Merus Bispecific Delivers Breakthrough Survival and RINA-S Active in Ovarian Cancer
Published about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Merus Bispecific Shows “Unprecedented” Survival in Solid Tumors
Context: Bispecific antibodies have shown early promise in hematologic cancers, but translating efficacy to solid tumors has remained a major hurdle.
What's New? Merus reported that its HER3xCD3 bispecific zenocutuzumab (Zeno) achieved a median overall survival of 35.9 months in NRG1 fusion–positive tumors, a signal the company calls “unprecedented” for this molecular subtype. Shares jumped 35% on the news.
Why it Matters? These data mark a major milestone in bispecific development for solid tumors and could pave the way for broader pan-tumor applications targeting rare oncogenic fusions.
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RINA-S ADC Shows Activity in Ovarian Cancer Regardless of FRα Expression
Context: Most ovarian ADCs to date have been limited by dependence on folate receptor alpha (FRα) expression, narrowing eligible patient populations.
What's New? In early-phase results, RINA-S—an antibody-drug conjugate targeting an undisclosed antigen—showed responses in patients regardless of FRα status, suggesting broader utility than Elahere.
Why it Matters? If validated in larger cohorts, this could expand the eligible ovarian cancer population for ADC therapy and reduce the need for pre-treatment biomarker stratification.
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Pathos AI Raises $365M to Advance Precision Oncology Trial Matching
Context: AI-driven platforms are emerging to streamline clinical trial enrollment and optimize treatment pathways in oncology.
What's New? Pathos AI secured $365 million in Series D funding to expand its machine learning–based trial matching engine, including a newly announced collaboration with Novo Nordisk on a solid tumor candidate entering clinical trials this year.
Why it Matters? The financing marks one of the largest private biotech raises of 2024 and underscores the momentum behind AI infrastructure in precision medicine and clinical development.
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Certain Early-Onset Cancers Increased Sharply During the 2010s
Context: Rising cancer incidence in younger adults is a growing concern globally, with unclear drivers and limited screening guidelines.
What's New? A new epidemiologic study found that cancers such as breast, colorectal, and kidney increased significantly among patients under 50 from 2010 to 2019, suggesting environmental, lifestyle, or genetic contributors may be at play.
Why it Matters? These findings may prompt policy discussions around earlier screening protocols and further research into early-onset cancer biology and prevention strategies.
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Regeneron Acquires 23andMe Research Division for $256M in Bankruptcy Auction Context: As 23andMe navigates Chapter 11 proceedings, key assets tied to its vast genomic database and pharma partnerships have drawn industry attention. What's New? Regeneron has secured a $256 million deal to acquire 23andMe’s therapeutics subsidiary, aiming to leverage the platform’s extensive genotypic and phenotypic data to fuel its precision medicine pipeline. Why it Matters? This acquisition gives Regeneron a...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Cullinan and Taiho Reveal Positive NSCLC Data Ahead of FDA Filing Context: Cullinan Oncology and Taiho are developing CLN-081, an EGFR exon 20 insertion–targeting therapy for NSCLC—a mutation subtype with limited approved options. What's New? At ASCO, the companies presented data showing a response rate of 41% and a 12.7-month median duration of response for CLN-081. The results are expected to support an FDA submission in the second half of 2024. Why it Matters? These findings position...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Roche’s Itovebi Cuts Risk of Death by 33% in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Context: HER2-positive breast cancer remains an aggressive subtype despite advances in targeted therapies. What's New? In updated data presented at ASCO, Roche’s anti-HER2 therapy Itovebi (trastuzumab duocarmazine) reduced the risk of death by 33% in pretreated HER2-positive breast cancer, significantly improving overall survival compared to standard therapies. Why it Matters? This reinforces Itovebi’s growing role in...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read