The intriguing VEGFxPD-1 bispecific antibody space gained oomph with phase III results disclosed April 23 by Akeso Pharmaceuticals Inc. related to Harmoni-6, testing ivonescimab in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy compared with Tevimbra (tislelizumab, Beigene Ltd.), a PD-1 inhibitor also paired with platinum-based chemo in patients with locally advanced or metastatic squamous non-small-cell lung cancer irrespective of PD-L1 expression. Those data were followed by a green light from the U.S. FDA April 24 for marketing the PD-1 monoclonal antibody penpulimab in combination with cisplatin or carboplatin and gemcitabine for the first-line treatment of adult recurrent or metastatic non-keratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Named after Swiss mountains, Granite Bio AG emerged from stealth with $70 million in funds through a series B to advance two immunology treatments incubated at Versant Ventures.

If U.S. sectoral tariffs on biopharmaceuticals become a reality and most country-by-country tariffs on other medical products resume, manufacturers may have to rethink their use of U.S. free trade zones to turn foreign-sourced active pharmaceutical ingredients and other components into finished products for the U.S. market.