On July 14, 2026 Immuto Scientific, a biotechnology company pioneering structural surfaceomics to discover and develop therapeutics against disease-specific surface protein conformers (SPC), reported new data showing its platform identified novel surface protein conformers associated with treatment resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The data demonstrate how Immuto’s Rover structural surfaceomics platform can reveal disease-specific changes in protein structure that are not defined by mutation or expression alone. In patient-derived, EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma models, Immuto detected specific structural changes on the surface of osimertinib-resistant cells and identified candidate surface protein conformers specific to the resistant state. The company is now advancing therapeutic programs against SPC targets identified from these models.

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"Resistance to targeted therapy remains one of the most important challenges in non-small cell lung cancer, and new therapeutic targets are urgently needed," said Faraz A. Choudhury, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of Immuto Scientific. "These data show that structural surfaceomics can uncover disease-specific conformational targets that conventional genomics and proteomics miss. By identifying how surface proteins change shape in resistant disease states, we believe we can open new opportunities for ADCs, multispecifics, and other advanced biologics designed to more selectively target cancer cells."

Many antibody-based and ADC therapies in NSCLC target proteins that are overexpressed on tumors but are also present in normal epithelial tissues, which can contribute to on-target, off-tumor toxicity and limit dosing. Immuto’s platform is designed to move beyond expression-based target discovery by identifying surface protein conformers that are defined by disease-specific structure rather than mutation or abundance alone.

In the study, conducted with Dr. Byoung Chul Cho, a medical oncologist, clinical trialist, and Professor at Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea, specializing in lung cancer, Immuto compared the global structural surfaceome of two EGFR-mutant, patient-derived models, one sensitive to osimertinib and one resistant. Using quantitative LC-MS/MS to measure changes in amino acid surface accessibility and solvent accessibility, Immuto identified 19,020 modified peptides from 3,485 proteins, including 2,518 peptides from 1,072 proteins that exhibited significant changes in solvent accessibility. The analysis also revealed several candidate contributors to resistance, including an EMT-like phenotype in the osimertinib-resistant cells. Together, the findings suggest that structural proteomics can broaden the druggable target space in NSCLC by uncovering conformational targets linked to resistance states.

"Resistance to EGFR-targeted therapy remains a major challenge for patients with non-small cell lung cancer, and new approaches are needed to identify therapeutic vulnerabilities that emerge in resistant disease," said Dr. Cho. "These data suggest that structural changes on the cancer cell surface may provide an important and previously underexplored source of targets in treatment-resistant lung cancer. The ability to evaluate these changes in patient-derived models could open new opportunities for more selective therapeutic strategies."

The data will be presented at the inaugural AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Drug Discovery and Development (D3) Conference, taking place July 21-24, 2026, in Boston. Details are as follows:

Title: Novel, conformational target discovery in TKI-resistant non-small cell lung cancer
Session: Poster Session B
Date and Time: Thursday, July 23, 6:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. ET
Location: Boston, Massachusetts

(Press release, Immuto Scientific, JUL 14, 2026, View Source [SID1234669218])

On July 14, 2026 Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) reported that it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the PD‑L1 IHC 28‑8 pharmDx assay as a companion diagnostic to identify patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), gastric, gastroesophageal junction (GEJ), and esophageal adenocarcinoma who may be eligible for treatment with OPDIVO (nivolumab) or OPDIVO QVANTIG (nivolumab and hyaluronidase‑nvhy), Bristol Myers Squibb’s PD‑1‑targeted immunotherapeutic agents. PD-L1 IHC 28-8 pharmDx is approved for exclusive use with the Agilent Autostainer Link 48 advanced staining solution.

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PD‑L1 IHC 28‑8 pharmDx, Code SK005, is an FDA‑approved diagnostic aid for detecting PD‑L1 expression (Combined Positive Score [CPS] ≥ 1) in these tumor types for patients being considered for treatment with OPDIVO or OPDIVO QVANTIG. PD‑L1 expression is determined using CPS, which measures PD‑L1 staining in tumor and immune cells relative to the total number of viable tumor cells.

