On April 25, 2025 AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025 (Press release, AbbVie, APR 25, 2025, View Source [SID1234652133]).

"AbbVie’s first-quarter results were well ahead of our expectations and reflect an excellent start to the year," said Robert A. Michael, chief executive officer, AbbVie. "The fundamentals of our business are strong and we continue to bolster our outlook with pipeline advancements and strategic investments. Based on the progress we are making, AbbVie is well positioned for the long term."

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First-Quarter Results

•Worldwide net revenues were $13.343 billion, an increase of 8.4 percent on a reported basis, or 9.8 percent on an operational basis.

•Global net revenues from the immunology portfolio were $6.264 billion, an increase of 16.6 percent on a reported basis, or 18.1 percent on an operational basis.
◦Global Skyrizi net revenues were $3.425 billion, an increase of 70.5 percent on a reported basis, or 72.0 percent on an operational basis.
◦Global Rinvoq net revenues were $1.718 billion, an increase of 57.2 percent on a reported basis, or 59.7 percent on an operational basis.
◦Global Humira net revenues were $1.121 billion, a decrease of 50.6 percent on a reported basis, or 49.5 percent on an operational basis.

•Global net revenues from the neuroscience portfolio were $2.282 billion, an increase of 16.1 percent on a reported basis, or 17.0 percent on an operational basis.
◦Global Vraylar net revenues were $765 million, an increase of 10.3 percent.
◦Global Botox Therapeutic net revenues were $866 million, an increase of 15.8 percent on a reported basis, or 17.0 percent on an operational basis.
◦Global Ubrelvy net revenues were $240 million, an increase of 17.8 percent on a reported basis, or 18.0 percent on an operational basis.
◦Global Qulipta net revenues were $193 million, an increase of 47.6 percent on a reported basis, or 48.3 percent on an operational basis.

•Global net revenues from the oncology portfolio were $1.633 billion, an increase of 5.8 percent on a reported basis, or 7.5 percent on an operational basis.
◦Global Imbruvica net revenues were $738 million, a decrease of 11.9 percent.
◦Global Venclexta net revenues were $665 million, an increase of 8.3 percent on a reported basis, or 12.3 percent on an operational basis.
◦Global Elahere net revenues were $179 million.

•Global net revenues from the aesthetics portfolio were $1.102 billion, a decrease of 11.7 percent on a reported basis, or 10.2 percent on an operational basis.
◦Global Botox Cosmetic net revenues were $556 million, a decrease of 12.3 percent on a reported basis, or 10.7 percent on an operational basis.
◦Global Juvederm net revenues were $231 million, a decrease of 22.2 percent on a reported basis, or 20.0 percent on an operational basis.

•On a GAAP basis, gross margin in the first quarter was 70.0 percent. The adjusted gross margin was 84.1 percent.

•On a GAAP basis, selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expense was 24.7 percent of net revenues. The adjusted SG&A expense was 24.6 percent of net revenues.

•On a GAAP basis, research and development (R&D) expense was 15.5 percent of net revenues. The adjusted R&D expense was 15.4 percent of net revenues.

•Acquired IPR&D and milestones expense was 1.9 percent of net revenues.

•On a GAAP basis, operating margin in the first quarter was 28.0 percent. The adjusted operating margin was 42.3 percent.

•Net interest expense was $627 million.

•On a GAAP basis, the tax rate in the quarter was 22.4 percent. The adjusted tax rate was 14.2 percent.

•Diluted EPS in the first quarter was $0.72 on a GAAP basis. Adjusted diluted EPS, excluding specified items, was $2.46. These results include an unfavorable impact of $0.13 per share related to acquired IPR&D and milestones expense.

Recent Events

•AbbVie announced that its board of directors unanimously elected chief executive officer (CEO) Robert A. Michael to assume the additional position of chairman of the board of directors, effective July 1, 2025. He will succeed Richard A. Gonzalez, who formerly served as AbbVie’s CEO and has been chairman since the Company’s formation in 2013.

