On July 23, 2025 Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. ("Rakovina" or the "Company") (TSX-V: RKV) (FSE: 7JO0), a biopharmaceutical company advancing next-generation cancer therapies through artificial intelligence (AI)-powered drug discovery, reported meaningful progress in its AI-driven KT-5000AI program, advancing the development of precision ATR (Ataxia Telangiectasia and Rad3-related) inhibitors designed to disrupt the DNA Damage Response pathway in cancer cells (Press release, Rakovina Therapeutics, JUL 23, 2025, View Source;utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rakovina-therapeutics-kt-5000al-program-yields-potent-atr-inhibitor-hits-in-early-screening [SID1234654487]).

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!

Through its collaboration with Variational AI, Rakovina Therapeutics evaluated a vast chemical space of potential molecular structures using artificial intelligence to identify novel compounds designed to selectively inhibit ATR. A subset of these AI-generated candidates has been synthesized and has advanced through initial biological screening, with multiple compounds demonstrating potent ATR inhibition in nanomolar concentration range. The most promising candidates are being prioritized for further characterization and potential development.

"The progress we’re seeing in the KT-5000AI program highlights the advantage of combining artificial intelligence with modern drug design," said Dr. Mads Daugaard, Rakovina’s President and Chief Scientific Officer. "We’re particularly encouraged by the number of active compounds emerging from the first wave of screening and look forward to advancing the most promising candidates through further evaluation and development."

ATR inhibitors represent a fast-growing class of oncology therapeutics, with the global ATR inhibitor market valued at approximately US $1.24 billion in 2024, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 17.8% through 2033, with forecasts projecting a market size of over US $5.1 billion by 2033 (source: Growth Markets Reports). This growth is fueled by increasing validation of ATR as an oncology target, rising need for therapies addressing replication stress and DNA repair-deficient tumors, and a shift toward personalized, AI-enabled drug development. Rakovina’s KT-5000AI series is well-positioned to capture value in this expanding landscape by delivering next-generation compounds with improved selectivity, potency, and therapeutic index.

On July 23, 2025 Xenetic Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:XBIO) ("Xenetic" or the "Company"), a biopharmaceutical company focused on advancing innovative immuno-oncology technologies addressing hard to treat oncology indications, reported it has continued its collaboration with The Scripps Research Institute ("TSRI") to advance the development of the Company’s development program evaluating the combination of systemic DNase I and CAR T-cell therapies (Press release, Xenetic Biosciences, JUL 23, 2025, https://ir.xeneticbio.com/news/detail/168/xenetic-biosciences-inc-expands-research-and-development-collaboration-with-the-scripps-research-institute-to-advance-dnase-platform [SID1234654486]).

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!

Xenetic’s systemic DNase I candidate, XBIO-015, is currently in preclinical development in combination with CAR-T cell therapy for both hematologic and solid tumors. Studies conducted at TSRI using lymphoma and metastatic melanoma models have shown that co-administration of DNase I with CAR-T cells significantly reduces tumor burden, decreases metastatic lesions, and markedly extends survival compared to CAR-T cell monotherapy. Importantly, systemic DNase I-mediated degrading of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) enhances CAR-T cell efficacy increasing the infiltration of both CAR-T cells and endogenous T cells into tumors and by mitigating the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Based on these promising results, the research program has been expanded to include additional models of lymphoma and leukemia to further validate these findings.

"We are pleased to further expand our collaboration with Scripps Research and explore the full potential of our DNase-based oncology platform. The data generated to date continues to be encouraging and we believe provides a compelling rationale for incorporating DNase I as an adjunctive treatment to improve therapeutic responses in patients undergoing CAR-T cell therapy. We are grateful for the Scripps Research team and look forward to continuing to leverage their knowledge and expertise," commented James Parslow, Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Xenetic.

