On March 17, 2026 iDEL Therapeutics reported the closing of a EUR 9 million seed financing, establishing its operations and leadership team. The company is pioneering a pipeline of cancer therapeutics that are delivered directly into the cytosol of tumor cells. iDEL’s new approach is compatible with both large and small molecules and aims to unlock historically undruggable intracellular targets and broaden therapeutic windows across cancer indications. The financing was led by BiomedVC with participation from NRW.Venture, Gründerfonds Ruhr and the KHAN Technology Transfer Fund II.

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The proceeds will be used to advance iDEL Therapeutics’ two proprietary lead programs towards clinical evaluation. Leveraging different modalities with the potential to address a range of solid tumors, the pipeline candidates are based on the company’s proprietary shuttling technology. This pan-cancer platform enables evasion of endosomal entrapment and prevents subsequent degradation of the transported compound, a factor that can impair drug delivery and treatment efficacy, particularly for large molecules such as antibodies and their derivatives.

"iDEL Therapeutics’ concept to unlock new cancer treatments represents an exciting new opportunity with the potential to significantly impact the oncology landscape," said Marcus Kostka, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of iDEL Therapeutics. "Our technology’s broad applicability to a range of drug classes harbors the potential to improve treatment outcomes for patients living with a range of high-need cancer indications. Together with the leadership team, I look forward to expanding our preclinical proof-of-concept data, advancing our lead candidates toward the clinic and exploring additional possibilities for improved cancer treatments."

Concurrent with the financing, iDEL Therapeutics announced its leadership team which combines decades of expertise in biopharma, drug development and company building.

"Despite continuous advancements and a deeper understanding of cancer in our industry, current treatment options still face challenges related to on-target specificity and achieving a durable anti-tumor effect," said Aristotelis Nastos, PhD, Managing Partner and Investment Director at BiomedVC. "We believe that iDEL Therapeutics’ differentiated strategy has the potential to address these limitations by improving intracellular delivery, increasing target engagement and prolonging tumor retention. With an exceptional leadership team and a cutting-edge technology, the company is well positioned to advance this new therapeutic approach to deliver meaningful clinical benefit for cancer patients, and we fully support the team on this journey."

(Press release, iDEL Therapeutics, MAR 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234663679])

On March 17, 2026 Avacta Therapeutics (AIM: AVCT, "the Company", "Avacta"), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing pre|CISION, a tumor-activated oncology delivery platform, reported it will deliver two presentations at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2026, taking place from 17 April 2026 to 22 April 2026 in San Diego, California, USA.

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Details of the two presentations:

Title: AVA6103 is a FAP-enabled pre|CISION peptide-drug conjugate delivering sustained release of exatecan in the tumor microenvironment with potent antitumor activity

Authors: Curtis Rink, Tom Clough, Ellen Watts, Folake Orafidiya, Marine Houée, Sophie Brown, Victoria Juskaite, Gezim Lahu, Ruairidh Edwards, Karen Campbell, Dave Liebowitz, David Jones, Michelle Morrow, Francis Wilson

Poster number and Location: 5846, Section 17, Board 15
Session: Tumor Microenvironment, Multi-specifics, and Immunomodulation
Section: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics
Timing: Tuesday, 21 April 2026, 2:00-5:00pm PDT

Title: Characterization and translational development of novel pre|CISION technology compounds delivering complementary dual payloads to the tumor microenvironment following FAP cleavage

Authors: Victoria Juskaite, Tom Clough, Ellen Watts , Alexa Kennedy, Iva Zlatareva, Folake Orafidiya, Hanna Buist, Jannah Jeon, Greg Billenness, Douglas Sammon, Sophie Brown, Curtis Rink , Ruairidh Edwards, Vidicha Chunilal, Manuel Pinto, Dave Liebowitz, Francis Wilson, Michelle Morrow, David Jones

Poster number and Location: 5656, Section 10, Board 26
Session: Antibody-Drug Conjugates and Linker Engineering 4
Section: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics
Timing: Tuesday 21 April 2026, 2:00-5:00pm PDT

(Press release, Avacta Life Sciences, MAR 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234663678])

On March 17, 2026 Liminatus reported plans to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating IBA101, a next-generation CD47-blocking monoclonal antibody designed to engage innate immune pathways and complement established immuno-oncology therapies.

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IBA101 is engineered to target the CD47 "don’t-eat-me" signal, a mechanism that enables tumor cells to evade innate immune surveillance. By enhancing macrophage-mediated tumor clearance and antigen presentation, IBA101 is designed to work alongside PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors, which remain the backbone of treatment across multiple solid tumor indications.

The planned Phase 1 study is designed as a seamless clinical program, beginning with monotherapy dose escalation to evaluate safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics, followed by combination cohorts with PD-1/PD-L1 therapies within the same protocol. This approach is intended to efficiently generate early clinical and translational insights while supporting disciplined dose selection for future development.

Lung cancer has been selected as the initial focus of the Phase 1 program, reflecting the Widespread use of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in current treatment paradigms and the ongoing need to improve depth and durability of patient responses.

The trial is planned to be conducted under the leadership of Dr. Se-Hoon Lee, a recognized expert in immuno-oncology clinical research. The study will incorporate translational analyses aimed at characterizing immune activity and identifying biological features associated with clinical benefit.