"This FDA approval highlights the critical role of validated diagnostics in advancing precision oncology," said Majken Nielsen, vice president and general manager of Agilent’s Clinical Diagnostics Division. "By expanding the indications for PD‑L1 IHC 28‑8 pharmDx, we are supporting pathologists and clinicians with an FDA‑approved test designed to help guide treatment decisions for patients with gastric and esophageal cancers. This milestone reflects Agilent’s ongoing commitment to delivering high‑quality diagnostics that enable confidence in patient care."

Gastric and esophageal cancers continue to represent a significant global health burden, with high mortality rates and limited long‑term survival for many patients. Esophageal cancer is the 11th most common cancer worldwide with over 510,000 new cases and is the seventh leading cause of cancer mortality, accounting for over 445,000 cancer deaths each year1. Patients with esophageal cancer have an overall five-year survival of 22%2. Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer worldwide with around 968,000 new cases and is also the fifth leading cause of cancer mortality, accounting for approximately 660,000 cancer deaths each year1. Patients with gastric cancer have an overall 5-year survival of 38%3. PD‑1‑ and PD‑L1‑targeted immunotherapies, including OPDIVO, have transformed treatment approaches across multiple cancer types, underscoring the importance of accurate biomarker testing to help identify patients who may benefit from these therapies.

PD‑L1 IHC 28‑8 pharmDx was developed by Agilent in partnership with Bristol Myers Squibb as part of the clinical development program supporting OPDIVO. Clinical studies CheckMate‑648 and CheckMate‑649 demonstrated improvements in overall survival and progression‑free survival in patients with ESCC, gastric, GEJ, and esophageal adenocarcinoma treated with OPDIVO and OPDIVO QVANTIG.

With this FDA approval, Agilent further strengthens its leadership in immunohistochemistry‑based diagnostics and its longstanding role as a trusted partner in drug‑diagnostic co‑development, supporting pathologists and laboratories worldwide in the delivery of precision medicine.

OPDIVO and OPDIVO QVANTIG are registered trademarks of Bristol Myers Squibb.

PD‑L1 IHC 28‑8 pharmDx is manufactured by Agilent Technologies, Inc.

(Press release, Agilent, JUL 14, 2026, View Source [SID1234669217])

On July 14, 2026 Insilico Medicine ("Insilico"; HKEX: 3696), a clinical-stage generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven drug discovery company, reported a multi-target strategic alliance with Bora Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. ("Bora"; TWSE: 6472; OTCQX: BORAY), a global leader in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

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The proposed alliance will be governed by definitive agreements to be discussed and executed by Insilico and Bora and is designed to combine Insilico’s proprietary Pharma.AI platform, spanning target discovery, generative chemistry, and molecule optimization, with Bora’s global development, manufacturing, quality, and commercialization capabilities. By linking AI-enabled discovery with automation-driven development, manufacturing, and quality execution, Insilico and Bora aim to pioneer a next-generation drug innovation model that connects novel molecule design with the capabilities required to develop, manufacture, and deliver medicines to patients with unmet medical needs.

The alliance lays the foundation for a broad, multi-target collaboration framework, subject to the parties’ further discussion and execution of definitive agreements. If fully implemented, the potential value of the proposed collaboration could exceed US$2.5 billion. Insilico expects to support Bora in strengthening AI capabilities across its global workforce and enhancing AI literacy across the organization. The partnership is also expected to apply Insilico’s AI capabilities to improve efficiency across manufacturing, supply chain, distribution, and corporate operations. As the collaboration progresses, Bora and Insilico expect to further refine its scope, scale, and operating framework.

As part of the alliance, Insilico aims to accelerate Bora’s transition toward more AI-driven and automation-driven drug discovery and development capabilities by providing comprehensive research and development strategies and end-to-end AI solutions across global discovery and development workflows. Over time, the alliance will further explore opportunities to apply AI and automation-driven approaches across development planning, process optimization, pharmaceutical development, manufacturing readiness, and quality systems.

The proposed alliance reflects a shared vision that the next generation of biopharmaceutical innovation will be increasingly AI-native, data-rich, and automation-driven. In this new model, value will be created not only through the discovery and design of novel molecules, but also through smarter, more efficient translation of those molecules into high-quality development programs and, ultimately, medicines for patients. Insilico brings an AI-native discovery engine with demonstrated productivity across multiple therapeutic areas, while Bora brings deep experience in drug development, global manufacturing, quality systems, supply chain execution, and commercialization.

