On July 1, 2026 Abbisko Therapeutics Co., Ltd. ("Abbisko Therapeutics" hereafter, HKEX code: 02256.HK) reported that it has entered into a strategic collaboration agreement with AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/NYSE: AZN) to jointly advance the clinical development of a novel IO-TKI combination therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). As a multicenter, open-label Phase I/II clinical study, the combination will evaluate the safety and efficacy of Abbisko’s first-in-class oral small-molecule PD-L1 inhibitor, lumipodlin (ABSK043), in combination with AstraZeneca’s third-generation EGFR-TKI, TAGRISSO (osimertinib), for the treatment of patients with EGFR-mutated and PD-L1 positive locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC. On May 20, 2026, the investigational new drug (IND) application for the combination study was cleared by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). This Phase II study will be led by Abbisko, and both Abbisko and AstraZeneca will share responsibilities for the clinical trial.

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Lumipodlin is a potentially first-in-class oral small molecule PD-L1 inhibitor with unique properties beyond its route of administration. Currently, third-generation EGFR-TKIs represented by osimertinib have become the front-line standard of care for EGFR-mutated NSCLC. However, patients with EGFR-mutant and high PD-L1 expression derive less benefit from EGFR-TKIs than those with low or negative PD-L1 expression[1],[2]. There is a long-standing unmet medical need for patients with EGFR mutated, PD-L1 positive NSCLC.

References
[1] Brown H, Vansteenkiste J, Nakagawa K, et al. Programmed cell death ligand 1 expression in untreated EGFR mutated advanced NSCLC and response to osimertinib versus comparator in FLAURA. J Thorac Oncol. 2020;15(1):138–143.

[2] Niu J, Jing X, Xu Q, et al. Strong PD-L1 affect clinical outcomes in advanced NSCLC treated with third-generation EGFR-TKIs. Future Oncol. 2024;20(32):2481-2490.

About Lumipodlin (ABSK043)
Lumipodlin is a novel, orally bioavailable, highly selective small molecule PD-L1 inhibitor independently developed and wholly owned by Abbisko Therapeutics. Tumor cells can exploit immune checkpoints such as PD-1 and its ligand PD-L1 to evade immune detection and clearance, thereby suppressing or limiting T-cell responses. Lumipodlin selectively binds to the PD-L1 receptor and induces its internalization from the cell surface, effectively inhibiting the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction and alleviating PD-L1-mediated suppression of T-cell activation. In preclinical models, lumipodlin has demonstrated anti-tumor efficacy comparable to approved PD-L1 antibodies. While several PD-1/PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies have been approved worldwide, there are currently no approved orally bioavailable PD-1/PD-L1 small molecule drugs. Lumipodlin is currently being explored in an ongoing Phase I clinical trial for advanced solid tumors in Australia and China.

About Tagrisso
Tagrisso (osimertinib) is a third-generation, irreversible EGFR-TKI with proven clinical activity in EGFRm NSCLC, including against central nervous system metastases. Tagrisso (40mg and 80mg QD oral tablets) has been used to treat more than one million patients across its indications worldwide and AstraZeneca continues to explore Tagrisso as a treatment for patients across multiple stages of EGFRm NSCLC.

(Press release, Abbisko Therapeutics, JUL 1, 2026, View Source [SID1234669039])

On July 1, 2026 Insilico Medicine ("Insilico" HKEX:3696), a leader in clinical-stage generative AI for drug discovery, reported a strategic collaboration agreement with Takeda to use its proprietary end-to-end platform, Pharma.AI, to advance drug candidates across the company’s therapeutic areas.

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The collaboration is designed to identify clinically differentiated drug candidates for promising therapeutic targets. Using advanced generative models from the earliest stages of design, the teams aim to improve the quality of candidate molecules and optimize them to achieve best-in-class efficacy and safety criteria.

Under the agreement, Insilico will lead AI-driven discovery to identify molecules meeting predefined scientific and early development criteria, while Takeda will apply its global development capabilities to advance selected candidates through clinical validation.

