Novartis agreed to acquire Myricx Bio, paying $1.1 billion upfront and up to $400 million in milestones for the UK biotech’s next-generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) payload platform. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2026 and is designed to expand Novartis’ oncology portfolio with differentiated mechanisms aimed at broadening ADC use. Myricx’s platform centers on N-myristoyltransferase (NMT) inhibitors used as cytotoxic payloads, rather than traditional chemotherapy warheads. Novartis said the first two programs are expected to enter clinical development before the end of 2026, with lead candidates aimed at HER2 and B7-H3 across solid tumor settings. The acquisition reflects a strategic pivot toward differentiated ADC payload biology after Novartis’ earlier focus on radioligand therapies and highlights continued investor appetite for orthogonal ADC mechanisms as the modality faces resistance and payload competition.