•AbbVie announced that the European Commission (EC) granted marketing authorization to Rinvoq (upadacitinib) for the treatment of giant cell arteritis (GCA) in adult patients. The approval was supported by data from the pivotal Phase 3 SELECT-GCA trial which demonstrated that Rinvoq achieved the primary endpoint of sustained remission and key secondary endpoints, including reduction in disease flares, lower cumulative steroid exposure and complete remission. This authorization marks the eighth approved indication for Rinvoq in the European Union (EU).

•At the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) Annual Meeting, AbbVie announced final data analysis from the Phase 3 MIRASOL trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of Elahere (mirvetuximab soravtansine-gynx) in women with folate receptor alpha (FRα)-positive platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (PROC) compared to chemotherapy. At 30.5 months median follow-up, treatment with Elahere continued to show significant improvements in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared to investigator’s choice (IC) chemotherapy.

•AbbVie and Xilio Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced a collaboration and option-to-license agreement that will combine AbbVie’s oncology expertise with Xilio’s proprietary tumor-activation technology to develop novel immunotherapies, including masked T-cell engagers, for people living with cancer.

•AbbVie announced that it submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval of trenibotulinumtoxinE (BoNT/E) for the treatment of moderate to severe glabellar lines. TrenibotulinumtoxinE is a first-in-class botulinum neurotoxin serotype E characterized by a rapid onset of action as early as 8 hours after administration and short duration of effect of 2-3 weeks. If approved, trenibotulinumtoxinE will be the first neurotoxin of its kind available to patients.

•Allergan Aesthetics announced that the Allergan Medical Institute (AMI) will open three new state-of-the-art training centers in the U.S., expanding access to high-quality, tailored training for licensed aesthetics providers. The first training center is scheduled to open in Irvine, CA, with additional locations to follow in Atlanta, GA and Austin, TX.

•AbbVie and Gubra announced a license agreement to develop GUB014295 (ABBV-295), a potential best-in-class, long-acting amylin analog for the treatment of obesity. This partnership marks AbbVie’s entrance into the obesity field and under the terms of the agreement, AbbVie will lead development and commercialization of GUB014295 globally. Prior to the close of the agreement, Gubra announced positive interim results from Part A of a Phase 1 multiple ascending dose (MAD) study, which showed that GUB014295 was well tolerated with body weight loss that was sustained in a manner consistent with data from a previously announced single ascending dose (SAD) study.

•AbbVie announced that the FDA approved Emblaveo (aztreonam and avibactam), as the first monobactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combination antibiotic therapy to treat complicated intra-abdominal infections, including those caused by Gram-negative bacteria. The approval of Emblaveo was supported by prior findings regarding the efficacy and safety of aztreonam for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections as well as clinical trial results from the Phase 3 REVISIT study, which evaluated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of Emblaveo for the treatment of serious infections due to Gram-negative bacteria.

Full-Year 2025 Outlook

AbbVie is raising its adjusted diluted EPS guidance for the full year 2025 from $11.99 – $12.19 to $12.09 – $12.29, which includes an unfavorable impact of $0.13 per share related to acquired IPR&D and milestones expense incurred year-to-date through the first quarter 2025. The company’s 2025 adjusted diluted EPS guidance excludes any impact from acquired IPR&D and milestones that may be incurred beyond the first quarter of 2025, as both cannot be reliably forecasted. This guidance does not reflect the acquired IPR&D and milestones impact related to AbbVie and Gubra’s licensing agreement to develop GUB014295, as that transaction closed after the first quarter of 2025. Additionally, this guidance is based on the existing trade environment and does not reflect any trade policy shifts, including pharmaceutical sector tariffs, that could impact AbbVie’s business.

