July 2, 2025 – MediLink Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, today announced that the first patient has been enrolled and dosed in China in the Global Phase I clinical trial of YL217. YL217 is a CDH17-targeting antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) based on MediLink’s proprietary TMALIN® technology platform.

About YL217

YL217 is a novel antibody-drug conjugate targeting CDH17, designed primarily for the treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies. CDH17 is highly expressed in tumor tissues such as gastric, colorectal, pancreatic, and hepatocellular carcinomas. Its expression is associated with metastasis and disease progression in gastrointestinal-origin cancers and is upregulated in advanced, well-differentiated tumors.

YL217 leverages MediLink’s next-generation TMALIN® linker-payload platform, which enables site-specific activation of the cytotoxic payload within the tumor microenvironment. The Global Phase I clinical trial has officially commenced.

About MediLink Therapeutics

Founded in 2020, MediLink Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of next-generation antibody-drug conjugates. The company has built a robust portfolio of proprietary linker-payload technologies, including the TMALIN® platform featuring tumor microenvironment-activated camptothecin-based payloads. To date, twelve ADC programs based on TMALIN® have received clinical trial approvals in both China and the United States. 

MediLink is committed to addressing unmet clinical needs by delivering transformative cancer therapies to patients worldwide. The company is headquartered in Suzhou, with offices in Boston, Shanghai, and Singapore.