Emily Schoenthaler

AbbVie has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Apogee Therapeutics for $10.9 billion, adding zumilokibart, a subcutaneous half-life extended IL-13 monoclonal antibody in Phase 3 development for atopic dermatitis, asthma, and eosinophilic esophagitis.

Innovent advances a trispecific antibody into phase 3 multiple myeloma testing, Bionyra enters the crowded TL1A race in inflammatory bowel disease, and Insilico Medicine partners with SK Biopharmaceuticals to apply AI to neuroimmune and CNS drug discovery.

At BIO International Convention 2026, Dr. Sabeen Mekan of Zymeworks, Inc., discusses how advances in ADC conjugation, payload selection, and antibody engineering could improve tolerability and therapeutic index for cancer patients.

Innovent Biologics has dosed the first patient in TriadicMM-1, a pivotal phase 3 trial evaluating IBI3003, a GPRC5D/BCMA/CD3 trispecific antibody, for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma — marking the second trispecific antibody globally to reach pivotal phase 3 development in this setting and the first with independent intellectual property rights in China.

Newly launched Bionyra Pharma has raised $165 million in Series A financing and secured exclusive global rights to two TL1A-targeting biologics from China's TrueLab Biopharmaceutical — an anti-TL1A monoclonal antibody and a TL1A×IL-23p19 bispecific antibody — in a deal worth up to $985 million, positioning the company to compete in an IBD drug class already drawing attention from Merck, Roche, and the Sanofi/Teva partnership.

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has approved the subcutaneous formulation of isatuximab (Sarclisa) across multiple myeloma treatment lines, making it the second country after the European Union to greenlight the administration route change backed by Phase 3 IRAKLIA trial data — with a US decision now expected by July 23, 2026.

The FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted unanimously on June 18, 2026 that the benefits of mFLUSIVA (mRNA-1010) outweigh its risks for adults 50 and older, positioning Moderna for a potential approval by August 5 that would make the vaccine the first mRNA-based seasonal influenza product licensed in the US.

Today's BioPharm Brief covers an FDA filing acceptance for Roche's Lunsumio and Polivy combination in lymphoma, a pediatric expansion for Merck's CAPVAXIVE vaccine, and a key advisory committee meeting for Moderna's mRNA-based flu vaccine.

During an interview with BioPharm International, Cencora experts Andrea Zobel, senior manager of dangerous goods, and Marco Hogenboom, senior director of specialty logistics, highlighted the unique regulatory, logistical, and educational challenges associated with delivering radiopharmaceutical therapies to patients worldwide.

The FDA has accepted Roche's supplemental BLA for a chemotherapy-free combination of mosunetuzumab (Lunsumio VELO) and polatuzumab vedotin (Polivy) in adults with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma, based on Phase 3 SUNMO trial data showing a 59% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death compared to standard salvage chemotherapy.

Moderna's mFLUSIVA (mRNA-1010) faces an FDA advisory committee vote on June 18 — a pivotal step for the first mRNA-based seasonal influenza vaccine to seek US licensure, following a turbulent regulatory path that began with an unprecedented refusal-to-file decision earlier this year.

LG AI Research and D&D Pharmatech have launched a collaboration aimed at developing next-generation oral peptide therapeutics by combining artificial intelligence-driven molecular design with peptide formulation and development expertise.

Jazz Pharmaceuticals and AbCellera have entered a research collaboration to discover and develop next-generation multispecific T-cell engaging antibodies for gastrointestinal cancers and other solid tumors, with the agreement potentially valued at up to $792 million per program.

Early clinical data highlight advances in bispecific antibodies and immune modulation, with new findings in Type 2 inflammatory diseases, alopecia areata, and platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.

Bambusa Therapeutics reported positive preliminary phase 1 multiple ascending dose data for BBT002, a bispecific antibody targeting IL-4Rα and IL-5. The investigational therapy demonstrated sustained biomarker suppression, a favorable safety profile, and a half-life supporting extended dosing intervals.

Interim phase 1 data show CTIM-76 achieved a 29% confirmed overall response rate in heavily pretreated patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, while demonstrating a favorable safety profile and low rates of cytokine release syndrome.

New clinical data highlight advances in endocrine, metabolic, and rare disease drug development, with positive updates from MBX Biosciences, Gan & Lee Pharmaceuticals, and Novartis.

Novartis announced that delpacibart braxlosiran met primary and key secondary biomarker endpoints in the Phase 1/2 FORTITUDE study for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy. The investigational antibody oligonucleotide conjugate is being evaluated as a potential disease-modifying therapy for a condition that currently has no approved treatments.

New one-year data from MBX Biosciences show sustained efficacy, improved kidney and bone markers, and continued calcium control with once-weekly canvuparatide in chronic hypoparathyroidism, supporting advancement into phase 3 development.

New developments in CAR-T cell therapy, antibody-drug conjugates, and biosimilars highlight continued innovation across oncology and immunology.

Andrea Zobel and Marco Hogenboom of Cencora World Courier discuss how advances in radiopharmaceutical manufacturing, cancer biology, and specialty logistics are enabling the expansion of targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies into larger patient populations and broader oncology indications.

New data presented at EHA 2026 showed promising efficacy and manageable safety for Imviva Biotech's investigational allogeneic CAR-T therapy CTD402 in pediatric and adult patients with relapsed or refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoblastic lymphoma.

Immunome has dosed the first patient in a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating IM-1617, a potential first-in-class antibody-drug conjugate incorporating the company's proprietary HC74 topoisomerase I inhibitor payload. The study will assess safety and preliminary anti-tumor activity in patients with advanced solid tumors.

This week's BioPharm Brief highlights City Therapeutics' efforts to advance its RNAi pipeline with a new financing round, positive Phase 3 data for survodutide in obesity and MASLD, and Lilly's oral GLP-1 Foundayo outperforming oral semaglutide in a landmark head-to-head type 2 diabetes trial.

Kyowa Kirin will present new clinical and real-world evidence on mogamulizumab at the World Congress of Cutaneous Lymphomas, including patient-reported outcomes, comparative effectiveness analyses, biomarker findings, and treatment utilization data in relapsed or refractory mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome.

Sanofi has discontinued the Phase 3 MOBILIZE trial of riliprubart in treatment-refractory chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy after an interim analysis found the study was unlikely to demonstrate sufficient efficacy. No new safety concerns were identified, and the company is evaluating the future of other ongoing riliprubart studies.

This week's BioPharm Brief highlights City Therapeutics' efforts to advance its RNAi pipeline with a new financing round, positive Phase 3 data for survodutide in obesity and MASLD, and Lilly's oral GLP-1 Foundayo outperforming oral semaglutide in a landmark head-to-head type 2 diabetes trial.

Eli Lilly reported Phase 3 data showing its oral GLP-1 receptor agonist Foundayo (orforglipron) achieved greater reductions in A1C and body weight than oral semaglutide in the first head-to-head trial of two oral GLP-1 therapies for type 2 diabetes.

City Therapeutics has secured $99.5 million in Series B financing to advance its next-generation RNA interference platform and pipeline, including its Phase 1 Factor XI-targeting candidate for thromboembolic diseases and a planned clinical-stage program for Stargardt disease.

Sanofi secured European approval for a subcutaneous formulation of Sarclisa in multiple myeloma, Pfizer expanded HYMPAVZI's FDA-approved use in hemophilia, and Johnson & Johnson agreed to acquire Firefly Bio to strengthen its KRAS-focused oncology pipeline.