Emily Schoenthaler

Updated clinical findings for brenetafusp highlight how T-cell receptor bispecific therapies may overcome key mechanisms of checkpoint inhibitor resistance while expanding immunotherapy to a broader range of solid tumors.

Allogene Therapeutics has published complete phase 1 data in the Journal of Clinical Oncology for ALLO-316, a CD70-targeted allogeneic CAR T therapy, showing a 31% confirmed response rate and durable remissions in patients with high CD70-expressing metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

ImmunoBrain has published phase 1b data in Nature Medicine and presented late-breaking results at AAIC 2026 for IBC-Ab002, an investigational anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody that met its primary safety endpoint and showed encouraging trends in biomarkers of neuronal and synaptic damage in patients with early Alzheimer's disease.

As part of our continuing coverage from the BIO International Convention 2026, Pharmaceutical Executive spoke with Martha Fowler, founder of Steer Bio, about the company's regenerative medicine platform, its lead program for cancer-related lymphedema, and how non-dilutive funding is supporting its path toward first-in-human studies.

Today's BioPharm Brief explores three developments in Alzheimer's disease and autoimmune research, including promising preclinical gene therapy data, a new FDA-approved at-home treatment option, and a licensing deal for a novel CD40L-targeting antibody.

Voyager Therapeutics presented six-month GLP toxicology data showing its tau-silencing AAV gene therapy VY1706 was well tolerated and reduced tau protein by up to 75% in key brain regions of non-human primates, with a clinical trial in Alzheimer's disease expected to begin in the second half of 2026.

The FDA has approved lecanemab-irmb (Leqembi Iqlik) a once-weekly subcutaneous autoinjector formulation, as an initiation dose for early Alzheimer's disease, making it the first anti-amyloid antibody offering at-home dosing across the entire treatment course, from initiation through maintenance.

Today's BioPharm Brief highlights three regulatory and clinical milestones, including an FDA RMAT designation for a regenerative therapy in osteoarthritis, promising rectal cancer data from GSK's AZUR-1 study, and a new perioperative treatment option for muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

The FDA has approved Padcev, a Nectin-4-directed antibody-drug conjugate, plus Keytruda as neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer regardless of cisplatin eligibility, based on Phase III EV-304 data showing a 47% reduction in recurrence risk.

The FDA has granted Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy designation to Allocetra, Enlivex's macrophage-reprogramming cell therapy, for age-related symptomatic knee osteoarthritis in patients 64 and older, based on Phase I/IIa data showing durable pain and function improvements.

Opamtistomig, a PD-L1/4-1BB bispecific antibody from Nanjing Leads Biolabs, has been granted priority review by China's NMPA for advanced extrapulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma, a rare and aggressive cancer with no globally approved therapy.

The FDA has approved subcutaneous Sarclisa Escena, administered via on-body injector, across all existing multiple myeloma indications for the IV formulation, making isatuximab the first anticancer monoclonal antibody available through both wearable injector and manual subcutaneous administration in the US.

Teva Pharmaceuticals has entered a global licensing agreement with Polpharma Biologics for exclusive commercialization rights to a proposed biosimilar of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), the CD20-targeted monoclonal antibody used to treat relapsing and primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Today's BioPharm Brief explores three very different paths toward innovation, from AI-guided precision medicine and a first-in-class autoimmune cell therapy to a late-stage clinical setback in transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy.

FT839, Fate Therapeutics' off-the-shelf, iPSC-derived CAR T-cell candidate co-targeting CD19 and CD38, has received FDA IND clearance and will advance into a phase 1/2 basket trial designed to treat multiple autoimmune diseases without conditioning chemotherapy.

CARDIO-TTRansform, the largest Phase III trial conducted to date in transthyretin-mediated amyloid cardiomyopathy, did not meet its primary composite endpoint for Wainua (eplontersen), though a monotherapy subgroup showed a nominally significant reduction in cardiovascular events.