The company anticipates engaging with regulatory authorities as part of its clinical development planning and is targeting readiness to advance the program following completion of required manufacturing, nonclinical, and regulatory preparation activities.

(Press release, Liminatus Pharma, MAR 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234663677])

On March 17, 2026 Myriad Genetics, Inc., (NASDAQ: MYGN), a leader in molecular diagnostic testing and precision medicine, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the MyChoice CDx Test as the Companion Diagnostic (CDx) for Zejula (niraparib), a PARP inhibitor from GSK, for patients with advanced ovarian cancer.

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This approval is based on final data from the PRIMA trial, where the MyChoice CDx Test determined homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) status and was used to stratify advanced ovarian cancer patients.

The MyChoice CDx is the only FDA-approved companion diagnostic test in the United States to identify patients with HRD-positive status eligible for treatment with Zejula. The test determines HRD status by leveraging next generation sequencing technology to conduct a comprehensive assessment of BRCA1/2 genes — including large rearrangements — and tumor genomic instability score (GIS) that includes loss of heterozygosity (LOH), telomeric allelic imbalance (TAI) and large-scale state transitions (LST).

"The FDA approval reinforces Myriad’s long-standing leadership in ovarian cancer diagnostics and underscores the clinical importance of comprehensive HRD testing," said Brian Donnelly, Chief Commercial Officer, Myriad Genetics. "By enabling precise identification of patients who may benefit from PARP inhibitors, MyChoice CDx helps ensure that treatment decisions are guided by robust genomic insights."

Nearly 50% of patients with advanced ovarian cancer have HRD positive (HRD+) tumors.1 Identifying these patients is critical to ensuring appropriate use of PARP inhibitor therapy and improving personalized treatment decisions.1-4

Zejula is a prescription medicine used for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer whose cancer is associated with HRD+ status defined by a deleterious or suspected deleterious BRCA mutation and/or genomic instability. Zejula is used after the cancer has responded (complete or partial response) to treatment with first-line platinum-based chemotherapy (Zejula indications referenced here apply to the US only). (For other indications, see "About Zejula" section below).

To learn more about the MyChoice CDx Test and how it can support treatment decisions for patients eligible for Zejula, please visit View Source

About the MyChoice CDx Test
The MyChoice CDx Test is the only FDA-approved homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) test specifically mentioned in American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) guidelines for selecting patients with ovarian cancer who may benefit from poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase (PARP) inhibitors.5 The MyChoice CDx Test determines HRD status by conducting a comprehensive assessment of BRCA1/2 genes and tumor genomic instability score (GIS) that includes loss of heterozygosity (LOH), telomeric allelic imbalance (TAI) and large-scale state transitions (LST). The MyChoice CDx Test can identify 34% more patients with HRD than other tumor tests that use %LOH alone.1

About Zejula (niraparib)
Zejula is an oral, once-daily poly (ADP ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor that works by preventing DNA repair in tumor cells, ultimately leading to their death. Zejula is indicated in the US for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in complete or partial response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy and whose cancer is associated with homologous recombination deficiency (HRD)-positive status.

Zejula is also indicated for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA-mutated recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in a complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy and who have been selected based on a US FDA-approved companion diagnostic for Zejula (Zejula indications referenced here apply to the US only).

(Press release, Myriad Genetics, MAR 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234663676])

On March 17, 2026 Evaxion A/S (NASDAQ: EVAX) ("Evaxion"), a clinical-stage TechBio company developing novel vaccines with its pioneering AI-Immunology platform, reported two abstracts accepted for presentation at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting taking place in San Diego, California, April 17-22, 2026.

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One abstract will include new biomarker and immunogenicity data for cancer vaccine EVX-01. Designed with Evaxion’s AI-Immunology platform, EVX-01 is a personalized cancer vaccine currently being evaluated as a treatment for advanced melanoma (skin cancer).

The data stems from the phase 2 trial investigating EVX-01 in combination with MSD’s (Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA) anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in patients with advanced melanoma. Each patient enrolled in the trial has received a unique vaccine designed and manufactured based on their individual biology. KEYTRUDA is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA.

The other abstract includes data on the use of AI-Immunology to identify endogenous retrovirus (ERV)-derived neoantigens to include in personalized vaccines to treat glioblastoma, a deadly brain cancer, for which limited therapeutic options exist.

In line with our strategy to identify potential partners and opportunities for both business partnerships and scientific collaborations, we will also participate in the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Oncology Industry Partnering event taking place ahead of the annual meeting.

Presentations details:
Abstract title: AI-designed personalized neoantigen vaccine, EVX-01, induces durable de novo T-cell responses in advanced melanoma patients
Poster#: 7741
Session category: Clinical research
Session title: Immune response to therapies
Location: Poster section 42
Date/Time: April 22, 2026, at 9am-12pm CST/16-19 CET
Presenter: Mads Lausen Nielsen, PhD, Project Manager at Evaxion

Abstract title: Endogenous retrovirus-derived neoantigens enable a personalized cancer vaccine strategy for glioblastoma
Poster#: 6975
Session category: Immunology
Session title: Novel Models of Immunotherapy Response
Location: Poster section 8
Date/Time: April 22, 2026, at 9am-12pm CST/16-19 CET
Presenter: Megan Benz, Duke University Medical Center

(Press release, Evaxion, MAR 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234663674])