On April 24, 2025 BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. (Nasdaq: BCTX, BCTXZ) (TSX: BCT) ("BriaCell" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company that develops novel immunotherapies to transform cancer care, reported the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 3,066,666 units, including 399,999 units sold upon the full exercise of the underwriter’s option to purchase additional units (Press release, BriaCell Therapeutics, APR 24, 2025, View Source [SID1234652432]). Each unit consists of one common share (or pre-funded warrant ("Pre-Funded Warrant") in lieu thereof) and one warrant (the "Warrants"). Each unit is being sold to the public at a price of $4.50 per unit (inclusive of the Pre-Funded Warrant exercise price) for gross proceeds of approximately $13.8 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses. The Warrants included in the units have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market and are expected to commence trading under the symbol "BCTXZ" on April 25, 2025. Each Warrant is immediately exercisable, and will entitle the holder to purchase one common share at an exercise price of $5.25 per share and will expire five years from the date of issuance. The common shares (or Pre-Funded Warrants) and Warrants can only be purchased together in the offering but will be issued separately.

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The offering is expected to close on April 28, 2025, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The Company is relying upon the exemption set forth in Section 602.1 of the TSX Company Manual, which provides that the TSX will not apply its standards to certain transactions involving eligible interlisted issuers on a recognized exchange, such as Nasdaq.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital requirements, general corporate purposes, and the advancement of business objectives.

ThinkEquity is acting as the sole book-running manager for the offering.

A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-286670) relating to the securities was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and became effective on April 24, 2025. This offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the final prospectus, when available, may be obtained from ThinkEquity, 17 State Street, 41 st Floor, New York, New York 10004. The final prospectus will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website located at View Source .

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

On April 24, 2025 BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. (Nasdaq: BCTX, BCTXW) (TSX: BCT) ("BriaCell" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel immunotherapies to transform cancer care, reported the sustained complete resolution of the lung metastasis, first reported in February 2025 , two months after initial treatment in the ongoing Phase 1/2 Bria-OTS study (Press release, BriaCell Therapeutics, APR 24, 2025, View Source [SID1234652431]). The latest data at four months also demonstrates stable disease elsewhere.

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The patient, a 78-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer (hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative), had failed several prior lines of therapy and received the lowest dose level in the Phase 1/2a Bria-OTS study. At enrollment on November 21, 2024, she had extensive metastases including bone, lymph node and lung involvement. Following Bria-OTS intradermal injections every 2 weeks for six weeks (4 total doses), and subsequent dosing every 3 weeks, the lung metastasis completely resolved with stable disease elsewhere. This response is now confirmed and shows the potentially promising activity of the Bria-OTS platform as monotherapy.

"Despite recent advancements with Antibody-drug-conjugates (ADCs) and immune check point inhibitors (CPIs), many patients, including those with HR+ disease, like BriaCell’s first OTS patient, have very few options," stated Neal S. Chawla MD, Director at the Sarcoma Oncology Center, Santa Monica, Ca., and Principal Investigator for the Bria-OTS study. "We are thrilled with our initial data with single agent Bria-OTS showing rapid and strong anti-tumor activity in an HR+ patient and look forward to continuing this novel approach in patients with MBC, and other cancers."

"This unprecedented anti-cancer response in the first patient dosed with Bria-OTS is an important milestone for us and provides early validation of BriaCell’s personalized immunotherapy approach," stated Dr. William V. Williams, BriaCell’s President and CEO.

Bria-OTS is a personalized off-the-shelf immunotherapy, currently under investigation in a Phase 1/2a dose escalation study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06471673 ) in metastatic recurrent breast cancer. Bria-OTS represents a personalized, next generation, advancement of BriaCell’s lead candidate Bria-IMT which is currently in a pivotal Phase 3 study for metastatic breast cancer. The Phase 1/2a clinical trial in metastatic breast cancer is a dose escalation study initially evaluating the safety and efficacy of Bria-OTS as monotherapy and will be followed by Bria-OTS in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor.

