1stOncology™: Cancer Intelligence Service – 1stOncology is recognized as a Top 10 Global Pharma Analytic Provider

Nula Therapeutics Launches with up to $20 Million ARPA-H Award to Advance a New Class of Medicines Targeting the Nuclear Envelope of Cells

On April 16, 2026 Nula Therapeutics (previously called Apollo Alpha), a biotechnology company developing a new class of medicines targeting the nuclear envelope of cells in order to treat chronic disease and extend healthspan, reported its launch with an up to $20 million award from the U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) under its PROSPR (PROactive Solutions for Prolonging Resilience) program, bringing total funding to more than $30 million. Additionally, Nula Therapeutics announced its plans for a phase 1b clinical trial with its lead, small molecule asset NLT-101 in Q4, 2026 in metabolic dysfunction, as the company works to address a broad spectrum of chronic, age-related diseases.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Nula is built on a fundamental insight: the integrity of the nuclear envelope, the structure that organizes DNA and governs gene expression, plays a central role in maintaining cellular identity and metabolic homeostasis. Degeneration or dysfunction of the nuclear envelope results in metabolic dysfunction and age-related decline. Restoring function of the nuclear envelope represents a novel strategy to treat chronic disease biology. By developing targeted small molecules that restore the nuclear envelope, Nula aims to treat unmet patient needs and extend healthspan across conditions including metabolic disease, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), and neurodegeneration. With a clinic-ready asset, NLT-101, and a clinical study planned to begin later this year, Nula is positioned to generate meaningful data in support of its vision of next-generation medicines for chronic diseases.

"The nuclear envelope is one of the most fundamental and underexplored regulators of cellular health, and we believe it represents one of the most promising frontiers in medicine," said Christopher R. Shepard, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Nula Therapeutics and Principal Investigator on the Award. "Today’s announcement marks not only our debut as a company, but a significant external validation of our science. The ARPA-H award will allow us to rigorously explore NLT-101’s potential to preserve functional health across multiple organ systems, while our core clinical program in metabolic dysfunction moves forward in parallel."

Nils Regge, Founder and General Partner at Apollo Health Ventures, added, "PROSPR is highly relevant to our mission at Apollo Health Ventures. Establishing the evidence base and a clear regulatory pathway for therapeutics that improve healthspan, intrinsic capacity, and functional resilience is foundational to the field of longevity biotechnology. We are excited to see Nula’s program paving the way, and we look forward to seeing the company demonstrate the potential of NLT-101 beyond its initial clinical indication, with implications across multiple age-related conditions."

About the ARPA-H PROSPR Award

Under the ARPA-H PROSPR program, Nula Therapeutics will pursue a concurrent work stream designed to evaluate NLT-101’s impact on intrinsic capacity – a composite measure of physical, cognitive, sensory, and psychological function across multiple organ systems. Specific program objectives include:

Evaluation of NLT-101 in aged preclinical models across multiple intrinsic capacity domains
Advancement of NLT-101 through translational pharmacology and IND-enabling studies
Development of biomarker-driven strategies to quantify functional preservation and therapeutic response
This program integrates functional performance measures and systems-level biomarker analysis to build a robust translational dataset supporting potential clinical development in healthspan-focused indications, while Nula’s primary clinical development program in metabolic dysfunction advances along a well-established regulatory path.

The program culminates in a 12-month, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study in healthy older adults, with Intrinsic Capacity as the primary endpoint. By assessing intrinsic capacity alongside emerging surrogate biomarkers, the initiative aims to help define measurable, regulatory-relevant endpoints for therapeutics targeting aging biology and functional resilience, potentially accelerating and streamlining future development programs.

(Press release, Nula Therapeutics, APR 16, 2026, View Source [SID1234664463])

Adlai Nortye Announces $150.0 Million Private Placement Equity Financing

On April 16, 2026 Adlai Nortye Ltd. (Nasdaq: ANL) (the "Company" or "Adlai Nortye"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of innovative cancer therapies, reported that it has entered into a securities purchase agreement for a private investment in public equity financing that is expected to result in gross proceeds of approximately $150.0 million, before deducting placement agent fees and other private placement expenses.

The oversubscribed transaction includes participation from both new and existing institutional investors. New investors include Soleus Capital, Perceptive Advisors, ADAR1 Capital Management, MPM BioImpact, Octagon Capital, Eventide Asset Management and Kalehua Capital, DAFNA Capital Management, etc., with additional participation from existing investors including Cormorant Asset Management, Columbia Threadneedle Investments, Balyasny Asset Management, Casdin Capital and Squadron Capital Management, Superstring Capital Management, etc.