Xenetic’s DNase-based oncology platform is designed to target NETs, which are weblike structures composed of extracellular chromatin coated with histones and other proteins. In cancer, NETs are expelled by activated neutrophils into the TME and blood, thereby promoting cancer spread and local and systemic immunosuppression. Reduction of NETs burden via application of Xenetic’s proprietary recombinant human DNase I has been shown to improve efficacy of immunotherapy, adoptive cell therapy and chemotherapy in preclinical animal models.

Xenetic continues to advance its DNase-based technology towards Phase 1 clinical development for the treatment of pancreatic carcinoma and other locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors.

On July 23, 2025 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science, reported its financial results for the second quarter ended June 28, 2025 (Press release, Thermo Fisher Scientific, JUL 23, 2025, View Source [SID1234654485]).

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!

Second Quarter Highlights

•Second quarter revenue grew 3% to $10.85 billion.
•Second quarter GAAP diluted earnings per share (EPS) grew 6% to $4.28.
•Second quarter adjusted EPS was $5.36.

•Delivered excellent operational performance in the quarter, reflecting active management of our company in the macroenvironment demonstrating the strength of our proven growth strategy and the power of the PPI Business System.

•Advanced our proven growth strategy, launching a range of high-impact innovation, strengthening our industry-leading commercial engine and deepening our trusted partner status with customers during the quarter to enable scientific breakthroughs and maximize customer productivity. Highlights include:
oLaunched next-generation instruments including the Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Astral Zoom mass spectrometer, Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Excedion Pro mass spectrometer, and the Thermo Scientific Krios 5 Cryo-TEM. These instruments help researchers deepen the understanding of complex diseases, advance precision medicine, and enable the development of new therapies. We also expanded the DynaDrive single-use bioreactor portfolio for drug production to include a new first-of-its kind bench scale system, enabling meaningful workflow efficiencies and seamless scale-up from the bench to commercialization.
oThe significant benefits of the Accelerator Drug Development solution were further validated by the publication of a Tufts Center study, which demonstrated that our integrated CDMO and CRO offerings can significantly shorten development timelines and deliver strong ROI for customers.

•Leveraged our PPI Business System to enable outstanding execution. PPI is helping us adjust our supply chains in the tariff environment and to actively manage our cost base.

•Reflecting our trusted partner status, shortly after the quarter ended, we expanded our strategic partnership with Sanofi to acquire its Ridgefield, New Jersey sterile fill-finish site, supporting Sanofi’s portfolio of therapies and expanding U.S. capacity to meet growing demand from pharma and biotech customers.

"Our exceptional team continues to execute at a high level, enabling customer success while navigating the macroenvironment. The agility of our organization, powered by the PPI Business System, allowed us to effectively adapt to current market conditions, actively manage our cost base, and deliver strong operational results in the second quarter" said Marc N. Casper, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific."

Casper added: "Our trusted partner status is resonating strongly with our customers allowing us to continue to drive market share gains and highlights our unique ability to enable their success in all market environments. We’ve made very good progress through the halfway point in the year, which positions us well to deliver on our 2025 commitments, while building an even brighter future for our company."

Second Quarter 2025

Revenue for the quarter grew 3% to $10.85 billion in 2025, versus $10.54 billion in the second quarter of 2024. Organic revenue growth was 2%.

GAAP Earnings Results

GAAP diluted EPS in the second quarter of 2025 was $4.28, versus $4.04 in the second quarter of 2024. GAAP operating income for the second quarter of 2025 was $1.83 billion, compared with $1.82 billion in the year-ago quarter. GAAP operating margin was 16.9%, compared with 17.3% in the second quarter of 2024.

Non-GAAP Earnings Results

Adjusted EPS in the second quarter of 2025 was $5.36, versus $5.37 in the second quarter of 2024. Adjusted operating income for the second quarter of 2025 was $2.38 billion, compared with $2.35 billion in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted operating margin was 21.9%, compared with 22.3% in the second quarter of 2024.