"I am excited to partner with one of the top leaders in the biopharmaceutical industry with massive competence in generative AI," said Alex Zhavoronkov, Ph.D., founder, CEO and CBO of Insilico Medicine. "As we deepen the integration of generative AI into every stage of the pharma value chain, I believe the future of pharmaceutical superintelligence has the potential to deliver the highest quality and differentiated drugs. This is a fundamental step on our journey toward extension of healthy productive life."

"By combining Takeda’s deep disease biology expertise with Insilico’s AI-enabled discovery capabilities, this collaboration seeks to deliver meaningful treatment options for patients by identifying clinically differentiated therapies," said Chris Arendt, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and Head of Research at Takeda. "The partnership also supports Takeda’s transition to an AI-native discovery model, as we integrate automation, robotics, and generative AI to advance high-quality candidates more efficiently."

Under the agreement, Insilico will receive approximately $60 million in project initiation fees, near-term payments and milestones, and is eligible for success-based preclinical, clinical, commercial and sales milestone payments that could bring the total deal value to approximately $600 million, plus tiered royalties on future sales.

The agreement grants Takeda exclusive worldwide rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize novel therapeutics selected through the collaboration.

(Press release, Insilico Medicine, JUL 1, 2026, View Source [SID1234669038])

On July 1, 2026 BridgeBio Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: BBIO) ("BridgeBio" or the "Company"), a commercial-stage, multi-product biopharmaceutical company focused on developing medicines for genetic conditions, reported that it has entered into an agreement with funds managed by Sixth Street ("Sixth Street") and funds managed by HealthCare Royalty, a business of KKR ("HCRx" and, together with Sixth Street, the "Purchasers") under which the Purchasers have invested up to $1 billion in newly issued convertible preferred equity of the Company.

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The Series A Cumulative Convertible Participating Preferred Stock has the following principal terms:

7.00% initial dividend, payable in kind or in cash at the Company’s election
Initial conversion price of $137.79 per share (more than 100% premium to BridgeBio’s 30-day volume-weighted average price), increasing to $153.10 per share (more than 125% premium) from the fifth anniversary
Permanent equity with no scheduled maturity and no redemption at the holder’s option
BridgeBio may redeem the preferred stock for cash or, in certain circumstances, convert it into common stock, in each case on the terms set forth in the definitive agreements
Sixth Street funded $800M as the lead investor, and HealthCare Royalty funded $133.9M at today’s close of the preferred equity investment.

"We are privileged to be partnering with Sixth Street and HealthCare Royalty at this pivotal time in BridgeBio’s trajectory. This financing represents the best of our dual mission – 1) to put patients first and ensure that we have the resources to do so, and 2) that we execute those responsibilities in a manner that maximizes the economic value of our Firm. Access to this type and quantum of capital ensures we can deliver on the promise of our launching medicines and beyond," said Neil Kumar, Ph.D., Co-Founder and CEO of BridgeBio.

"Sixth Street is proud to support BridgeBio’s mission of bringing meaningful medicines to patients during this exciting stage as the company is on the cusp of potential approval and launch of three important new therapies," said Jeff Pootoolal, Partner at Sixth Street. "Providing flexible capital at scale to leading developers of transformative medicines is central to what we do, and we look forward to a long and productive partnership with the BridgeBio team."

"The BridgeBio management team has a proven track record in launching and developing life-changing therapies, and we are pleased to partner with them on this transaction," said Clarke Futch, Chairman and CEO of HealthCare Royalty. "This capital support reaffirms our belief in the company’s growth and ability to bring to market multiple products that serve high unmet medical needs."

Latham & Watkins LLP served as legal advisor to BridgeBio. Evercore served as financial advisor and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and Mintz LLP served as legal advisors to Sixth Street. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP served as legal advisor to HealthCare Royalty.

Additional details about the transaction and the related definitive agreements will be included in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by the Company.

(Press release, BridgeBio, JUL 1, 2026, View Source [SID1234669037])

On July 1, 2026 Nona Biosciences ("Nona"), a global biotechnology company advancing biologics discovery and development through innovativetechnology platforms, reported a strategic collaboration with Lonza to develop best-in-class single-domain antibody–based blood-brain barrier (BBB)-crossing technology for central nervous system (CNS) diseases.

