On July 7, 2026 Biocytogen (SSE: 688796; HKEX: 02315) and Whitehawk Therapeutics, Inc. ("Whitehawk," Nasdaq: WHWK) reported a global collaboration to develop bispecific antibody-drug conjugates (BsADC). Biocytogen will provide access to up to five bispecific antibodies using its proprietary RenLite platform, and Whitehawk will evaluate these in combination with its ADC linker-payload platform technologies. Whitehawk then has the option to advance any resulting BsADC candidates as part of its pipeline.

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Based on a common light-chain design, RenLite supports the discovery, screening, and optimization of fully human bispecific antibodies across diverse target combinations, while reducing the risk of light-chain mispairing and providing a robust molecular foundation for subsequent BsADC development. By bringing together the complementary capabilities of Biocytogen and Whitehawk, the collaboration aims to identify BsADC candidates with differentiated targeting profiles and therapeutic potential.

"Whitehawk has established strong expertise in ADC technology and oncology drug development," said Dr. Yuelei Shen, President and CEO of Biocytogen. "This collaboration further expands the application of Biocytogen’s fully human bispecific antibodies in ADC development. We look forward to supporting the efficient advancement of multiple programs by contributing high-quality antibody molecules and integrated research capabilities to identify differentiated therapeutic candidates and ultimately bringing new treatment options to patients with cancer."

"Bispecific antibodies are a promising approach to broadening our targeting strategies, and Biocytogen’s established platform provides a robust framework for exploring this modality in combination with our ADC platform," said Dave Lennon, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Whitehawk Therapeutics. "We are excited about the potential of this collaboration to expand our pipeline opportunities and support our ambition to deliver new ADC INDs in the next 12-24 months."

Under the financial terms of the agreement, Biocytogen will receive an upfront payment and is eligible for development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, as well as low single-digit royalties on net sales. Additional financial terms were not disclosed. If Whitehawk exercises its option to advance any resulting BsADC candidates, Whitehawk will hold global rights and full program control of the BsADCs.

(Press release, Biocytogen, JUL 7, 2026, View Source [SID1234669096])

On July 7, 2026 LTZ Therapeutics, a clinical-stage, immunotherapy-focused biotechnology company, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared its Investigational New Drug (IND) application to evaluate LTZ-232 to treat patients with advanced metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and other solid tumors.

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LTZ-232 is the second asset in the company’s platform to enter clinical trials, leveraging its Universal Myeloid Cell Engager (U-MCETM) Platform to treat pan solid tumor indications that are epithelial cell adhesion molecule positive (EpCAM+). Building on the clinical progress of LTZ-301, already in clinical development for hematologic malignancies, the advancement of LTZ-232 reflects the company’s strategic expansion into broad solid tumors. LTZ expects to initiate its Phase 1, open-label, multicenter study for LTZ-232 in Q4 2026.

"Advancing LTZ-232 into the clinic represents another significant milestone for LTZ as it highlights the therapeutic potential of our U-MCE Platform for broad disease areas beyond our initial program," said Robert Li, Ph.D., founder and chief executive officer of LTZ. "We are excited to initiate our second first-in-class myeloid engager immunotherapy, delivering novel therapeutic options for patients."

LTZ’s clinical development strategy for LTZ-232 initially prioritizes colorectal cancer supported by disease biology and internal data demonstrating consistent EpCAM expression alongside a myeloid-rich tumor microenvironment (TME). The program is designed with the flexibility to explore potential therapeutic activity across other tumor types.

"Advanced metastatic colorectal cancer remains a significant unmet need in oncology, particularly since it’s typically an ‘immunologically cold’ tumor microenvironment, limiting the effectiveness of many existing immunotherapies," said William Grossman, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer of LTZ. "Our differentiated and novel approach is designed to redirect myeloid cells to drive anti-tumor activity in these challenging tumor microenvironment settings. We believe LTZ-232 has the potential to expand the reach of immunotherapy into cold solid tumors, and that we can meaningfully improve patients’ lives."

