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Godavari Biorefineries Secures European Patent for Novel Anticancer Molecule Targeting Cancer Stem Cells

  • Godavari Biorefineries Ltd has obtained a European patent for a novel anticancer molecule with proven efficacy against both cancer cells and cancer stem cells, validated in Spain, the UK, and under the Unitary Patent system.
  • The patented compound falls under the company's Anti-Cancer Research Segment and represents a significant advancement in targeting cancer stem cells, a crucial focus area in modern oncology research.
  • This patent milestone strengthens Godavari Biorefineries' global footprint in biotech innovation and reinforces its commitment to developing breakthrough solutions in cancer therapy.

AstraZeneca and Summit Therapeutics in Advanced Talks for $15 Billion Ivonescimab Licensing Deal

  • AstraZeneca is negotiating with Summit Therapeutics for a potential $15 billion licensing deal for ivonescimab, an experimental lung cancer drug that has shown promising results in late-stage trials.
  • The deal could include an upfront payment of several billion dollars plus milestone payments, representing one of the largest pharmaceutical licensing agreements in recent years.
  • Ivonescimab demonstrated statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival when combined with chemotherapy in previously treated lung cancer patients, though it failed to achieve statistical significance for overall survival.
  • Summit secured rights to ivonescimab through a $5 billion deal with China-based Akeso in 2022, and the drug is already approved in China as of May 2023.

Jacobio Pharma Receives IND Acceptance for BET Inhibitor JAB-8263 in Autoimmune Diseases

  • Jacobio Pharma's Phase I/II IND application for BET inhibitor JAB-8263 in autoimmune diseases has been accepted by China's Center for Drug Evaluation, with review expected within 30 working days.
  • The oral BET inhibitor represents a potential breakthrough for autoimmune diseases, which affect 5%-9% of the global population and are currently treated primarily with intravenous monoclonal antibodies.
  • JAB-8263 previously demonstrated good tolerability in Phase I trials for solid tumors and hematological malignancies, with data presented at the 2024 ASH Annual Meeting.
  • This regulatory milestone marks Jacobio's expansion of JAB-8263 from oncology into autoimmune diseases, potentially benefiting a broader patient population with an oral therapeutic option.

Australia Opens First Antibody-Drug Conjugate Manufacturing Facility to Advance Precision Cancer Treatment

  • IDT Australia has opened the nation's first facility dedicated to manufacturing antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for oncology therapies, establishing the Ehrlich Bioconjugation Centre in Victoria.
  • The facility represents a $3.8 million investment and will create 88 highly skilled local jobs while positioning Australia as a global leader in advanced cancer treatment manufacturing.
  • ADCs significantly improve patient survival rates and quality of life by delivering potent chemotherapy agents directly to cancer cells with high specificity, particularly benefiting breast cancer patients.
  • The global ADC market is forecast to reach US$140 billion over the next 15 years and is expected to displace 30-50% of the traditional chemotherapy market.

Lixte Biotechnology Secures $5 Million Private Placement to Advance Cancer Therapy Development

  • Lixte Biotechnology Holdings completed a $5 million private placement on June 30, 2025, with proceeds designated for general corporate purposes and working capital to support ongoing cancer therapy development.
  • The company's lead compound LB-100, a first-in-class PP2A inhibitor, has demonstrated tolerability in cancer patients at doses associated with anti-cancer activity and represents a pioneering approach in activation lethality cancer biology.
  • Proof-of-concept clinical trials for LB-100 are currently underway for colon, small cell lung, and sarcoma cancers, with the compound showing potential to enhance both chemotherapies and immunotherapies.

