant models.
• NBL-028 NBL-028 is a CLDN6-CD137 bispecific T cell engager for the treatment of CLDN6-expressing advanced solid tumors, including testicular, ovarian, NSCLC, and endometrial cancers. First program from NovaRock's NovaTE T cell engager platform, designed to selectively activate the CD137 co-stimulatory pathway in the tumor microenvironment while minimizing systemic toxicity.
• BYN-001 BYN-001 is a NovaRock immunology asset for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and atopic dermatitis. NovaRock retains exclusive global rights outside Greater China and has out-licensed ex-Greater China rights to Bionyra Pharma.

Quantifiable outcome

• NBL-012 demonstrated significantly longer half-life and higher drug exposure in Phase I healthy volunteer trials compared to commercial products targeting the same molecule
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Bionyra PharmacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026NovaRock licensed ex-Greater China rights to BYN-001 to Bionyra Pharma, a Paris-based biotech company launched with $165 million Series A funding co-led by Jeito Capital and Sofinnova Partners. Bionyra is developing half-life extended biologics for inflammatory bowel disease and atopic dermatitis.
• ABL BiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026NovaRock Biotherapeutics and ABL Bio jointly developed givastomig (ABL111), a bispecific antibody targeting Claudin 18.2 and 4-1BB for gastric cancer treatment. ABL Bio announced FDA Fast Track designation for givastomig for first-line treatment of Claudin 18.2-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic gastric cancer. Phase 1b trials demonstrated encouraging anti-tumor activity and favorable safety with Phase 3 study planned for Q4.
• CSPC/JMT-Bio TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 October 2022NovaRock entered strategic collaboration and license agreement with Shanghai JMT-Bio Technology Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Limited, for development and commercialization of NBL-012 worldwide excluding US, Europe and Japan. CSPC is committed to advancing NBL-012 into Phase II studies in psoriasis and IBD. NovaRock receives upfront and milestone payments, as well as royalties on future net sales.
• Flame BiosciencescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 August 2021NovaRock granted Flame Biosciences exclusive license (excluding China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) to co-develop, manufacture, and commercialize NBL-015, a clinical-stage anti-Claudin 18.2 antibody for pancreatic and gastric cancer. NovaRock will collaborate with Flame on development of two CD137 bispecific antibody programs based on NovaTE technology platform. NovaRock received $7.5 million upfront payment and is eligible for development milestones up to $172.5 million, sales milestones up to $460 million, and mid single-digit royalties on net product sales.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Akeso Inc. Chinese clinical-stage biotech with a large bispecific antibody pipeline including competitors to NovaRock's Claudin18.2 programs. Comparable platform approach and development-stage assets in oncology and autoimmune.
• Cullinan Oncology: Clinical-stage oncology biotech with multiple partnered programs including Claudin18.2-directed therapies. Similar structure to NovaRock with development-stage assets, strategic partnerships, and portfolio breadth.
• ABL Bio: South Korea-based clinical-stage bispecific antibody company that co-developed givastomig (Claudin18.2 x 4-1BB) with NovaRock and secured FDA Fast Track designation. Direct collaborative peer in the same bispecific antibody space targeting tumor-selective T cell activation.
• Compass Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing novel bispecific antibodies for oncology, including Claudin18.2 and other tumor-targeted T cell engagers. Comparable in size, focus, and bispecific platform approach to NovaRock.
• Flame Biosciences: Clinical-stage oncology biotech that licensed NBL-015 from NovaRock and collaborates on CD137 bispecific programs. Operates in the same oncology/Claudin18.2 space with similar pipeline scale and clinical-stage assets.

Broad incumbents

• BioNTech: Large-cap biotech with multiple Claudin18.2 candidates including bispecific antibodies in oncology trials. Validates the broader Claudin18.2 competitive landscape where NovaRock's NBL-015 operates.
• Astellas Pharma: Major Japanese pharma with approved Claudin18.2-targeted therapy zolbetuximab (Vyloy), directly competing with NovaRock's NBL-015 in gastric cancer. Large-cap incumbent validating the Claude18.2 target space.

Emerging players

• Elstar Therapeutics: Clinical-stage bispecific antibody company developing precision immunotherapies targeting tumor microenvironment. Comparable approach to NovaRock's NovaTE platform in targeting tumor-restricted immune activation.
• Werewolf Therapeutics: Clinical-stage oncology biotech developing INDUKINE and PREDATOR platform-based immunotherapies. Smaller peer with comparable team size and approach to selectively activating immune responses in the tumor microenvironment.
• Maverick Therapeutics: Bispecific antibody company focused on T cell engagers for solid tumors, with similar Conditionally Active Biologics approach to NovaTE's tumor-selective activation concept.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/novarock-biotherapeutics

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NovaRock Biotherapeutics