Annual Guidance for 2025

The company will provide updated 2025 financial guidance during its earnings conference call this morning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

On July 23, 2025 Sona Nanotech Inc. (CSE: SONA) (OTCQB: SNANF) (the "Company", "Sona"), an oncology-focused life sciences company developing innovative therapies based on its uniquely biocompatible gold nanorod technology, reported it has received Nova Scotia Health Research Ethics Board ("REB") approval to conduct its proposed pilot human clinical trial study (the "Pilot Study") of its Targeted Hyperthermia Therapy ("THT") cancer treatment with late-stage melanoma patients (Press release, Sona Nanotech, JUL 23, 2025, View Source [SID1234654484]). Sona’s THT Pilot Study is being planned as a multi-centre clinical trial for 30-40 patients and is subject to, amongst other things, securing medical device Investigational Testing Authorization ("ITA") from Health Canada.

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!

Sona CEO, David Regan, commented, "Cases of melanoma have tripled in 30 years in Canada where over 1,300 people die every year from this disease. For that reason, we are excited to be laying the foundation for the next steps necessary to get our THT cancer treatment into clinics. With ethics approval to conduct a Pilot Study in Canada, we now look forward to the possibility of a study of our therapy with up to 40 patients suffering from late-stage melanoma, subject to regulatory approval."

Sona’s THT Pilot Study will be designed to incorporate various learnings from its current Early Feasibility Study and to help further evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of Sona’s THT therapy with a larger pool of patients. The information developed from a Pilot Study would inform the design of a larger randomized potential ‘pivotal’ clinical study which would be subject to regulatory approval. The Pilot Study is anticipated to be begin in late 2025 or early 2026.

On July 23, 2025 Revolution Medicines, Inc. (Nasdaq: RVMD), a late-stage clinical oncology company developing targeted therapies for patients with RAS-addicted cancers, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation to elironrasib, the company’s RAS(ON) G12C-selective inhibitor, for the treatment of adult patients with KRAS G12C-mutated locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have received prior chemotherapy and immunotherapy but have not been previously treated with a KRAS G12C inhibitor (Press release, Revolution Medicines, JUL 23, 2025, View Source [SID1234654483]).

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!

The Breakthrough Therapy Designation is based on data from the Phase 1 RMC-6291-001 clinical trial evaluating elironrasib monotherapy in patients with advanced KRAS G12C solid tumors. Results from the trial have demonstrated highly competitive antitumor activity, including differentiated safety and tolerability along with a compelling objective response rate and progression-free survival.

"There continues to be a need for new targeted therapies for patients with RAS-addicted cancers, and this Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA highlights the therapeutic potential of elironrasib, a differentiated inhibitor, for patients with KRAS G12C lung cancer," said Mark A. Goldsmith M.D., Ph.D., chief executive officer and chairman of Revolution Medicines. "Coming shortly after daraxonrasib was granted a designation for patients with advanced RAS mutant pancreatic cancer, this designation for elironrasib further validates our innovative product engine as a source for novel potential treatment approaches for patients with RAS mutant cancers."

Elironrasib is an innovative inhibitor that binds selectively and covalently to the oncogenic RAS(ON) form of the RAS G12C variant that drives approximately 12% of cases of NSCLC. Revolution Medicines is exploring elironrasib monotherapy and combinations in various treatment settings and continues work to prioritize multiple options for advancing its development.

NSCLC accounts for 80%-85% of all lung cancers, and most patients have advanced or metastatic disease at initial diagnosis.1,2 KRAS mutations are found in nearly 30% of NSCLC cases, among which KRAS G12C is the most common. Currently there are no RAS-targeted inhibitors with full approval by the FDA to treat patients with KRAS G12C NSCLC.3

Breakthrough Therapy Designation is intended to expedite the development and review of potential new medicines designed to treat serious conditions and address significant unmet medical needs. Pursuant to FDA guidelines, the medicine needs to have shown encouraging preliminary clinical evidence that demonstrates substantial improvement on a clinically significant endpoint over available medicines.

About Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
More than 197,000 people are diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the U.S. each year.4 Despite treatment advancements, NSCLC remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, primarily due to its late-stage diagnosis and limited response to conventional therapies.