Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents approximately 85% of all lung cancers, within a global lung cancer burden of approximately 2.2 million new cases per year. In advanced disease, 5-year survival remains below 20%. Resistance to standard therapy is common, while chemotherapy and immunotherapy combinations can carry significant toxicity. Patients who progress after standard therapy have limited satisfactory treatment options, creating a substantial unmet need for safer, differentiated and effective therapeutic approaches.

LZ-167 is a selective NK1 receptor (NK1R) antagonist targeting the Substance P/NK1R axis, a signaling pathway involved in cancer progression and the tumor microenvironment. By blocking NK1R activation, LZ-167 is designed to disrupt pro-tumorigenic pathways, promoting tumor-cell apoptosis while inhibiting angiogenesis, migration and metastasis and modulating the tumor microenvironment.

LZ-167 has demonstrated activity across 21 cancer cell lines spanning 7+ cancer types, with tumor reduction confirmed in preclinical in vivo models without systemic toxicity. Early compassionate-use experience has also shown ≥30% tumor reduction together with meaningful quality-of-life improvement. KeyZell is now advancing LZ-167 toward Phase I/IIa clinical development, with NSCLC in the U.S. as the lead program.