Celia trial: data strong, analysts skeptical
Tuesday brought what was arguably the most anticipated presentation of the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference when Catherine Mummery, head of novel therapeutics at University College London’s Dementia Research Center, presented data from the phase II Celia trial of tau-lowering antisense oligonucleotide diranersen (BIIB-080, Biogen Inc.). Based on both clinical and biomarker data, “Celia establishes a proof of concept,” Mummery said, that reducing tau may slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Celia trial: data strong, analysts skeptical
Tuesday brought what was arguably the most anticipated presentation of the 2026 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference when Catherine Mummery, head of novel therapeutics at University College London’s Dementia Research Center, presented data from the phase II Celia trial of tau-lowering antisense oligonucleotide diranersen (BIIB-080, Biogen Inc.). Based on both clinical and biomarker data, “Celia establishes a proof of concept,” Mummery said, that reducing tau may slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
First purpose-designed Ebola Bundibugyo vaccine ready for phase I
The Oxford Vaccine Group has delivered on its promise, and after starting work in mid-May has completed preclinical testing and is ready to begin a phase I trial of a vaccine against the Bundibugyo Ebola virus that is causing the current serious disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Newronika gains CE mark for adaptive DBS system with Webbiobank
Newronika SpA received CE mark certification for its latest adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS) system, which includes the integration of Webbiobank, its proprietary cloud-based neural data platform.
Asia deal flurry draws AZ, Spero to $1B+ Dizal, Innovent assets
Another day, another two multibillion-dollar deals with Asian companies, this time involving Dizal Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and its EGFR inhibitor for lung cancer, as well as Innovent Biologics Inc. and its anti-CD40L antibody for a chronic fibroinflammatory condition.
Today's news in brief
BioWorld briefs for July 14, 2026.
Drug Farm bags $55M series D to advance AI-developed ALPK1 drug
Drug Farm Biotechnology Co. Ltd. closed a $55 million series D round to advance its AI-developed alpha-protein kinase 1 (ALPK1) inhibitor, DF-003, in a phase III trial for ROSAH syndrome, a rare genetic disease that can lead to blindness.
OMB flooded with comments on proposed rule impacting grants
More than 52,000 individuals, lawmakers, institutions and other organizations have submitted comments on the White House Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) proposal to revise its Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance, which serves as a government-wide framework for administering grants, cooperative agreements and other forms of assistance.
Med-tech companies slapped with historic FTC penalty
Edwards Lifesciences Corp. and Genesis Medtech Group Ltd. will pay a total of $12 million in penalties as part of a U.S. FTC settlement resolving allegations that they intentionally structured a deal in which Edwards acquired Genesis’ JC Medical to avoid complying with the notification and waiting period requirements of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act.
Teva’s beef with Lilly over Forteo settlement lives again
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit revived Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc.’s breach-of-contract suit against Eli Lilly and Co. July 13, as it chided the lower court for dismissing the complaint at the pleadings stage.

Analysis and data insight

Danaher-Masimo close caps med tech’s strongest first-half since 2022
Deals and M&A
Med-tech M&As through the first half (H1) of 2026 reached $75.73 billion in collective value, the highest H1 total since 2022’s $120.4 billion and well above every other year in BioWorld’s records. June contributed $12.21 billion, a rebound from May’s relatively quiet $1.51 billion.
Combination locked out in ATTR-CM? ‘Dead,’ expert says
Clinical
The synergy – or lack of it – between knockdown drugs and stabilizers in treating transthyretin (TTR)-mediated amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) became one of the topics for debate in the aftermath of the phase III fizzle with gene silencer Wainua (eplontersen), advanced by Astrazeneca plc and Ionis...
SEC reform good for life sciences startups, but getting pushback
Medical technology
Of all the U.S. SEC’s recent proposed rules to make going, and staying, public more attractive, perhaps the most beneficial for biopharma and med-tech startups is the amendment that would give public companies the flexibility to file semi-annual rather than quarterly reports, Ben Bradford, head of...
Post-Tivdak, research in tissue factor multiplies
Cancer
The April 2024 full U.S. FDA approval of Pfizer Inc. and Genmab A/S’ tissue factor-targeting antibody-drug conjugate Tivdak (tisotumab vedotin) for cervical cancer sparked interest from drug developers in the strategy, which has been known about for a while.

Financings

China’s Mindrank raises $52M series B to advance oral GLP-1
Cancer
Mindrank AI Ltd. completed a $52 million series B round to advance MDR-001, its AI-discovered oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, which is in phase III trials for obesity in China.

Medical technology

Zeta secures FDA clearance for TMS robotic system
Regulatory
Zeta Surgical Inc. received U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance for its transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) robotic system which is designed to support precise and repeatable TMS therapy for patients with treatment-resistant depression.