About LTZ-232

LTZ-232 is a first-in-class bispecific antibody designed to activate tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) to phagocytose and eliminate tumor cells in solid tumors with high EpCAM+ expression. Preclinical studies demonstrated potent pharmacology across in vitro and in vivo models, supported by a favorable safety profile. LTZ-232 transitions the company’s pipeline strategy into solid tumor indications, with an initial primary focus on advanced mCRC.

LTZ’s Scientific Approach

LTZ’s approach focuses on the fusion of reverse translational science, with a deep understanding of TME biology – especially myeloid biology. Macrophages appear to be one of the most prevalent immune cell populations in TME of various hematologic and solid tumors. Therefore, effectively engaging and activating macrophages to kill cancer cells offers significant therapeutic potential for patients. LTZ is developing its own U-MCE Platform to primarily enhance the phagocytic function of monocytes and macrophages of different polarization states to foster anti-tumor immunity and offer potential therapeutic benefit for other non-oncology diseases.

(Press release, LTZ Therapeutics, JUL 7, 2026, View Source [SID1234669094])

On July 7, 2026 Bayer, a global life sciences company, reported a new strategic alliance focused on clinical trials collaboration with the University of Colorado Anschutz, UCHealth and Children’s Hospital Colorado, establishing Bayer’s first alliance of its kind with an academic medical center. The initiative reflects a shared commitment to accelerating clinical research through stronger collaboration between industry and academic medicine.

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The alliance is intended to improve clinical trial efficiency, expand patient access to investigational therapies, and advance new medical discoveries. Initial focus areas for the alliance will include research studies in oncology, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, neurodegenerative disease, cell and gene therapy, women’s health, and ophthalmology.

The alliance is designed to:

Expand clinical trial infrastructure to execute more studies faster.

Facilitate earlier and broader patient access to investigational therapies.

Foster collaboration between industry, academic researchers, clinicians and health systems.
Advancing Clinical Trials Through Collaboration

The alliance will support innovative approaches to clinical trial design and implementation, enhanced patient enrollment, and expanded research operations. By combining Bayer’s drug development expertise with the extensive academic and clinical strengths of the University of Colorado Anschutz (CU Anschutz), UCHealth and Children’s Hospital Colorado (Children’s Colorado), the collaboration aims to expedite clinical research and bring lifesaving experimental therapies to more patients.

"Bayer is committed to bringing first-in-class or best-in-class therapies to market for the people who need them," said Christoph Koenen, Head, Clinical Development & Operations for Bayer. "Our alliance with this renowned academic medical center brings together several leading organizations to deliver new, innovative ways to advance clinical research for the benefit of patients."

The alliance will also support clinical trial infrastructure while facilitating scientific collaboration to advance new therapies and medical innovations. Examples include:

Access to clinical, scientific and operational experts to support trial design, planning and clinical implementation after drug approval.

Expanded administrative and data science infrastructure to speed up clinical trial launch time.

Access to clinical data to support trial enrollment, including identifying the patient populations most likely to benefit from treatment.
"We are honored to be selected as Bayer’s first academic medical center partner for clinical trials," said Adit Ginde, MD, MPH, senior associate dean for clinical research and professor of emergency medicine at the CU Anschutz School of Medicine. "This strategic alliance combines our deep experience in clinical trials, expert patient care, and renowned health system partners with Bayer’s extensive drug development infrastructure to speed the approval time of effective treatments for local, national and global implementation."

The alliance also supports one of the nation’s leading pediatric research programs, creating new opportunities to bring innovative therapies and clinical trials to a diverse patient population that travels from across the country to Children’s Colorado for specialized care.