On April 24, 2025 Flagship Pioneering, the bioplatform innovation company, reported that it unveiled Etiome, a company redefining how we detect and preempt disease progression (Press release, Flagship Pioneering, APR 24, 2025, View Source [SID1234652210]). Etiome’s Temporal Biodynamics platform is the first end-to-end technology to characterize disease with increased resolution over time and accelerate the development of preemptive medicines that promise better health outcomes for people at risk of chronic or progressive diseases. The AI-powered platform makes it possible to forecast how individuals are likely to progress along the disease continuum, confirm disease biostages with temporally relevant markers, and develop Biostaged Medicines to halt or reverse disease before it becomes debilitating and irreversible. Flagship has initially committed $50 million to Etiome to advance the Temporal Biodynamics platform and develop an initial pipeline of preemptive medicines. Etiome was founded from Flagship Pioneering’s Preemptive Health and Medicine Initiative, which is pioneering a new field to protect, maintain, or improve people’s health before they get sick.

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"By combining expansive, multimodal population-level data and single cell omics with artificial intelligence, we have, for the first time, revealed unprecedented insights into the complex dynamics of disease biology over the course of progression," said Avak Kahvejian, Ph.D., Founding CEO of Etiome and General Partner at Flagship Pioneering. "In doing so, with our Temporal Biodynamics platform we have unlocked the ability to accurately characterize the biostages of disease progression, selectively identify and engage patients across stages, and create targeted medicines designed to alter the course of disease, even at its earliest stages, ensuring the right patient gets the right medicine at the right time."

Etiome designed the Temporal Biodynamics platform based on an understanding that the underlying biology of disease is dynamic and will mandate stage-specific interventions to effectively impact progression. To pioneer these targeted preemptive medicines, the platform first leverages expansive clinical, cellular, and molecular data and artificial intelligence to develop a deeper, time-based understanding of disease biology and forecast when individuals are likely to progress further into disease. With proprietary phenotype-aware AI, the platform then isolates and uncovers underlying temporal shifts in thousands of genes and proteins specific to each disease, revealing unique Biostage Markers—stage-specific biomarkers that indicate where a patient resides along the disease journey—and potential stage-appropriate therapeutic targets. Finally, temporally tuned, translational assays allow for target validation and the development of Biostaged Medicines.

"Until now, healthcare practices for serious and progressive diseases have often been reactive, treating diseases after they have caused significant damage and resulting in patient decline that can be irreversible," said Raj Panjabi, M.D., MPH, Senior Partner and Head of Flagship Pioneering’s Preemptive Health and Medicine Initiative and board director of Etiome. "Etiome is redefining how we think about disease progression and developing interventions precisely designed for critical intervention windows, at the earliest stages of disease – helping to slow, stop or even reverse it. This represents a significant shift towards preemptive medicine—a future where people can live healthier and longer lives."

Etiome is initially focused on developing Biostaged Medicines to address serious and progressive metabolic, neurodegenerative, pre-cancerous and autoimmune diseases, all of which impact large populations and have clear unmet needs. With these targeted therapeutics, Etiome aims to reduce morbidity, lower healthcare burdens and costs, and extend healthy and productive lifespans.

Scott Lipnick, Ph.D., Co-Founder and President of Etiome and Flagship Pioneering Origination Partner, added, "We envision a world where patients can be treated for a disease when it is still possible to slow, stop, or entirely preempt its progression. Doing so can prevent suffering, save lives, and lower healthcare costs. Over the last four years we have been building Etiome around this vision and look forward to making meaningful and rapid progress towards this future."

Etiome’s team includes leaders with extensive expertise in biology, omics, and artificial intelligence. In addition to Kahvejian and Lipnick, Etiome’s founding team includes Noubar Afeyan, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Flagship Pioneering; Torben Straight Nissen, Ph.D., Chairman of the Board for Etiome, Flagship Pioneering Executive Partner and CEO of Repertoire Immune Medicines; Yann Echelard, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer of Etiome and Flagship Pioneering Operating Partner; and Katharine von Herrmann, Ph.D., Chief Innovation Officer of Etiome and Flagship Pioneering Principal. Additionally, the Etiome board includes Gregory J. Moore M.D., Ph.D., a Senior Advisor at Gates Ventures and the former Corporate Vice President at Microsoft leading Health and Life Sciences.

