NuCana plc (NASDAQ:NCNA) shares rose 8.9% in premarket trading Wednesday after the biopharmaceutical company announced it had been granted a major patent in China covering its experimental cancer treatment NUC-7738.
The China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) issued the composition of matter patent (ZL 202010794701.2) for NUC-7738, which is currently in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in combination with pembrolizumab for patients with PD-1 inhibitor–refractory or resistant melanoma.
The newly granted patent strengthens NuCana’s intellectual property portfolio, which now includes more than 85 issued patents globally. The patent specifically covers the chemical composition of the novel anti-cancer compound, providing broad protection for the drug’s molecular design.
“We welcome the CNIPA’s decision to grant this important new patent, which further strengthens the intellectual property protection of NUC-7738. The encouraging clinical data observed to date, together with the recent translational findings presented at ESMO 2025, continue to build confidence in the therapeutic potential of NUC-7738 in combination with PD-1 inhibition,” said Hugh S. Griffith, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of NuCana.
The company said the patent marks a significant milestone in its global IP expansion strategy, reinforcing its long-term plan to bring innovative cancer therapies to patients in China and other major markets.
NuCana also confirmed that it is enrolling additional patients in its NuTide:701 study as it continues advancing NUC-7738 toward broader clinical development and potential commercialization.