"Over the past decade, we have intentionally built the expertise, infrastructure and research capabilities needed to bring innovative investigational therapies and cell therapies to children," said Jenae Neiman, vice president of research operations for Children’s Colorado. "As a recognized leader in pediatric medicine serving patients from across the region, we have established a mature clinical and research environment that makes us an ideal partner for advancing new treatment options. This alliance will help accelerate access to promising therapies and deliver them to our patients more efficiently."

Expanding Access to Innovative Therapies

One early example of the alliance’s impact is the selection of UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital as a Phase III clinical trial site for an investigational cellular therapy for advanced Parkinson’s disease. The study will leverage the expertise of CU Anschutz neurologists and neurosurgeons experienced in caring for patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease and delivering the one-time cell-based treatment. Additional pediatric trial opportunities are also being explored with physician-scientists at Children’s Colorado.

The effort highlights how industry-academic partnerships can help expedite clinical trials with the goal of expanding patient access to innovative therapies, ultimately improving outcomes for patients with complex conditions without effective solutions today.

"Clinical trials and advanced therapies are the future of medicine, and they also provide patients the very best outcomes and survival rates today," said Dr. Jean Kutner, UCHealth chief academic officer and distinguished professor, CU Anschutz School of Medicine. "UCHealth’s goal is to offer innovations like this through our academic partners in locations across Colorado."

The alliance was formally introduced during a recent launch event at CU Anschutz.

"This alliance with Bayer demonstrates what is possible when academic medicine and industry work together in a shared commitment to improving human health," said Don Elliman, Chancellor of CU Anschutz. "Academic medical campuses like CU Anschutz play a vital role in turning scientific discoveries into next-generation treatments and bringing promising new therapies closer to patients and families. We are proud to partner with Bayer in advancing that work."

(Press release, Bayer, JUL 7, 2026, View Source [SID1234669093])

On July 7, 2026 VolitionRx Limited (NYSE AMERICAN: VNRX) ("Volition"), a multi-national epigenetics company, reported the release of a new clinical study demonstrating the significant prognostic value of its Nu.Q Cancer Assay in newly diagnosed lung cancer patients, which could help clinicians identify patients’ likely outcomes and personalize treatment selection accordingly. The clinical paper entitled "Prognostic value of circulating H3K27Me3-nucleosomes in newly diagnosed lung cancer patients: Real-world evidence1" has been written in conjunction with researchers and clinicians at the Hospices Civils de Lyon (HCL), France’s second largest university hospital system, and is currently under peer review.

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Dr Andrew Retter, Medical Consultant, Volition said:

"Nu.Q Cancer represents a significant advancement in lung cancer patient management, offering clinicians an additional tool to enhance precision in treatment selection and monitoring and is a test we envisage will be used routinely in the clinic once approved.

"We have worked closely with the Lyon team over several years to develop the strong scientific and clinical evidence to support the use of Nu.Q in the management of cancer patients. These results indicate that measuring methylated nucleosome biomarker levels with the Nu.Q test, at Non Small Cell Lung Cancer diagnosis, can provide valuable information about survival, progression-free survival and, crucially, enhance the identification of patients who may benefit from curative care1-4.

"The integration of epigenetic biomarkers, such as circulating H3K27Me3-nucleosome, into personalized medicine frameworks holds great promise for refining patient stratification and treatment selection.

The test is simple to complete and easy to implement, the new information helps to empower bedside clinicians and their patients to make better informed decisions on treatments and planning future care together."

Frederic Wuilque, Vice President, Global Products, added:

"The first step in introducing the Nu.Q Cancer test into routine clinical practice, the clinical certification at HCL, has been completed.
"With the active support of HCL, we are working towards the submission of our reimbursement dossier in the coming months, under the framework of the "Innovative Procedures Outside the Nomenclature" (RIHN-référentiel des actes innovants hors nomenclature). Once the dossier is classified as admissible, we understand that determination of eligibility for reimbursement coverage is mandated to take no more than five months.
"We are delighted to showcase more evidence to demonstrate the clinical utility of our Nu.Q Cancer test and would like to thank our long term collaborator, Hospices Civils de Lyon, for their continued support. We continue to move through the steps on the path to the first use of Nu.Q in clinical practice, an exciting prospect which is core to Volition’s mission, using our tests to help save lives."

