On June 17, 2026 Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (NYSE American: CANF) (TASE: CANF), a biotechnology company advancing a pipeline of proprietary small-molecule drugs targeting oncological and inflammatory diseases, reported its participation in the BIO International Convention 2026, to be held June 22–25, 2026, in San Diego, California. BIO International Convention | June 22-25 | San Diego

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

During the conference, Can-Fite will conduct partnering meetings with pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms, and potential strategic partners to discuss licensing and commercialization opportunities for its advanced clinical-stage pipeline.

The Company’s lead drug candidate, Namodenoson, is currently being evaluated in a pivotal Phase III study for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in pancreatic cancer following the successful completion of a Phase IIa study and conducting a Phase IIb study for MASH. Piclidenoson, Can-Fite’s drug candidate for inflammatory diseases, is currently being evaluated in a pivotal Phase III study for psoriasis and is undertaking the preparatory work for a Phase II study in the rare genetic disease, Lowe Syndrome.

Can-Fite’s proprietary A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR) platform technology has demonstrated a favorable safety profile in more than 1,600 patients treated to date and serves as the foundation for the Company’s pipeline of orally administered therapies targeting cancer, liver, and inflammatory diseases.

The Company has established multiple regional licensing agreements for its drug candidates and continues to pursue strategic partnerships to maximize the global value of its pipeline. To date, these agreements have generated approximately $20 million in upfront and milestone payments, with the potential for additional milestone payments and royalties.

"BIO International Convention is one of the most important partnering events in the biotechnology industry, bringing together companies seeking innovative therapeutic assets and strategic collaborations," said Dr. Sari Fishman, Vice President of Business Development at Can-Fite BioPharma. "With two pivotal Phase III programs, an ongoing Phase IIb study in MASH, and additional opportunities in oncology and rare diseases, we look forward to meeting with potential partners to discuss licensing, commercialization, and value-creating collaborations for our clinical-stage assets."

Dr. Fishman will be available for partnering meetings throughout the conference.

(Press release, Can-Fite BioPharma, JUN 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234668774])

On June 17, 2026 AB Science SA (Euronext – FR0010557264 – AB) reported that the United States Patent Office has formally granted a patent for methods of treating metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) with its lead compound masitinib. This new US patent (US 12,648,944) ensures intellectual property protection for masitinib until May 2042.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

This new US patent adds to the IP coverage already granted in Europe (EP4175639).

Counterpart patent applications have also been filed in other major international markets.

Masitinib positioning in metastatic prostate cancer after failure to hormone therapy

In metastatic prostate cancer, patients take hormone therapies (i.e., androgen-deprivation therapy) in first line and second line. Then when metastatic cancer advances patients have to be treated by chemotherapy. There is only one chemotherapy registered, docetaxel, and no drug in combination with docetaxel or replacement of docetaxel has improved PFS or OS and has been registered for the last 20 years.

Masitinib is positioned in combination with docetaxel as a treatment of mCRPC patients who are eligible to chemotherapy. That is to say, it is administered directly following the metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) treatment space.

Masitinib is one of the rare drugs to have generated positive data on progression free survival (PFS) in combination with docetaxel in this population.

Masitinib positioning in mCRPC with low metastatic involvement measured by a biomarker

More specifically, this patent provides protection for masitinib and related compounds for the treatment of mCRPC in a patient subpopulation with low metastatic involvement (as measured by baseline alkaline phosphatase levels).

This patient population is fully consistent with the results of the masitinib study AB12003 [1] and the ongoing clinical development program of masitinib in mCRPC.

As a reminder, the key results from study AB12003 include:

Masitinib (6.0 mg/kg/day) plus docetaxel conferred a significant progression-free survival (PFS) benefit in mCRPC patients with baseline alkaline phosphatase levels (ALP) less than or equal to 250 IU/L; hazard ratio of 0.79 [0.64,0.97] (p=0.0087), corresponding to a 21% reduction in risk of progression relative to control.
Assessment of PFS rates was convergent with this primary outcome, with 12-, 18-, and 24-month PFS rates showing significant improvement in favor of masitinib plus docetaxel relative to the control: 1.6-fold (p=0.0035), 1.9-fold (p=0.0001), and 1.9-fold (p=0.0028), respectively.
A progressively greater masitinib treatment effect was observed for lower baseline ALP levels (i.e., less advanced metastatic disease), with a significant 47% reduced risk of progression in patients with ALP less than or equal to 100 IU/L (hazard ratio=0.53, p=0.002).
The safety profile of masitinib plus docetaxel was acceptable and consistent with the known masitinib profile, with no new safety signals observed.
Unmet medical need in mCRPC

Although localized disease is associated with high survival rates, metastatic prostate cancer still represents an unmet medical need with a 5-years survival rate of approximately 32% [2]. Practically all patients with metastatic disease become resistant to androgen-deprivation therapy.

With 1.5 million new cases and 397,000 deaths worldwide, prostate cancer is the world’s second most frequent cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer death among men [3]. It is estimated that there are at least 3.5 million men living with prostate cancer in the United States [4] and 2.5 million in Europe [5]. Approximately 2% of all prostate cancer cases are mCRPC [6], and practically all patients with metastatic disease will become resistant to androgen-deprivation therapy. As such, the population with mCRPC eligible to chemotherapy is around 50,000 in the EU and 70,000 in the USA.

(Press release, AB Science, JUN 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234668773])

On June 17, 2026 Defence Therapeutics Inc. ("Defence" or the "Company"), (CSE: DTC, OTCQB: DTCFF, FSE: DTC) a publicly traded biotechnology and precision intracellular drug-delivery company, reported its participation in the BIO International Convention 2026, taking place June 22–25 in San Diego, California.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Defence’s team will be available throughout the conference to meet with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, investors, and potential strategic collaborators interested in exploring partnership opportunities involving Defence’s proprietary Accum platform.

