On March 31, 2026 ABK Biomedical and the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) are powering the next generation of cancer treatment, reported to have signed a long-term agreement naming MURR as the primary irradiation partner for Eye90 microspheres, an advanced Yttrium-90 (Y-90) radioembolization therapy designed to fight liver cancer.

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 strategic partnership builds on seven years of collaboration between ABK and MURR, a relationship that has already driven critical progress in Eye90 development and is fueling the recently-fully-enrolled Route90 FDA IDE clinical trial for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). By formalizing this continuing alliance, ABK secures a reliable and scalable production partner for Eye90 microspheres and brings life-saving treatments closer to patients worldwide.

"MURR is internationally recognized for its leadership in nuclear research and medical isotope production," Mike Mangano, President and CEO of ABK Biomedical, said. "This agreement marks a major milestone as we transition from clinical development to commercialization. It underscores our commitment to Columbia, Missouri, and our confidence in MURR’s unmatched expertise."

The agreement also reflects a shared vision for advancing medical innovation. Together, ABK and MURR are creating a foundation for global access to novel cancer therapies, combining ABK’s pioneering device technology with MURR’s proven capabilities in isotope production and research excellence.

"Today’s agreement reflects Mizzou at its very best — bringing together world-class research, industry leadership and unmatched reactor capabilities to solve some of the most urgent challenges in human health," University of Missouri President Mun Choi said. "Our partnership with ABK Biomedical strengthens Missouri’s role as a national leader in medical innovation and delivers direct benefits to patients and communities across the state. This kind of collaboration accelerates discovery and improves lives here at home and around the world."

"This partnership represents a powerful win for the entire state of Missouri," UM Board of Curators Chair Todd Graves said. "By expanding high-tech research and advanced medical production right here in Columbia, we’re strengthening our economy and delivering innovations that improve health outcomes for Missouri families. Investments like this ensure that our university system continues to drive growth and opportunity in all 114 counties — fueling progress that benefits every community we serve."

"At MURR, our mission is to deliver absolute reliability in the production of life‑saving medical isotopes, and this partnership demonstrates exactly why our reactor is indispensable to patients in Missouri and around the world," Matt Sanford, executive director of MURR, said. "With decades of experience operating at the highest standards, MURR provides the consistency, capacity and scientific rigor required to bring breakthrough therapies like Eye90 to market. We’re proud that our work not only fuels cutting‑edge innovation but also strengthens Missouri’s position as a global leader in nuclear medicine."

Mizzou began a multiyear, strategic partnership with ABK Biomedical in 2019 and is currently the only location in the United States producing Y-90 for clinical and commercial use.

(Press release, ABK Biomedical, MAR 31, 2026, View Source [SID1234664230])

On March 31, 2026 AAVivo, a Delaware-registered biotechnology company focused on next-generation AAV-based gene therapies and supported by Virovek, reported that it will host a sponsored symposium at the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) (Free ASGCT Whitepaper) 2026 Annual Meeting, taking place May 11–15, 2026, in Boston, Massachusetts.

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!

The symposium, titled "Breaking Barriers in In Vivo CAR-T Therapy: CD3scFv-Engineered AAV Capsids Drive Superior CAR-T Cell Generation and Complete Tumor Eradication," will showcase compelling new preclinical data from AAVivo’s proprietary AAVTCeT platform.

During the session, the company will present evidence demonstrating how its CD3scFv-engineered AAV capsids enable highly efficient in vivo CAR-T cell generation, resulting in complete tumor eradication in preclinical models. This innovative approach addresses major limitations of traditional ex vivo CAR-T therapies, including complex and costly manufacturing processes, limited patient accessibility, and scalability challenges.

"Presenting at ASGCT (Free ASGCT Whitepaper) 2026 provides an important platform to share our progress toward transforming CAR-T therapy," said Haifeng Chen, PhD, CEO of AAVivo. "Our AAVTCeT platform has the potential to deliver an off-the-shelf, in vivo solution that could significantly improve patient outcomes and broaden access to life-changing cell therapies. We look forward to engaging with the gene and cell therapy community and potential partners in Boston."

Symposium Details

Title: Breaking Barriers in In Vivo CAR-T Therapy: CD3scFv-Engineered AAV Capsids Drive Superior CAR-T Cell Generation and Complete Tumor Eradication
Date & Time: Friday, May 15, 2026 | 10:15 – 10:45 AM
Location: Room 109AB, Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center, Boston, MA
Format: Sponsored Symposium (open to ASGCT (Free ASGCT Whitepaper) 2026 registered attendees; also livestreamed via the ASGCT (Free ASGCT Whitepaper) Events App)
The presentation will include an overview of the AAVTCeT platform technology, key preclinical efficacy and safety data, and the company’s development roadmap for clinical translation.