Mr. Gael Forterre, Chief Commercial Officer, Volition concluded:

"From a commercial perspective, France is just the beginning: the Volition team is actively discussing Nu.Q Cancer, not only with hospital networks in other countries but also potentially licensing the technology to third party collaborators. For this direct sales model we anticipate approximately €50 per test as revenue to Volition.
"Reimbursement will be a major milestone for Volition in the commercialization and licensing of Nu.Q in the human cancer field. Once achieved, we anticipate the introduction into routine clinical use in France."

About the Study

A large, real-world evidence study which demonstrated that plasma levels of Nu.Q Cancer assay H3K27Me3 were associated with cancer stage, and highly elevated levels were observed in patients with a poor outcome.
Overall survival (OS) analysis revealed that patients with a H3K27Me3-nucleosome level below the optimal cut-off had a significantly better mean survival compared to those with higher concentrations, particularly for patients who are ctDNA-negative and therefore lacking detectable actionable mutations.
Interestingly, a Cox Proportional Hazards (CPH) prognostic model, integrating baseline H3K27Me3-nucleosome concentrations with commonly collected clinical covariates (cancer stage, ctDNA molecular profile and age) enabled stratification of patients at diagnosis into low and high risk mortality groups, facilitating prediction of patient-level survival probabilities in a timeline of up to 30 months.

(Press release, VolitionRX, JUL 7, 2026, View Source [SID1234669092])

On July 7, 2026 OTR Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to transforming early-stage innovations into globally impactful therapies, reported that it has entered into a strategic collaboration agreement with LG Chem, a leading global company that specializes in life sciences as one of its core businesses. The strategic alliance is structured to accelerate joint efforts to identify, evaluate and develop novel oncology assets from China.

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The collaboration brings together OTR’s proprietary R&D platform and deep connection with China’s life science ecosystem, along with LG Chem’s global development expertise and commercial infrastructure. Together, the companies will establish a partnership for discovering, evaluating, and advancing innovative oncology assets from China to patients worldwide.

Under this strategic framework, OTR will identify and conduct initial technical assessment of promising oncology programs aligned with LG Chem’s strategic priorities through its regional scientific network and business development capabilities, followed by joint evaluation and licensing by both companies. OTR will lead preclinical and early clinical development by leveraging China’s speed, scientific excellence, and capital-efficient R&D environment, while LG Chem will take a leading role in ex-China clinical development, regulatory strategy, and commercialization.

Under the terms of each program-specific agreement, OTR will receive upfront payments and be entitled to global development and regulatory milestone payments. In addition, OTR has the option to participate in global development and obtain a share of global rights of programs entering late-stage clinical development. Through this long-term partnership the companies aim to accelerate the translation of innovative science into globally competitive medicines while creating a sustainable pipeline of differentiated oncology therapies for patients with significant unmet medical needs.

Dr. Son Ji-woong, President of LG Chem Life Sciences Company, stated:

"This collaboration with OTR strengthens our ability to systematically identify and evaluate promising assets emerging from China, which is becoming an emerging center of biopharmaceutical innovation. By securing high-potential assets at an early stage and advancing them jointly with our partner through future development opportunities, we aim to enhance our global competitiveness and improve patient access to innovative treatments."

Dr. Zhui Chen, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of OTR Therapeutics, commented:

"We are very delighted to collaborate with LG Chem to unlock the immense innovation potential residing within the Chinese biopharma ecosystem. By combining our agile R&D and business development capability with LG Chem’s robust clinical and commercial infrastructure, we are creating an accelerated pathway to transform early-stage breakthroughs into highly differentiated, clinically impactful therapies for patients worldwide."

(Press release, OTR Therapeutics, JUL 7, 2026, View Source [SID1234669091])