Accum is designed to enhance intracellular delivery by promoting endosomal escape and improving delivery to target cellular compartments. The platform is being applied across multiple therapeutic modalities, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and radiopharmaceutical drug conjugates (RDCs), where efficient intracellular delivery remains a critical challenge.

Defence is actively seeking partnerships with innovative pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, biosimilar developers, and technology providers interested in leveraging Accum to unlock additional value from their therapeutic programs. Partnership opportunities include the development of novel Accum-enabled ADCs, enhancement of biosimilar products, revitalization of existing or discontinued assets, and co-development of advanced delivery and linker technologies. Accum can be incorporated into ADC programs without restarting the engineering process, enabling integration at any stage of development, from discovery through clinical evaluation.

"BIO International Convention is one of the most important gatherings for the global biotechnology industry, bringing together innovators, investors, and pharmaceutical leaders from around the world," said Sébastien Plouffe, Chief Executive Officer of Defence Therapeutics. "For Defence, it provides a unique opportunity to showcase the potential of our Accum platform and engage with organizations seeking innovative approaches to improve the delivery and effectiveness of advanced therapeutics. We look forward to meeting with potential partners and exploring opportunities to create value through collaborations."

Companies interested in scheduling a meeting with Defence during BIO 2026 are encouraged to contact the Company in advance through the BIO Partnering platform or by reaching out directly to the Defence team at [email protected].

(Press release, Defence Therapeutics, JUN 17, 2026, View Source;utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=defence-therapeutics-to-participate-in-bio-international-convention-2026-next-week-for-strategic-partnership-discussions [SID1234668772])

On June 16, 2026 MultiValent Biotherapies, Inc. (MultiValent), a private biotechnology company developing targeted drug conjugate therapies for cancer, reported a $27.425 million first closing of its Series A Preferred Stock financing.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

MultiValent plans to use the funds to advance the clinical development of MVB-101, a prostate-specific membrane antigen x folate receptor alpha (PSMA x FRα) targeted drug conjugate which MultiValent has licensed from Coherent Biopharma (Coherent). The Company expects to begin clinical development of MVB-101 in the United States for the treatment of a subgroup of prostate cancer patients in a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial in the third quarter of 2026.

"We are pleased to announce both the initial closing of our Series A financing and the licensing of MVB-101. We look forward to advancing this promising drug candidate into clinical development in the United States," said Fred Schwarzer, Executive Chairman of MultiValent.

"Prostate cancer remains one of the most prevalent cancers among men in the United States. Approximately 330,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed annually and nearly 3 million men in the United States are living with this devastating disease," said Stephen Snowdy, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of MultiValent. "Current treatments often result in significant quality of life impacts, including erectile and urinary dysfunction. If clinical development is successful, MVB-101 has the potential to provide an effective treatment option for a subgroup of prostate cancer patients while helping preserve quality of life for those patients."

"MVB-101 is a novel bivalent peptide-like drug conjugate molecule which is approximately 1/50th the size of traditional antibody drug conjugate molecules. The smaller size of MVB-101 should facilitate faster diffusion into the tumor as compared to antibody-based therapies, and the dual targeting of MVB-101 against PSMA and FRα is designed to provide better binding against heterogenous tumor cells," said Bruce Keyt, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of MultiValent.

Under the terms of its license agreement with Coherent, MultiValent received exclusive rights to MVB-101 in all markets outside of Greater China. Coherent received an equity stake in MultiValent and a cash up-front payment, and it may receive future payments triggered by development, regulatory, commercial and sales milestones.

About MVB-101

MVB-101 is a bivalent peptide-like drug conjugate. The drug binds two targets that are highly upregulated on the surfaces of prostate cancer cells, prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and folate receptor alpha (FRa). The drug carries a payload of monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), a clinically proven highly potent anti-cancer molecule that interferes with cell replication. MVB-101’s safety and efficacy have been preliminarily demonstrated by Coherent in more than 110 patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

(Press release, MultiValent Biotherapies, JUN 16, 2026, View Source [SID1234668771])

On June 16, 2026 Calidi Biotherapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American: CLDI) ("Calidi" or "the Company"), a biotechnology company pioneering the development of targeted genetic medicines, reported that it has received pre-IND regulatory feedback from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) providing alignment and clarity on Calidi’s IND-enabling preclinical plans and clinical strategy for CLD-401 prior to advancing the drug candidate into Phase 1 clinical studies.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"We thank the FDA for its regulatory feedback, and we believe we are in agreement with the agency on our overall IND strategy for CLD-401," said Calidi Biotherapeutics Chief Executive Officer Eric Poma, Ph.D. "We look forward to our regulatory submission for CLD-401, a potentially ground-breaking oncolytic virus with in situ delivery of an IL-15 superagonist, which we are targeting by year-end. This positions us to initiate our first-in-human clinical trial in early 2027."

In the pre-IND meeting, the FDA and Calidi agreed on key aspects of the CMC and non-clinical programs as well as feedback on the overall design for the proposed first-in-human clinical study. This pre-IND (Type B) interaction builds on the engagement and alignment achieved through early scientific advice as part of a Type D interaction with the FDA.

Calidi is committed to rapidly advancing CLD-401 into the clinic, believing that early Phase I data for CLD-401 will validate the Company’s proprietary RedTail platform. The Company continues to expand the functionality of the RedTail platform while actively pursuing strategic partnerships to accelerate clinical development and broaden its impact.

(Press release, Calidi Biotherapeutics, JUN 16, 2026, View Source [SID1234668770])