"Insilico Medicine has established itself as one of the world’s leading AI drug discovery companies by demonstrating that generative AI can identify novel targets, design novel molecules, and advance drug candidates into clinical development," said Bobby Sheng, founder, Chairman of Bora Group and CEO of Bora Pharmaceuticals. "This strategic alliance marks an important step in Bora’s evolution from a leading pharmaceutical development and manufacturing partner into a broader drug innovation ecosystem. By combining Insilico’s AI-native capabilities with Bora’s global expertise in formulation, CMC, regulatory development, scale-up, quality, commercial manufacturing, supply chain, and commercialization, we have an opportunity to create a truly integrated pathway from discovery to commercialization.

"AI is already transforming drug discovery, but its full potential will only be realized when that transformation extends across the entire development and manufacturing value chain. This is not simply about adding AI to existing processes; it is about reimagining how pharmaceutical products are developed, manufactured, and brought to patients. Together, we aim to build a scalable and repeatable model that can advance promising drug candidates more efficiently, positioning Bora at the forefront of AI-enabled pharmaceutical development and manufacturing, and establish a long-term growth platform through the development and commercialization of high-value proprietary assets."

"We are thrilled to partner with Bora, a visionary leader with world-class development and manufacturing capabilities and a strong commitment to AI-driven innovation," said Dr. Alex Zhavoronkov, founder, co-CEO, and CBO of Insilico Medicine. "Building on our collaborations with Takeda and SK Biopharmaceuticals in Asia-Pacific, this alliance with Bora further demonstrates Insilico’s commitment to partnering with leading biopharmaceutical innovators across the region. Insilico has built a powerful AI-native engine for target discovery, generative chemistry, and molecule optimization. Together with Bora, we aim to connect that discovery engine with the capabilities required to advance high-quality drug candidates through development, manufacturing, and potential commercialization, while also supporting Bora’s broader AI transformation. This alliance represents an important step toward demonstrating how AI-discovered medicines can be developed faster, more efficiently, and with greater scalability."

As an AI-native biotechnology company, Insilico is redefining the efficiency of preclinical drug development through its advanced AI and automation platform. While traditional early-stage drug discovery typically takes 2.5 to 4 years, Insilico has consistently reached preclinical candidate ("PCC") nomination in an average of just 12 to 18 months. Since 2021, the company has nominated 31 PCCs, 13 of which have received IND approval or clearance – a track record of speed and productivity that this alliance aims to pair with Bora’s development and manufacturing scale.

While expanding the practical applications of its technology in drug discovery and life science research, Insilico is also continuously enhancing the performance of its AI platform. Drawing on extensive experience and datasets from its training platform, the company has distilled thousands of benchmarks and integrated them into MMAI Gym. Serving as both a "trainer and benchmark" for scientific AI, MMAI Gym enables organizations to train models for domain-specific reasoning while rigorously evaluating their performance on real-world tasks, advancing the path toward pharma superintelligence. To date, Human Longevity and Liquid AI have collaborated with Insilico, joining as partners of MMAI Gym.

(Press release, Insilico Medicine, JUL 14, 2026, View Source [SID1234669216])

On July 14, 2026 Akeso, Inc. (9926.HK) ("Akeso" or the "Company") reported that it has entered into a collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) to advance a Phase II clinical study evaluating a cadonilimab-based combination regimen for the perioperative treatment of locally advanced, resectable HER2-negative gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma. Cadonilimab is the world’s first PD-1/CTLA-4 bispecific antibody developed by Akeso.

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The study is being led by Dr. Yelena Janjigian, a globally renowned expert in gastrointestinal malignancies at MSKCC. It is now actively enrolling patients across the United States.

This Phase II study will generate robust clinical evidence to support the future initiation of an international multicenter Phase III trial of the cadonilimab combination regimen for the perioperative treatment of GC/GEJ adenocarcinoma.

Cadonilimab and ivonescimab, as first-in-class bispecific antibodies with breakthrough global clinical value, have garnered significant attention and recognition from the international medical community. These innovative IO 2.0 therapies are increasingly favored by global partners as the preferred backbone for combination regimens and novel treatment paradigms across a wide range of cancers. Their global therapeutic value continues to be scientifically explored and realized through ongoing clinical data and new studies.