Neurovalens granted FDA approval for PTSD therapy for US veterans
Regulatory
Veterans in the U.S. suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) now have access to Neurovalens Ltd.’s Modius Spero, a wearable neuromodulation device, which can reduce their symptoms in as little as four weeks. The treatment, designed for at-home use of 30-minute daily sessions, was...
Science fiction realized: BCI tech is here
After decades of clinical research and false starts, have Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) systems finally arrived? With developments accelerating in the field, BioWorld's special series explores the advancements in the space, looking at the implanted technologies, their potential to transfer care,...

Newco news

Oblenio’s $62M series B for trispecific antibody in autoimmune diseases
Financings
A year and a half from its formation, Oblenio Bio has generated positive nonhuman primate data for LBL-051 in chronic autoimmune diseases and closed a $62 million series B to move the trispecific T-cell engager into the clinic.
Bionyra closes $165M series A to develop antibodies for inflammation
Financings
Bionyra Pharma has emerged with a $165 million oversubscribed series A and a portfolio of three antibodies with extended half-lives that are designed to offer improvements over existing classes of monoclonal antibodies for treating chronic inflammatory diseases.
Ethyreal launches to treat the underlying cause of Graves’, TED
Conferences
Ethyreal Bio Inc. has come out of stealth mode in order to disclose preclinical data for ETHY-001, its monoclonal antibody targeting thyroid stimulating hormone receptor, at the Endocrine Society’s 2026 annual meeting on June 15.
Skape Bio unlocks GPCR targets with de novo-designed miniproteins
Science
Modulating G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is one of the major challenges in biomedicine. These are flexible proteins with small, deep binding pockets. The scientific community has explored small molecules, antibodies and nanobodies to develop ligands. Skape Bio Inc. is betting on creating...
Newco news: Oorja energizes with $30M for IPF
Respiratory
Oorja Bio Inc., named after the phonetic spelling of “energy” in Sanskrit, secured $30 million from founding investor Westlake Biopartners in a series A financing round to advance its in-licensing approach to develop drugs for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other fibrotic and...

U.S.

JAKs or better: Q32 ups ante in AA with IL-7 antibody phase II
Clinical
The clinically proven promise of an alopecia drug, without the risks of black box-bearing JAK inhibitors yet with powerful efficacy, led shares of Q32 Bio Inc. (NASDAQ:QTTB) to close July 13 at $21.38, up $10.17, or 90.7%.

Europe

UK to launch Alzheimer patient database to speed up trials
Clinical
The U.K. is setting up a nationwide registry of people with dementia, who will be pre-screened and consented, to speed up recruitment to clinical trials and collect real-world evidence of effectiveness once therapies are approved.

NEJM paper on Tavneos pivotal trial retracted by academic authors
Regulatory
The academic authors of the paper describing the pivotal trial of Amgen Inc.’s Tavneos (avacopan) have retracted it from The New England Journal of Medicine because the primary endpoint assessments of nine patients were “re-adjudicated” after the database was locked and the study unblinded.
Deep brain stimulation from the shallows: tomorrow’s BCI technology?
Clinical
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) through implanted electrodes has enabled fundamentally new ways of treating certain disorders. More than 100,000 severely ill patients have received an implant to treat Parkinson’s disease, which is DBS’ greatest success story.

Clinical

Takeda's mezagitamab adds quality-of-life gains to ITP responses
Hematologic
Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.’s anti-CD38 antibody mezagitamab (TAK-079) is showing benefits beyond platelet restoration, with new data suggesting the candidate may improve quality of life for patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)...
Island Pharma targets Ebola species lacking approved treatments
Infection
Island Pharmaceuticals Ltd. has secured government and ethics approvals to deploy its investigational antiviral galidesivir in patients infected during the escalating Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in Africa, giving the small Australian biotech a rare...
Phase II DMD Trailhead data hike Satellos’ stock
Musculoskeletal
Pending talks with regulators, Satellos Bioscience Inc. may seek accelerated approval in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) for SAT-3247, which yielded positive results in the adult phase II Trailhead study. Shares of Toronto-based Satellos...
With tardy Tvardi phase I win, skin in STAT3 game plus GI
Dermatologic
Tvardi Therapeutics Inc. rebounded from a phase II blowup last fall in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) with oral STAT3 inhibitor TTI-101 by showing that a next-gen phosphate prodrug dubbed TTI-109 kept its potency in phase I without...
Behind China’s retractions, a paper-mill economy built on incentives
Analysis and data insight
To Ivan Oransky, China’s paper-mill problem is best understood as an incentives story. “This is literally organized crime,” the Retraction Watch co-founder told BioWorld. “Follow the money. When there’s an opportunity to make money, they will...
Genentech’s KRAS G12C inhibitor divarasib shines in NSCLC phase III
Cancer
Roche Holding AG’s Genentech unit achieved superior phase III results with its KRAS G12C inhibitor divarasib over approved therapies in previously treated non-small-cell lung (NSCLC) cancer patients.

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