On June 23, 2026 Vividion Therapeutics, Inc. (Vividion), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, and a wholly owned and independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG, reported that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase Ib combination clinical trial evaluating VVD-214, an investigational oral inhibitor of Werner helicase (WRN). The study is evaluating VVD-214 in combination with bevacizumab in patients with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-high) or deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) colorectal cancer whose disease has progressed following prior lines of therapy.

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"Colorectal cancer remains one of the most common and challenging cancers to treat worldwide, and a substantial proportion of cases are driven by underlying defects in DNA repair," said Aleksandra Rizo, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Vividion. "VVD-214 reflects Vividion’s continued focus on uncovering and advancing therapies against critical cancer dependencies that have historically been difficult to target, including WRN, with the potential to deliver new precision medicines that address this urgent need."

VVD-214 is an investigational oral small-molecule inhibitor of WRN, a DNA repair enzyme that has emerged as a highly sought-after synthetic lethal target for cancers with microsatellite instability. Tumors that are MSI-high or dMMR rely on WRN to maintain DNA replication and repair despite their underlying genomic instability. By inhibiting WRN, VVD-214 is intended to cause lethal DNA damage in cancer cells while minimizing harm to normal cells, offering a potential precision medicine approach for patients with cancers such as colorectal, endometrial, ovarian and gastric tumors.

"Advancing precision oncology therapies for cancers driven by specific molecular vulnerabilities is a key focus of Bayer’s oncology strategy," said Christian Rommel, Ph.D., Global Head of Research and Development at Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division. "Targeting WRN represents a promising new therapeutic approach for genetically distinct subsets of some of the most common cancers worldwide, and we are encouraged to see VVD-214 continue to advance through clinical development."

The global Phase Ib clinical trial (NCT06004245) is planned to enroll patients at clinical sites across the U.S., Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Malaysia, South Korea, Spain, and the U.K. Preliminary data from the Phase Ia study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2025 Annual Meeting showed that VVD-214 was well tolerated with early signals of activity.

(Press release, Vividion Therapeutics, JUN 23, 2026, View Source [SID1234668910])

On June 23, 2026 Verastem presented its corporate presentation.

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(Presentation, Verastem, JUN 23, 2026, View Source [SID1234668909])

On June 23, 2026 Purple biotech presented its corporate presentation.

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(Presentation, Purple Biotech, JUN 23, 2026, View Source [SID1234668908])

On June 23, 2026 PharmaMar (MSE: PHM), reported that Merck (MRK.DE) has submitted a marketing application to Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) for Zepzelca (lurbinectedin) regarding the first line maintenance treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Merck´s New Drug Application (NDA) was granted priority review.

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In April 2025, PharmaMar and Merck announced an exclusive licensing agreement for the development and commercialization in Japan of lurbinectedin for the treatment of SCLC.

In addition, on March 19th, 2026, Japan’s MHLW designated lurbinectedin as an orphan drug, a category granted to drugs intended for the treatment of diseases affecting fewer than 50,000 patients and for which there is a particularly high unmet medical need.

Lurbinectedin in combination with atezolizumab has already been approved in Europe and in 14 other countries, including the United States, for first-line maintenance treatment of this disease.

(Press release, PharmaMar, JUN 23, 2026, View Source [SID1234668907])

On June 23, 2026 Alpha Tau Medical Ltd. (Nasdaq: DRTS, DRTSW) ("Alpha Tau"), the developer of the innovative alpha-radiation cancer therapy Alpha DaRT, reported the successful treatment with Alpha DaRT of the first glioblastoma patient in Israel, and the first ever outside of the United States, performed at Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem. The procedure was carried out by a multidisciplinary team led by Prof. Yigal Shoshan, Professor of Neurosurgery at Hadassah University Medical Center. Using the Company’s proprietary brain applicator under real-time stereotactic neuro-navigation, Alpha DaRT sources were precisely delivered to the recurrent tumor through a single, minimally-invasive burr hole entry point into the brain. The procedure was completed safely and without unexpected complications.

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Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and most lethal primary brain tumor in adults, with approximately 160,000 new cases diagnosed globally each year. Following standard first-line treatment, typically consisting of a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, recurrence is virtually inevitable, occurring in nearly all GBM patients within 6 to 9 months of initial treatment. It is at this stage that the disease becomes most unforgiving: median overall survival from the time of recurrence is only an additional 6 to 9 months, there is no standard of care, and the majority of patients are ineligible for repeat surgical resection – leaving them with severely limited therapeutic options. It is precisely this population, facing progression with nowhere left to turn, that Alpha DaRT aims to reach.

Uzi Sofer, CEO of Alpha Tau, stated: "Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone for Alpha Tau’s glioblastoma program: the first-ever treatment of a GBM patient outside of the United States, delivered at an institution as scientifically rigorous and globally respected as Hadassah. Israel is the birthplace of Alpha DaRT, and bringing this technology to Israeli brain tumor patients, patients who today have so few options, is a moment of deep pride and significance for our entire team."

Prof. Yigal Shoshan, Professor of Neurosurgery at Hadassah University Medical Center, stated: "I am proud that this first Israeli case has advanced the field not just by a geography, but by a genuine technical step forward. My involvement in Alpha DaRT for brain tumors began in the laboratory, through our preclinical study, in which we demonstrated that stereotactic implantation of Alpha DaRT sources in the swine brain was both safe and technically feasible. That work laid the scientific and procedural groundwork for today’s clinical milestone. The procedure was completed successfully, without unexpected complications, and represents an important proof of concept for how the flexibility of Alpha DaRT’s delivery system can be adapted to the complexity of individual brain tumor anatomy. The patient – male 77 years old, with recurrent glioblastoma following surgery and radiation therapy – tolerated the procedure well."

Dr. Robert Den, CMO of Alpha Tau, commented: "Treating a patient with glioblastoma who has no remaining standard of care – under a protocol designed precisely to reach that population – is exactly what this program is built for. The treatment of the first patient in Israel adds to the momentum of our multicenter US Recurrent GBM REGAIN trial, which is continuing to recruit patients swiftly following the fantastic interim results last month and the FDA clearance to proceed to full enrollment with the addition of two new leading U.S. academic centers. Together, these milestones are building a genuine clinical foundation for Alpha DaRT in one of oncology’s most challenging and underserved diseases. We look forward with genuine anticipation to learning from Prof. Shoshan and his team as this work progresses, and above all, we look forward to following this patient’s progress."

(Press release, Alpha Tau Medical, JUN 23, 2026, View Source [SID1234668904])