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This collaboration will leverage Nona Biosciences’ proprietary Harbour Mice fully human HCAb platform to discover and develop next-generation single-domain antibody-based blood-brain barrier (BBB)-crossing technologies. Leveraging the platform’s proven ability to generate fully human HCAbs and VHH binders with exceptional affinity and developability, the partnership aims to establish a best-in-class BBB-crossing technology capable of enabling the delivery of a diverse range of therapeutic modalities into the central nervous system (CNS) and unlocking new opportunities in CNS drug development and technology licensing. As part of the collaboration, Lonza’s protein development expertise, world-leading GS Gene Expression System and GlycoConnect bioconjugation technology will complement Nona’s platform by supporting the optimization and broader application of selected BBB-crossing candidates.

Under the terms of the agreement, Nona is entitled to receive upfront and option payments from Lonza. The parties will also share revenues generated from future licensing agreements pursuant to the collaboration.

Dr. Jingsong Wang, Chairman of Nona Biosciences, commented: "This partnership reflects validates Nona’s platform and strategic focus in next-generation delivery technologies. Lonza’s global reach, regulatory expertise, and commercial manufacturing capabilities will help accelerate the advancement of our BBB-crossing-technology. Beyond technology development, the collaboration creates opportunities for licensing, commercialization and long-term value creation, while strengthening our position in the CNS delivery space and supporting better outcomes for patients."

Dr. Di Hong, Chief Executive Officer of Nona Biosciences, added: "We are excited to partner with Lonza to develop and commercialize best-in-class BBB-crossing technologies for CNS diseases. This collaboration underscores the power and versatility of our HCAb Harbour Mice platform and its ability to generate differentiated, fully human single-domain binders that can tackle the most challenging delivery barriers in drug development. By combining our platform with Lonza’s services and development and manufacturing expertise, we are confident to offer next-generation BBB-crossing solutions that can unlock new treatment paradigms for patients suffering from devastating CNS disorders."

Peter Droc, Head of Licensing, Lonza, commented: "With the acquisition of IP rights to Nona’s BBB-crossing technology and through our continued collaboration, we are immediately enabling our customers to translate promising CNS assets into viable therapeutics. By combining this with flexible CDMO services, we allow partners to engage with us at any stage of their journey – from technology licensing to fully integrated development and commercial manufacturing – reducing complexity and helping accelerate the path to patients."

(Press release, Nona Biosciences, JUL 1, 2026, View Source [SID1234669036])

On July 1, 2026 Ipsen (Euronext: IPN; ADR: IPSEY) and Memo Therapeutics AG reported they have entered into a definitive share purchase agreement under which Ipsen has agreed to acquire all issued and outstanding shares of Memo Therapeutics AG. The anticipated acquisition is focused on potravitug, which is a Phase II clinical-stage antibody against the BK polyomavirus (BKPyV). BK polyomavirus associated nephropathy (BKPyVAN) is a serious and frequent clinical complication in renal transplanted patients that can lead to graft loss and transplant failure. Potravitug was granted fast-track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2023 and orphan drug designation in the European Union in December 2025.

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"This acquisition reinforces our commitment to delivering transformative solutions for patients with significant unmet needs," said Christelle Huguet, PhD, EVP, Head of R&D, Ipsen. "With potravitug, we have the opportunity to add a promising first-in-class asset to our rare disease pipeline and address the significant clinical consequences of BK virus–associated nephropathy in kidney transplant recipients, where current standards of care can compromise transplant success and graft outcomes."