AAVivo is advancing its platform with the support of Virovek’s established AAV expertise to develop more accessible and cost-effective genetic medicines.

(Press release, AAVivo, MAR 31, 2026, View Source [SID1234664118])

On March 31, 2026 BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. (Nasdaq: BCTX, BCTXW, BCTXZ, BCTXL) (TSX: BCT) ("BriaCell"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company that develops novel immunotherapies to transform cancer care, and its majority-owned subsidiary, BriaPro Therapeutics Corp. ("BriaPro"), reported the completion of the previously announced asset purchase transaction (the "Transaction") pursuant to a definitive purchase agreement dated February 4, 2026 (the "Purchase Agreement"), under which BriaPro acquired BriaCell’s exclusive license to develop and commercialize Soluble CD80 ("sCD80") as a biologic agent for the treatment of cancer and other associated assets.

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!

Background

BriaCell originally secured the exclusive license from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County ("UMBC") on August 2, 2022. The novel technology, originally developed by Suzanne Ostrand-Rosenberg, Ph.D., Emeritus Faculty at UMBC, and member of BriaCell’s scientific advisory board, is titled "Soluble CD80 as a Therapeutic to Reverse Immune Suppression in Cancer Patients" and is covered under USPN 8,956,619 B2, USPN 9,650,429 B2, and USPN 10,377,810 B2. In animal models, sCD80 was well-tolerated and stopped tumor growth by potentially restoring natural anti-tumor immunity (see Lucas A Horn, et al. and Samuel T Haile et al. in collaboration with Dr. Ostrand-Rosenberg). Additionally, strong anti-tumor activity of sCD80 has been reported in multiple tumor types (see Lucas A Horn, et al.). Importantly, as demonstrated in the same studies, sCD80’s unique actions may involve both awakening and boosting the immune system to recognize and destroy tumor cells.

The Transaction

Under the terms of the Purchase Agreement, BriaPro gained the worldwide rights to develop and commercialize sCD80 as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of cancer, while UMBC holds all rights, title and interest in the inventions and the patent, except for certain rights retained by the United States Government. BriaPro will pay 2% royalties to UMBC upon the commercialization of the product plus other development costs.

As part of the Transaction, BriaCell has made available to BriaPro up to $3 million to fund research and development efforts (the "Credit Facility"). Each drawdown under the Credit Facility will be subject to BriaCell’s approval regarding the use of funds.

As consideration for the transfer of the exclusive license and the Credit Facility, BriaPro issued to BriaCell 23,972,589 Common Shares at an aggregate value of approximately C$1.18M, increasing BriaCell’s interest in BriaPro to approximately 78% post-transaction.

Appointment of Jamieson Bondarenko as BriaPro Board Chair

Upon closing of the Transaction, Mr. Jamieson Bondarenko was appointed to the BriaPro board as Chairman. Mr. Bondarenko has served as Chairman of BriaCell since 2019. He provides strategic capital markets & corporate development advice to early-stage life sciences companies through his merchant capital company, JGRNT Capital Corp. Previously, he held a number of senior investment banking roles, including as Managing Director at Eight Capital and at Dundee Securities. Mr. Bondarenko is expected to play a significant role in BriaPro’s pursuit of capital markets and other strategic opportunities as the company advances its expanding IP portfolio.

Shareholder Approval

The Transaction was approved by 99.81% of the votes cast by the disinterested shareholders of BriaPro in accordance with Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions. As a 10% shareholder with an interest in the Transaction, BriaCell’s shareholdings in BriaPro were excluded from voting.

Formal Valuation Requirements

In respect of the formal valuation requirement of MI 61-101, BriaPro relied on the specified markets exemptions set forth in subsection 5.5(b) of MI 61-101, as none of its securities are listed or quoted on a specified senior exchange, and BriaCell relied on the exemption set forth in subsection 5.5(a) of MI 61‑101, as the fair market value of the Transaction did not exceed 25% of BriaCell’s market capitalization.

Though a formal valuation is not required under applicable securities laws, as a matter of good governance and best corporate practice, BriaCell obtained a fairness opinion confirming, subject to certain customary assumptions and qualifications, that the consideration received by BriaCell in the Transaction was fair to BriaCell shareholders.