Building on cadonilimab’s unique dual-target synergistic mechanism, this Phase II study is supported by strong evidence from the Phase III COMPASSION-15 trial and previous Phase II neoadjuvant studies in gastric/GEJ adenocarcinoma.

Gastric cancer is the fifth most common malignancy worldwide, with nearly one million new cases annually. For patients with locally advanced, resectable gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma, standard perioperative FLOT chemotherapy achieves a 3-year overall survival rate of only 48%. Although the addition of PD-1 inhibitors to FLOT has become the new standard of care, the pathologic complete response (pCR) rate remains limited at approximately 19%, and nearly one-third of patients experience disease recurrence or death within two years. Dual PD-1/CTLA-4 inhibition has shown limited benefit due to overlapping toxicities and increased early mortality. A significant unmet medical need persists for more effective and better-tolerated treatment options.

As the first approved bispecific antibody for cancer immunotherapy, cadonilimab has demonstrated breakthrough clinical benefits across multiple pivotal studies and is now widely used in clinical practice. More than 12 registrational or Phase III studies of cadonilimab are currently underway globally, including two international multicenter registrational/Phase III trials led by Akeso.

In addition, Akeso is collaborating with INOVIO to explore a novel combination regimen using INOVIO’s DNA-based therapy for glioblastoma (GBM) at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Mass General Brigham. The Company continues to accelerate the global development of cadonilimab through strategic partnerships with leading therapeutics and institutions.

(Press release, Akeso Biopharma, JUL 14, 2026, View Source [SID1234669215])

On July 14, 2026 Anixa Biosciences, Inc. ("Anixa" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: ANIX), a biotechnology company focused on the treatment and prevention of cancer, reported that IP Australia has issued a Notice of Acceptance for a new patent related to Anixa’s breast cancer vaccine technology.

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This patent, exclusively licensed from Cleveland Clinic, will provide protection for the Company’s novel approach to breast cancer treatment and prevention in Australia. The patent is titled, "Vaccine Adjuvants and Formulations," and the co-inventors are Dr. Justin Johnson and the late Dr. Vincent Tuohy, both of Cleveland Clinic.

The acceptance further expands the international scope of Anixa’s intellectual property portfolio, reinforcing its leadership in the field of cancer immunotherapy. The Australian patent complements patents issued in the United States and other key global jurisdictions, including Europe, China, and Japan, among others, and represents an important step toward potential future regulatory approvals and commercialization efforts outside the United States.

In a recently completed Phase 1 trial, at Cleveland Clinic and funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, the vaccine met all major primary endpoints, was safe and well tolerated, and generated protocol defined immune responses in more than 74% of participants. These results support continued clinical development of the Company’s novel preventive and therapeutic breast cancer vaccine.

"This newly accepted patent continues the broad international recognition of the novelty and potential of our breast cancer vaccine," stated Dr. Amit Kumar, Chairman and CEO of Anixa Biosciences. "As we continue clinical development in the U.S., our growing international patent estate further strengthens our ability to pursue global opportunities and potentially partner with larger pharmaceutical companies for worldwide commercialization."

Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide, and while survival rates in Australia remain high, incidence rates have continued to increase. Despite significant advances in screening and treatment, there are currently no approved vaccines designed to prevent breast cancer.

Anixa’s breast cancer vaccine is based on immunizing against human α-lactalbumin, a protein associated with lactation that is aberrantly expressed in certain types of breast cancer. This "retired" protein strategy, developed at Cleveland Clinic and licensed exclusively to Anixa, aims to selectively prime the immune system to prevent tumor formation while avoiding harm to normal tissue, particularly in aggressive forms of the disease such as triple-negative breast cancer.

By reinforcing its global patent estate, Anixa is laying the groundwork for future international development and commercialization strategies. The Company’s broader vaccine platform also targets other high-incidence cancers and is designed to transform how the medical community approaches cancer prevention. If successful, the technology could represent one of the first preventive vaccine approaches targeting breast cancer.

(Press release, Anixa Biosciences, JUL 14, 2026, View Source [SID1234669214])