Potravitug is a monoclonal antibody directed against the BK virus VP1 capsid protein. It acts by blocking viral attachment and cellular entry, thereby preventing infection of host cells and subsequent viral replication. The Phase II SAFE Kidney II triali is the largest placebo-controlled clinical trial for the treatment of BKPyVAN in kidney transplanted patients with 95 patients across 22 sites in the U.S. Topline results demonstrated efficacy with potravitug, including higher rates of ≥1-log10 viral load reduction or undetectable levels compared to placebo at week 20 alongside histological improvement in BKPyVAN. The totality of data showed strong clinical value with potravitug demonstrating a sustained and significant antiviral effect and reduced the incidence of BKPyVAN. 24.4% of treated patients achieved undetectable BKPyV-DNAemia by week 38 versus 13.0% in the placebo group, with >2-log10 viral load reductions occurring in 40.3% versus 24.7% of patients, respectively. By week 20, biopsy-proven BKPyVAN had declined from 51.2% to 31.6% in the potravitug group, with no change observed in the placebo group. Potravitug was well tolerated, with no treatment-related serious adverse events reported. Following the update at the European Renal Association Congress last month, the full SAFE KIDNEY II dataset presented at ATC 2026 further strengthen the clinical rationale for potravitug ahead of the planned SAFE KIDNEY III trial initiation later this year.

Erik van den Berg, CEO of Memo Therapeutics AG commented, "Today marks a pivotal moment in the Memo Therapeutics AG journey and validates years of scientific innovation. We are thrilled to have attracted Ipsen to take this important medicine forward. With its deep expertise in developing and commercializing medicines for rare diseases, Ipsen can ensure that this breakthrough asset reaches its full potential to deliver a life changing difference for thousands of kidney transplant patients with BKPyV infection."

"BK polyomavirus associated nephropathy is a significant clinical challenge in kidney transplant recipients," said Darshana Dadhania, MD, MS, FAST, medical director of the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program, assistant director of the Immunogenetics and Histocompatibility Lab and an associate professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. "With no approved targeted treatment, clinicians are forced to reduce immunosuppressive therapy which increases the risk of graft rejection and graft loss. Given the frequency and serious consequences of BK virus reactivation, there remains an urgent need for effective therapy that avoids this trade-off."

Transaction details
Under the terms of the agreements, shareholders of Memo Therapeutics AG will receive a 200 million EUR payment on a cash-free and debt-free basis at closing of the transaction, and deferred payments contingent upon the achievement of specified development, regulatory approval and sales-based milestones, for a total potential consideration in excess of 700 million EUR. As a condition precedent to closing the transaction, Memo Therapeutics AG’s assets and employees not related to potravitug, will be transferred to a newly incorporated company, Memorises Bio, retained by Memo Therapeutics AG’s shareholders.

The transaction is expected to close during Q3 2026, subject to fulfilment of customary closing conditions. The impact of this proposed mid-stage acquisition is factored into Ipsen’s current full-year guidance.

Advisors
Kate Romain, Anne Robert and Juliette Grouzet of Bredin Prat (Paris) and Andreas Rötheli, Floran Ponce and Federico Trabaldo Togna of Lenz & Staehelin (Switzerland) were acting as legal counsel to Ipsen. Centerview Partners is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Memo Therapeutics AG with Goodwin (London) and Baker McKenzie (Switzerland) acting as legal counsel.

About potravitug
Potravitug is a first-in-class monoclonal antibody targeting BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) reactivation in kidney transplant recipients. It has shown promising results in clinical trials, demonstrating a significant viral response and resolution of BKPyV associated nephropathy. These findings are based on the Phase II SAFE KIDNEY II trial, the largest placebo-controlled study conducted in this patient population, with additional analyses presented at leading international renal and transplant congresses further supporting its clinical profile and the next stages of clinical development.

About BK polyomavirus
BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) is a common virus that most people are exposed to in childhood and usually remains inactive in the body.ii However, in people with a weakened immune system, including kidney transplant recipients taking anti-rejection medication, the virus can reactivate and multiply. Around 90% of kidney transplant recipients are positive for BKPyV serotype,iii and high levels of BKPyV in the blood affect approximately 30% of patients within the first year after transplant indicating reactivation of the virus.iv BK polyomavirus reactivation and associated nephropathy (BKVAN) can have serious consequences, including an increased risk of graft loss and the need for dialysis or re-transplantation. There are currently no approved targeted therapies for BKPyV and clinical management is focused on balancing graft protection with BKPyV control through reducing the immunosuppression.v,vi Over 100,000 kidney transplants are performed each year worldwide, and in the U.S. >28,000 are performed each year, with a further >90,000 patients on the waiting list for a transplant.

(Press release, Ipsen, JUL 1, 2026, View Source [SID1234669035])