In the private placement, the Company is selling 11,320,755 ADSs, at a price of $13.25 per ADS, which equals the closing price of the Company’s ADSs on the Nasdaq Global Market on April 15, 2026. The private placement is expected to close on April 17, 2026, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

Carsten Lu, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Adlai Nortye, said, "We are delighted to have brought together this group of high-quality healthcare investors to support Adlai Nortye and our innovative, potentially best-in-class RAS-targeting therapies. We thank our investors for their confidence in the broad potential of our RAS-targeting pipeline and our next-generation ADC payload platform, RASiCA, as well as their commitment to our mission to transform deadly cancer into a chronic and eventually curable disease."

Leerink Partners, Cantor, Lucid Capital Markets, H.C. Wainwright & Co. and Jones are acting as joint placement agents for the private placement.

The securities being issued and sold in this private placement have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. Adlai Nortye has agreed to file a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission registering the resale of the ADSs issued in the private placement.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

(Press release, Adlai Nortye Biopharma, APR 16, 2026, View Source [SID1234664462])

STORM Therapeutics Secures $56 Million Series C Financing and Doses First Patient in Phase 2 Sarcoma Trial of STC‑15

On April 16, 2026 STORM Therapeutics Ltd. (STORM), the clinical stage company targeting RNA modifications to reprogram cells and develop novel cancer therapies, reported a successful $56 million Series C financing.

The proceeds will support the advancement of STC-15, a first‑in‑class, oral small-molecule inhibitor of METTL3, including funding the Company’s Phase 2 monotherapy study in selected sarcoma indications, in which the first patient has now been successfully dosed. Sarcoma is a form of cancer that arises in bone or soft tissues, including muscle, fat, cartilage, blood vessels, and other connective or supportive tissue. This study is designed to support a potential accelerated regulatory approval pathway for STC-15 and to establish a foundation for subsequent clinical development across additional oncology indications.

STC-15 inhibits METTL3, an RNA-modifying enzyme involved in the regulation of cancer stem cell differentiation, a critical process in the development of sarcomas and other malignancies. In a Phase 1 monotherapy study, STC-15 demonstrated durable tumor regression across multiple sarcoma subtypes, underscoring its potential to target and reprogram progenitor cells that transform into cancer cells. These results will be presented at an upcoming medical conference in 2026.

Jerry McMahon, Chief Executive Officer of STORM Therapeutics, said: "Advancing our first‑in‑class METTL3 inhibitor, STC-15, into Phase 2 clinical development marks a pivotal breakthrough in tackling cancers characterized by aberrant cell differentiation. This milestone highlights our scientific innovation and the potential to create new therapeutic options for patients with substantial unmet needs. We are grateful for the steadfast support from our investors and are encouraged by the robust durability and activity demonstrated with STC-15 in Phase 1 studies. As we begin our Phase 2 trial, our focus remains on addressing critical unmet needs in sarcoma for the benefit of patients."

Jonathan Trent, MD of the University of Miami, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, commented: "The launch of the Phase 2 trial for STC-15 represents a significant advancement in the treatment landscape for sarcoma and other tumors driven by METTL3. STC-15’s novel mechanism of action targets sarcomas at their vulnerability, reprogramming malignant cells toward cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. We are hopeful that this research will yield meaningful insights and, ultimately, new therapeutic avenues for patients with pressing unmet needs."

STORM’s sarcoma program builds on previous clinical and translational research in epitranscriptomic regulation, emphasizing the importance of RNA-modifying enzymes in the maintenance of stem cell‑derived tumors and their potential application in broader settings. METTL3 methylates mRNA, influencing the differentiation processes of connective tissues and other cell types. Sarcomas arise from transformed mesenchymal stem cells as they progress into malignant connective tissue cells, accounting for 1% of adult cancers and 15% of pediatric cancers. Due to the frequent absence of driver mutations or immunogenic features amenable to standard treatments, sarcomas depend on METTL3-driven methylation for growth and survival. The Phase 2 trial will assess the anti-tumor effects of inhibiting mRNA methylation in sarcomas.

The financing was funded by existing investors, M Ventures, Pfizer Ventures, Taiho Ventures LLC, IP Group plc, the UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. (UTokyo IPC), and Fast Track Initiative (FTI).

(Press release, STORM Therapeutics, APR 16, 2026, View Source [SID1234664461])

TME Pharma Announces Publication of NOX-A12 “Triple Therapy” Phase 1/2 Expansion Arm A Findings from GLORIA trial in Nature Communications

On April 16, 2026 TME Pharma N.V. (Euronext Growth Paris: ALTME), a clinical-stage biotechnology company specializing in the development of novel therapies for braincancer and eye diseases, reported a Nature Communications article on the results from the Phase 1/2 expansion Arm A cohort of the GLORIA trial testing NOX-A12 + radiotherapy + anti-VEGF "triple therapy" in glioblastoma patients.