On April 24, 2025 Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) reported its participation at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting on April 25-30, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois (Press release, Agilent, APR 24, 2025, View Source [SID1234652127]). Innovative Agilent products and partnerships playing a crucial role in transforming cancer research, diagnostics, and therapeutics will be featured, including:

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Agilent Avida DNA Cancer Panels – Based on cutting-edge next-generation sequencing (NGS) target enrichment solutions that enable simultaneous DNA and methylation profiling from a single sample, the Avida product portfolio has expanded to include three new DNA panels*. Optimized based on the requirements of the European OncNGS Consortium, these catalog panels deliver ultra-sensitive and rapid detection of cancer-related genomic alterations from circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in liquid biopsy samples. The streamlined DNA workflow generates sequencing-ready libraries in just five hours, enabling scientists to go from cfDNA samples to sequencing in a single day shift. These DNA panels can be paired with an Avida methylation panel to provide deep multiomic insights.
Agilent SureSelect Cancer CGP Assay and Tagomics InterlaceTM Multiomics Assay – Agilent has partnered with Tagomics to gain early access to a novel, unbiased approach for epigenetic profiling. The combined workflow of the Tagomics Interlace Multiomics assay with the Agilent SureSelect Cancer CGP assay offers a comprehensive genomic profiling solution, delivering genome-wide epigenetic signatures alongside targeted DNA variant detection. This enables novel and informative multiomic insights into cancer biology to accelerate disease understanding and diagnosis.
Agilent SureSelect Cancer Pan Heme Assay – Co-developed with the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, this new assay interrogates DNA and RNA to provide comprehensive genomic profiling for hematologic malignancies. It is the first kitted assay with walkaway automation via the Agilent Magnis NGS Prep System, and an integrated, optimized secondary and tertiary data analysis software powered by QIAGEN Clinical Insight (QCI). This significantly improves laboratory productivity, efficiency, and turnaround time.
Agilent and Abcam Strategic Collaboration for (IHC) Companion Diagnostics (CDx) – This collaboration establishes a seamless paradigm for Agilent to develop a novel IHC CDx using Abcam’s extensive portfolio of over 10,000 high-quality, extensively validated, and stringently manufactured recombinant monoclonal antibodies, RabMAbs. The collaboration enables Agilent to expedite the development of custom assays for drug development and accelerates the use of assays in early clinical trials.
"At Agilent, we are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of cancer research and diagnostics," states Simon May, president of Agilent’s Life Sciences and Diagnostics Markets Group. "Our innovative solutions and strategic partnerships are at the forefront of transforming cancer care, enabling us to deliver comprehensive multiomic insights and cutting-edge diagnostic tools that empower researchers and clinicians to make more informed decisions and ultimately improve patient care."

AACR attendees are invited to join Agilent at the Exhibitor Spotlight Theater on Sunday, 27 April from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. for an educational session titled "Revolutionizing Multiomic Profiling: Tagomics’ Interlace Platform and Agilent’s SureSelect Cancer Pan Heme Assay."

Presenter Dr. Robert Neely, PhD, Co-founder, Director, and Chief Scientific Officer at Tagomics, will explore their Interlace platform. This platform revolutionizes multiomic profiling with a single sample input and minimal sequencing. Combining Agilent’s SureSelect reagents with Tagomics’ unique approach to methylation profiling delivers comprehensive genome-wide genetic and epigenomic insights.

Following this, Dr. Sean Glen, PhD, Vice Chair of Molecular Pathology at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, will present on the Agilent SureSelect Cancer Pan Heme Assay. This assay is a breakthrough in hematological malignancy testing. It provides a long-term solution by targeting relevant mutation types across all heme-related genes and integrating automated lab and analysis solutions for expedited reporting.

AACR attendees can also explore multiple Agilent research posters and a plethora of posters and platform presentations by customers highlighting Agilent instruments and solutions. For more details about these events, visit the Agilent booth #2306.

*Agilent Avida DNA Onco LB, Avida DNA Onco LB Plus, and Agilent Avida DNA Lymphoma panels were developed as part of the oncNGS Project, which received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme.