Jazz Pharmaceuticals and AbCellera have signed a preclinical collaboration, option and licensing agreement to discover and develop T-cell engaging multispecific antibodies for gastrointestinal cancers and other solid tumors. AbCellera will lead discovery and early research for two initial programs, with a commitment to launch a third program within 12 months, and Jazz retains an exclusive worldwide option to develop and commercialize resulting therapies. AbCellera will receive $56 million upfront for the first two programs and an additional $28 million when the third program begins, bringing total potential upfront consideration to $84 million. If Jazz exercises its option, AbCellera could earn up to $792 million per program in option fees and milestone payments, plus tiered royalties on net sales ranging from mid-single-digit to low double-digit percentages. The collaboration may expand by up to two additional programs, and AbCellera could support later-stage activities including IND-enabling studies and clinical manufacturing.
Summit Therapeutics, AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo to Study Ivonescimab Plus Datroway Combos
Summit Therapeutics has signed a clinical collaboration with AstraZeneca and its Japan-based partner Daiichi Sankyo to evaluate ivonescimab in combination with the antibody-drug conjugate Datroway, also known as datopotamab deruxtecan, across multiple solid tumors including breast and lung cancers. The collaboration is expected to initially focus on a phase III study in first-line triple-negative breast cancer, expanding ivonescimab's development into a new tumor type. Under the agreement, each company will supply its respective drug, AstraZeneca or Daiichi will sponsor the planned studies, and the companies will share study costs while retaining development and commercial rights to their own therapies. The Datroway collaboration builds on the larger deal between AstraZeneca and Summit announced in the last week, under which AstraZeneca agreed to invest $2 billion in Summit to accelerate development of ivonescimab, with the companies also set to evaluate ivonescimab alongside AstraZeneca's investigational Claudin-18.2-targeted ADC sonesitatug vedotin, or Sone-Ve, in gastrointestinal cancers. An FDA filing is under review seeking approval for ivonescimab plus chemotherapy in patients with EGFR-mutated, locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous NSCLC who had progressed following EGFR-TKI treatment, with a final decision expected by Nov. 14, 2026.
Biotech & Genomic Medicine › Oncology Therapeutics ▲Capital
Biotech & Genomic Medicine › Immuno-Oncology / Checkpoint ▲Capital
Biotech & Genomic Medicine › Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADC) ▲Capital
4568.JP · Technology · Positive Daiichi Sankyo's Datroway (datopotamab deruxtecan) will be evaluated in combination with ivonescimab across multiple solid tumors, including a phase III triple-negative breast cancer study
AZN.LSE · Technology · Positive AstraZeneca will co-sponsor and supply its Datroway ADC in a new phase III combination study with ivonescimab, expanding its oncology pipeline
AstraZeneca Closes $2 Billion Equity Investment in Summit Therapeutics
Summit Therapeutics announced the closing of AstraZeneca's $2.0 billion strategic equity investment in the company. Under the Securities Purchase Agreement, AstraZeneca purchased approximately 108,955 shares of preferred stock convertible into Summit common stock at a 1:1,000 ratio, representing a common stock price of $18.36, a premium over the closing trading price on the day the investment was announced. The proceeds will support accelerated development of ivonescimab, a potential first-in-class investigational PD-1 / VEGF bispecific antibody, across solid tumor settings including combinations with antibody drug conjugates such as sonesitatug vedotin and Datroway. Summit Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer Robert W. Duggan said the investment reflects AstraZeneca's confidence in Summit and in ivonescimab's potential to redefine cancer treatment. Baker Hostetler LLP is serving as legal advisor to Summit.
Biotech & Genomic Medicine › Oncology Therapeutics ▲Capital
Biotech & Genomic Medicine › Immuno-Oncology / Checkpoint ▲Capital
Biotech & Genomic Medicine › Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADC) ▲Capital
AZN.LSE · Capital · Positive AstraZeneca closed a $2.0 billion strategic equity investment in Summit Therapeutics, a major financing/M&A event for AstraZeneca.
