Ideaya Biosciences Inc. appears to be in the lead to develop a treatment for tumors with deletions in both copies of methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP). Despite the large market with an estimated annual incidence rate in the U.S. of approximately 75,000 patients, there are no FDA approved therapies for MTAP-deleted solid tumors.
Hillevax Inc. is turning its attention to preventing moderate or severe acute gastroenteritis events (AGEs) in adults with norovirus after the phase IIb NEST-IN1 trial testing virus-like particle-based vaccine HIL-214 in infants missed its primary and secondary endpoints, news that sent shares of the company (NASDAQ:HLVX) plummeting 88% to close July 8 at $1.64, a significant drop from the IPO price of $17 two years ago.
As developers in the oft-troubled TIGIT class forge onward, Roche Holding AG’s Genentech unit provided an unfavorable update July 5 on the phase II/III Skyscraper-06 study testing anti-TIGIT candidate tiragolumab plus Tecentriq (atezolizumab) and chemotherapy vs. Keytruda (pembrolizumab, Merck & Co. Inc.) and chemo as first-line treatment for non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Nanjing, China-based Iaso Biotherapeutics Co. Ltd. has bought out global rights to human anti-B cell maturation antigen CAR T Fucaso (equecabtagene autoleucel) from partner Innovent Biologics Inc.
Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, and their collaborators at The Institute of Cancer Research, London and the University of Cambridge assessed the health impact of all possible genetic changes in the tumor protection gene, BRCA1-associated protein 1 gene.
Serac Imaging Systems Ltd. is seeing encouraging results from ongoing trials at three sites, which are comparing its Seracam portable hybrid gamma-optical camera for medical imaging to standard of care nuclear medicine imaging, Mark Rosser, CEO of the company, told BioWorld.
Tracon Pharmaceuticals Inc. is shuttering all development of its subcutaneous PD-L1 antibody, envafolimab, after the pivotal trial failed to meet the primary endpoint in soft tissue sarcoma.
On the heels of an AU$100 million (US$66.5 million) capital raise, Immutep Ltd. announced positive top-line results in first-line head and neck cancer with its lead candidate, eftilagimod, in combination with Merck & Co. Inc.’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab).
In May 2024, BioWorld covered 298 updates across phase I-III clinical trials, surpassing March (261), February (236) and January (252), though falling short of April’s high of 323. Additionally, at the end of May BioWorld revised its reporting criteria for clinical trial updates, focusing mainly on data readouts and excluding trial initiations, enrollment changes and initial patient dosing, thereby impacting the update count relative to prior months.
Cartesian Therapeutics Inc.’s phase IIb study of its lead candidate, Descartes-08, in treating generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) hit its primary endpoint while the company also notched a $130 million private placement equity financing.