The article in the scientific peer-reviewed high-impact journal, Nature Communications, describes results of the expansion cohort Arm A in TME Pharma’s Phase 1/2 GLORIA trial. In this arm, chemotherapy-resistant (MGMT unmethylated) glioblastoma patients with residual tumor after surgery received NOX-A12 + radiotherapy + anti-VEGF (bevacizumab) "Triple Therapy". The authors noted that overall survival (OS) of patients receiving NOX-A12 Triple Therapy significantly outperformed two different cohorts of similar patients external to the trial who received standard of care treatment, and further noted that due to the conservative trial design, the study "likely underestimates survival compared with most contemporary trials."

As already disclosed in the March 5, 2024 press release, the GLORIA trial has been amended to allow inclusion of 100 additional patients in a randomized, controlled Phase 2 part of the trial composed of 5 additional arms (Expansion Group Arms D through H) to assess three different doses of NOX-A12 in the Triple Therapy, one dose of NOX-A12 + radiotherapy and standard of care. It is planned to initiate this Phase 2 part of the trial once appropriate partnerships are in place.

The findings described in the publication demonstrate the potential and value of TME Pharma’s NOX-A12 asset. TME Pharma remains confident in its strategy to search for a strategic partner to outlicense NOX-A12with the goal of bringing NOX-A12 to market authorization. As communicated on January 5, 2026, TME Pharma continues its active discussions with potential partners for the NOX-A12 program.

As indicated in its press release of March 9, 2026, TME Pharma’s financial runway now extends to Q2-2027, providing the company with the flexibility to identify the optimal partnership for NOX-A12.

Diede van den Ouden, CEO of TME Pharma, said: "We are encouraged by the publication in Nature Communications, which underscore the scientific validity of our approach. We remain fully committed to bringing NOX-A12 to success and believe that a strategic partnership is the optimal path forward. With our extended cash runway, we are well-positioned to continue our negotiations with potential partners."

(Press release, TME Pharma, APR 16, 2026, View Source [SID1234664460])

Radiopharm Theranostics Completes Enrollment in U.S. Phase 2b Imaging Trial of RAD 101 for Diagnosis of Brain Metastases

On April 16, 2026 Radiopharm Theranostics (ASX:RAD, "Radiopharm" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative oncology radiopharmaceuticals for areas of high unmet medical needs, reported that the final patient has been dosed in the U.S. Phase 2b imaging trial (NCT06777433) evaluating RAD 101 in individuals with confirmed recurrent brain metastases from solid tumors of different origins.

"Dosing the final patient in our most advanced diagnostic program represents an important milestone for Radiopharm and underscores the continued momentum of our radiopharmaceutical pipeline," said Riccardo Canevari, CEO and Managing Director of Radiopharm Theranostics. "The interim results we have seen to date, demonstrating a high level of concordance with MRI, reinforce our confidence in RAD 101’s potential to address a critical unmet need in the accurate detection of recurrent brain metastases. As we look ahead to the full data readout in June, we are focused on advancing this important program into U.S. pivotal trial and initiating constructive dialogue with the FDA to define the optimal regulatory pathway. We believe RAD 101 has the potential to meaningfully improve clinical decision-making for patients and physicians navigating this challenging disease."

"I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the patients, families, and caregivers for their trust in our clinical trial. The investigators and the Clinical Center did an amazing job in the recruitment process, and our congratulations go to BAMF HEALTH for leading the table of the top recruiters," added Mr. Canevari.

RAD 101 is the Company’s novel imaging small molecule that targets fatty acid synthase (FASN), a multi-enzyme protein that catalyses fatty acid synthesis and is overexpressed in many solid tumors, including cerebral metastasis. Targeting FASN activity may allow for the more accurate detection of cancer cells, representing a clinically relevant method for the imaging of brain metastases.

The U.S. multicenter, open-label, single arm Phase 2b clinical trial is evaluating the diagnostic performance of 18F-RAD101 in 30 individuals with confirmed recurrent brain metastases from solid tumors of different origins. The primary objective of the study is concordance between 18F-RAD101 positive lesions and those seen in conventional imaging (MRI with gadolinium) in participants with suspected recurrent brain metastases. RAD 101 received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Fast Track Designation to distinguish between recurrent disease and treatment effect of brain metastases originating from solid tumors of different origin, including leptomeningeal disease.

In the U.S. alone, there are more than 300,000 patients diagnosed annually with cerebral metastases. The incidence of Intracranial Metastatic Disease (IMD) continues to increase, in part, due to improvements in systemic therapy resulting in a more durable control of the primary tumor. Contrast-enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CE-MRI) is the preferred method for imaging IMD, but has limitations, particularly in follow-up surveillance scans to optimise patient care.

(Press release, Radiopharm Theranostics, APR 16, 2026, View Source [SID1234664459])