Genmab's Rina-S Shows 45.9% Response Rate in Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer
Genmab A/S announced that its investigational antibody-drug conjugate rinatabart sesutecan, known as Rina-S, achieved a confirmed objective response rate of 45.9% among 109 treated patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer in Part C of the Phase 1/2 RAINFOL-01 trial. The results, presented in a Late-Breaking Oral Session at the International Gynecologic Cancer Society Congress 2026 in Montreal, Canada, included five complete responses and a median duration of response of 12.1 months, with 51% of responders still in response at one year. The study also reported a median progression-free survival of 9.5 months, and antitumor activity was observed regardless of folate receptor alpha expression levels, including in patients with low expression and non-expressors, and regardless of prior treatment with mirvetuximab. More than half of patients, 53%, had received three or four prior lines of therapy, all had received prior bevacizumab and taxane therapy, 49.5% had received a prior PARP inhibitor, and 33% had received prior mirvetuximab soravtansine. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were fatigue at 57.8% and low-grade gastrointestinal events including nausea at 67.9%, while serious adverse events were reported in approximately one-third of participants and treatment discontinuation due to adverse events occurred in 5.5%. Rina-S is being evaluated across four Phase 3 trials in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer maintenance, and second-line platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer, plus additional Phase 1/2 and Phase 2 studies.
AstraZeneca Wins FDA Priority Review for IMFINZI in Bladder Cancer
AstraZeneca said the FDA has granted Priority Review to a supplemental Biologics License Application for IMFINZI with enfortumab vedotin in muscle-invasive bladder cancer. The application targets patients who are ineligible for or decline cisplatin-based chemotherapy, a group with limited treatment choices. Priority Review shortens the FDA review timeline for this regimen, reflecting the agency's view that it may offer a meaningful clinical advance. AstraZeneca, a £192.8 billion pharmaceuticals group focused on prescription medicines, has been building its oncology presence across several tumour types, so any potential label expansion for IMFINZI touches a core therapy area rather than a side project for the business.
Biotech & Genomic Medicine › Oncology Therapeutics ▲Regulation
Biotech & Genomic Medicine › Immuno-Oncology / Checkpoint ▲Regulation
Biotech & Genomic Medicine › Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADC) ▲Regulation
AZN.LSE · Regulation · Positive FDA granted Priority Review to AstraZeneca's IMFINZI/enfortumab vedotin application for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, a regulatory milestone that could expand the label.
AstraZeneca Files FDA New Drug Application for ORPATHYS and TAGRISSO in Advanced Lung Cancer
AstraZeneca has filed a New Drug Application with the US FDA for combining ORPATHYS and TAGRISSO in a specific form of advanced non small cell lung cancer after EGFR TKI treatment. The filing comes as the company's shares have fallen 10.29% over 90 days and 8.56% year to date, though the 1 year total shareholder return of 13.04% and 5 year total shareholder return of 55.73% remain positive. The most followed analyst narrative puts fair value at £159.11 against a last close of £124.28, implying 22% undervaluation, with 206 investors backing that view. Management estimates its late-stage pipeline across oncology, rare diseases, and cardiovascular and metabolic therapies could generate $10+ billion in peak risk-adjusted revenue. Risks to the rerating include tighter drug pricing regimes in key markets and heavier pressure on blockbuster franchises as competition builds.
Biotech & Genomic Medicine › Oncology Therapeutics ▲Regulation
Biotech & Genomic Medicine › Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADC) ▲Regulation
Biotech & Genomic Medicine › Immuno-Oncology / Checkpoint Regulation
AZN.LSE · Regulation · Positive AstraZeneca filed an FDA New Drug Application for the ORPATHYS plus TAGRISSO combination in advanced EGFR TKI-treated NSCLC, a regulatory milestone advancing its oncology pipeline.
Pyxis Oncology announced the pricing of its registered public offering for expected gross proceeds of approximately $110M. The offering comprises 36.05M shares of common stock, or pre-funded warrants for 1.88M shares in lieu thereof, alongside accompanying common warrants to purchase up to 49.31M additional common shares at an exercise price of $3.50. The combined public offering price is $2.90 per share and accompanying common warrant, and $2.899 per pre-funded warrant and accompanying common warrant. If all pre-funded and common warrants are exercised in full, Pyxis would receive additional gross proceeds of approximately $172.6M. Following the announcement, PYXS stock fell about 8.8% to roughly $2.64 in after-hours trading. The common warrants will become exercisable only upon stockholder approval of a charter amendment increasing authorized common shares, and will expire five years after the amendment's effective date or 30 days following public disclosure of Phase 1 overall survival data for its lead program in 2L+ head and neck cancer, expected in the first half of 2027, whichever is earlier. The offering is expected to close on or about October 1, 2026, with proceeds earmarked to fund key clinical milestones for lead asset micvotabart pelidotin, including the planned Phase 3 Headliner trial in 2L+ R/M HNSCC, plus general corporate expenses and working capital.