RedHill Biopharma Launches Precision Medicine Phase 2 Trial Combining Opaganib with Darolutamide for Advanced Prostate Cancer

  • RedHill Biopharma has initiated patient recruitment for a Phase 2 study evaluating opaganib plus darolutamide in men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer, sponsored by ANZUP and supported by Bayer.
  • The innovative 60-patient trial uses a precision medicine approach with the PCPro lipid biomarker test to identify patients with poor prognosis who may benefit most from the combination therapy.
  • The study aims to overcome resistance to standard androgen receptor pathway inhibition treatment, with opaganib targeting three sphingolipid-metabolizing enzymes to enhance darolutamide efficacy.
  • Prostate cancer represents a significant global burden with 1.5 million new cases annually and a $12 billion market, making this precision medicine approach particularly valuable for advanced disease management.
NCT04207255Active, Not RecruitingPhase 2
Medical University of South Carolina
Posted 3/27/2020

Avacta Strengthens Leadership Team with Appointment of Chief Medical Officer and Business Development Advisor

  • Avacta Group plc has appointed David Liebowitz, M.D., Ph.D. as Chief Medical Officer to lead clinical strategy and execution for its targeted cancer therapy pipeline.
  • Liebowitz brings over 30 years of experience in oncology drug development and has contributed to more than 25 Investigational New Drug applications throughout his career.
  • The company also appointed Yulii Bogatyrenko as business development advisor to strengthen corporate growth strategy and pipeline advancement.
  • These appointments come at a pivotal time as Avacta continues to advance its pre|CISION platform for targeted oncology drug delivery.

FDA Clears IND for IKS014 HER2-Targeted ADC, Enabling US Clinical Trial Expansion

  • The FDA has approved Iksuda Therapeutics' IND application for IKS014, a HER2-targeted antibody drug conjugate, allowing expansion of ongoing Phase 1 clinical trials to include US sites alongside existing locations in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
  • Preliminary clinical data from the dose-escalation study demonstrates promising activity across multiple solid tumor types including breast, ovarian, gallbladder, and esophageal cancers, with notable efficacy in patients who relapsed after prior Enhertu treatment.
  • The Phase 1 trial is nearing completion of its dose-escalation phase and will proceed to expansion cohorts targeting HER2-positive breast cancer patients refractory to Enhertu, HER2-low breast cancer patients, and HER2-positive gastric cancer patients.
  • IKS014 utilizes a tumor-selective payload release mechanism with monomethyl auristatin F (MMAF) and showed impressive preclinical activity in both high- and low-HER2 expressing tumors with a favorable therapeutic index.
NCT05872295RecruitingPhase 1
Iksuda Therapeutics Ltd.
Posted 9/14/2023

Amgen's Bemarituzumab Shows Significant Survival Benefit in Phase 3 Gastric Cancer Trial

  • Amgen's Phase 3 FORTITUDE-101 trial met its primary endpoint, demonstrating that bemarituzumab plus chemotherapy significantly improved overall survival compared to chemotherapy alone in patients with FGFR2b-positive gastric cancer.
  • The study enrolled 547 patients across 300 sites in 37 countries, targeting those with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer who were non-HER2 positive.
  • Bemarituzumab represents the first positive Phase 3 results for an FGFR2b-targeted monoclonal antibody in gastric cancer, addressing a critical unmet need in a disease that causes over 650,000 deaths globally each year.
  • While the treatment showed efficacy, ocular adverse events occurred with greater frequency and severity in the bemarituzumab arm compared to the Phase 2 experience.

Laverock Therapeutics Raises £20M in Expanded Seed Funding, Reports Positive Data for Cancer Cell Therapy Programs

  • Laverock Therapeutics has expanded its seed funding round to more than £20 million, with the latest £6.5 million extension led by Calculus Capital and including participation from Eli Lilly and Company.
  • The company reported positive functional data for both its primary T-cell program LKV201 and macrophage program LKV301, demonstrating enhanced tumor control in hematological and solid tumor cancer models.
  • Laverock's programmable gene control platform uses recoded miRNAs to deliver tunable gene silencing, potentially transforming the efficacy, precision and safety of advanced cell therapies.
  • The funding will support lead product selection and optimization of preclinical programs while enabling partnerships to integrate Laverock's platform technologies into other therapeutic pipelines.
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