Disappointing preliminary top-line data from Kintara Therapeutics Inc.’s phase II/III study of VAL-083 (dianhydrogalactitol) is causing the company to shift its attention and resources to another cancer program. In the meantime, the results wreaked havoc on the stock and sent the company on a mission to look at its options.
Prelude Therapeutics Inc. has described phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase α (PI3Kα) (His1047Arg mutant) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer and congenital lipomatous overgrowth, vascular malformations, epidermal naevi and skeletal abnormalities.
Nerviano Medical Sciences Srl has identified cyclin-dependent kinase 11A (CDK11A) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer and immunological disorders.
Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Hengrui Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. have disclosed HER2 (erbB2) and/or HER2 (erbB2) mutant inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
Chimeric Therapeutics Ltd. has received FDA clearance of its IND application for CHM-2101, a first-in-class CDH17 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy for gastrointestinal (GI) cancers.
Sparx Biopharmaceutical Corp. has received FDA approval of its IND application for SPX-303, a first-in-class anti-LILRB2/PD-L1 bispecific antibody drug candidate.
Researchers from Biontech SE and Genmab BV presented the discovery and preclinical evaluation of a novel Duobody-EpCAMx4-1BB (BNT314/GEN1059), a novel Fc-inert immunomodulatory bispecific antibody (bsAb) designed to boost antitumor immune responses through EpCAM-dependent 4-1BB agonistic activity.
Researchers from Shanghai Henlius Biotech Inc. presented the discovery and preclinical characterization of HLX-42, a next-generation EGFR-targeting antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) being developed for the treatment of cancer.
Shanghai-based Henlius Biotech Inc. and India’s Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd. agreed upon a potential €185 million (US$195.38 million) licensing deal for Intas to develop and sell Henlius’ China NMPA-approved lung cancer drug, serplulimab, across Europe and India. Serplulimab (HLX-02) is a recombinant humanized PD-1 monoclonal antibody (MAb) injection that first gained approval as Hansizhuang in March 2022.
Drawn to the potential for improved selectivity and safety profiles of PARP-1-specific inhibitors over their first-generation counterparts, Merck KGaA signed an exclusive, worldwide license deal with Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. worth up to €1.4 billion (US$1.5 billion) to gain access to the latter’s next-generation poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-1 inhibitor, HRS-1167.