Chemomab Therapeutics and Scipher Medicine will merge to advance nebokitug, a first-in-class anti-CCL24 monoclonal antibody, into a precision medicine Phase 2 trial in rheumatoid arthritis guided by Scipher's PrismRA test and AI Network Medicine platform.

Abu Dhabi is expanding its role in global biopharmaceutical manufacturing through strategic investments, advanced infrastructure, and international partnerships designed to accelerate biologics production, innovation, and supply chain resilience.

As part of BioPharm International's continuing coverage from the BIO International Convention 2026, Sara Jane Demy, CEO of Demy-Colton, discusses how artificial intelligence, global collaboration, and renewed investment could help improve drug development success rates and accelerate innovation.

As part of BioPharm International's continuing coverage from the BIO International Convention 2026, Sara Jane Demy discusses signs of renewed investment activity and why inclusive scientific leadership remains essential to advancing drug development.

Today's BioPharm Brief highlights advances in neurology, hematology, and nephrology, featuring new Alzheimer's disease biomarker data, an expanded pediatric approval for von Willebrand disease prophylaxis, and the first dual BAFF and APRIL inhibitor approved for IgA nephropathy.

Vaccinex will present new biomarker data from the Phase 1b/2 SIGNAL-AD trial of pepinemab — a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody targeting Semaphorin 4D — at AAIC 2026 in London on July 13, showing that SEMA4D blockade regulates glial biomarkers associated with disease progression in early Alzheimer's disease, while outlining plans for an enlarged Phase 2b SIGNAL-AD2 study.

The FDA has approved an expanded indication for Wilate (von Willebrand Factor/Coagulation Factor VIII Complex, Human) to include routine prophylaxis in children younger than 6 years with von Willebrand disease — the first FDA-approved option for this age group — based on phase 3 WIL-33 trial data showing significantly reduced bleeding episodes in young pediatric patients.

The FDA has granted accelerated approval to Trutakna, a recombinant fusion protein that simultaneously inhibits BAFF and APRIL, for adults with primary IgA nephropathy at risk for disease progression — marking the first approval of a dual BAFF/APRIL inhibitor in the US and a significant advance in the growing wave of targeted biologics for this immune-mediated kidney disease.

The annual gathering in San Diego showcased the industry's pivot toward complex molecules, flexible manufacturing, and human-based drug discovery — while candid conversations about capital access, deal strategy, and preclinical predictability reflected a sector navigating pressure with optimism.

Today's BioPharm Brief explores three different ways biopharma companies are advancing precision medicine, from next generation bispecific antibody drug conjugates and myeloid engager immunotherapy to stem cell derived neuron replacement for Parkinson's disease.

Kenai Therapeutics has completed enrollment in the Phase 1b/2a REPLACE trial of RNDP-001, an allogeneic iPSC-derived dopaminergic neuron replacement therapy for idiopathic Parkinson's disease, with safety and preliminary efficacy data expected in 2027 — representing a significant step toward a potential disease-modifying cell therapy for a condition affecting more than 10 million people worldwide.

LTZ Therapeutics has received FDA IND clearance for LTZ-232, a first-in-class bispecific antibody designed to activate tumor-associated macrophages to phagocytose EpCAM-positive colorectal cancer cells — a novel myeloid-engaging approach aimed at overcoming the immunologically cold tumor microenvironment that has historically limited immunotherapy in this setting.

Biocytogen and Whitehawk Therapeutics have announced a global collaboration combining Biocytogen's RenLite bispecific antibody discovery platform with Whitehawk's CPT113-based ADC linker-payload technology to generate bispecific ADC candidates with differentiated tumor-targeting profiles — with Whitehawk targeting new ADC INDs within 12 to 24 months.

The European Commission has approved Tepkinly in combination with lenalidomide and rituximab for adults with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma after at least two prior systemic therapies, based on Phase 3 EPCORE FL-1 data showing a 79% reduction in risk of disease progression or death — marking the first bispecific antibody-based combination regimen approved in Europe for this indication.