"Our mission has been to develop safe and effective treatments for cancer patients who do not respond to existing treatments, and a transformational anti-cancer agent such as sCD80 may provide us with such an additional opportunity," stated Dr. Bill Williams, BriaCell and BriaPro’s President and CEO. "Based on the promising data in animal studies, we plan to explore the potential use of sCD80 technology as a therapeutic agent in combination with our other immunotherapies or on its own. We look forward to accelerating the development of this novel anti-cancer agent to bring hope to patients who need it the most."

Early Warning

Immediately prior to the closing of the Transaction, BriaCell owned and controlled an aggregate of 31,963,452 Common Shares, representing approximately 66.7% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares of BriaPro. Immediately following the closing of the Transaction, BriaCell owns and controls an aggregate of 55,936,041 Common Shares representing approximately 78% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares of BriaPro.

BriaCell acquired the Common Shares for investment purposes and may make further acquisitions or dispositions of securities of BriaPro depending on market conditions and other relevant factors.

This press release is issued pursuant to National Instrument 62-103 – The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues. A copy of the related early warning report will be filed with the applicable securities commissions and be available under BriaPro’s profile on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca.

(Press release, BriaCell Therapeutics, MAR 31, 2026, View Source [SID1234664109])

On March 31, 2026 CancerVax, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough universal cancer treatment platform that uses the body’s immune system to treat cancer, reported that the initial biodistribution study of its targeted lipid nanoparticle ("LNP") in mice was successful.

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!

Most conventional LNPs get trapped in the liver and cause liver toxicity. This is a major reason why many LNP therapies fail in clinical trials. In this study, a large proportion of CancerVax LNPs did not appear to accumulate in the liver compared to the base conventional LNP formulation. This may indicate systemic circulation and distribution to organs and tissues where cancer might occur.

The CancerVax platform is designed to harness the body’s existing immunity to detect, mark, and kill cancer cells with precision. At the core of the platform are customizable nanoparticles that use a novel two-step precision cancer targeting mechanism.

Detection: The nanoparticles first bind to surface proteins highly associated with the target cancer cells ("Marker1").
Activation: Once inside the cancer cell, the nanoparticles release proprietary "Smart mRNA" payloads that are only activated in the presence of cancer-specific genetic signatures ("Marker2"). These Smart mRNAs instruct the cancer cells to produce proteins associated with well-immunized diseases like measles. This effectively "tricks" the immune system into killing cancer cells as if they were common diseases.
Marker1 delivers the nanoparticles to cells expressing the corresponding surface protein and Marker2 selects only cancerous cells from that group to activate the mRNA therapeutic payload. Using different combinations of Marker1 and Marker2 will target different cancers to disguise them as known diseases and trick the body into attacking them with strength.

Recently, the Company completed its animal-grade Marker1-LNP and was able to proceed with its much-anticipated mouse studies. The Marker1-LNP was designed to specifically target the previously announced indications of pancreatic cancer and liver cancer.

The first mouse study was a biodistribution study where Marker1-LNPs were injected and tracked across numerous tissues. The results exceeded the Company’s expectations.

Some breakthrough results included the following and demonstrated the power and versatility of the CancerVax platform:

Systemic Circulation of the LNPs: This will allow the CancerVax therapy to reach many tissues and organs and avoid the common problem of LNP liver accumulation that causes liver damage and liver failure.

Distribution Noted in Many Organs: Spleen, Lung, Liver, Kidney, Intestines, Pancreas, Bladder, Heart, Stomach, Ovaries/Testes. This encouraging datapoint will allow the Company to expand its research program to include many more cancer indications for its universal cancer treatment platform.

Dosage Response: A clear dose response was observed in this study of 24 mice, with signal intensity increasing alongside administered dose levels. Importantly, all animals remained healthy and active during the study, suggesting strong tolerability of the Marker1-LNP formulation.

Dr. Adam Grant, Principal Scientist, commented, "We leveraged artificial intelligence to identify an optimal Marker1 for targeting pancreatic and liver cancers. The observed systemic distribution of our Marker1-LNP beyond the target tissues represents an important validation of our platform. While early, these results have exceeded our expectations and support advancement of our dual-marker strategy, where Marker1 and Marker2 are designed to enhance targeting precision and reduce off-target exposure to healthy tissues."

"This initial success also expands the potential of our platform across multiple indications. By reducing liver accumulation, our targeted LNP approach may enable flexible substitution of Marker1 while maintaining consistent delivery characteristics. I believe one of our current Marker1+Marker2 LNP constructs may already be primed to target colorectal cancers, highlighting the universality of the CancerVax platform."

"This is a very exciting time for CancerVax," said Dr. George Katibah, Chief Scientific Officer. "We have worked diligently to reach this milestone, and we now have high-quality reagents to support the extensive in vivo studies ahead."

Dr. Katibah continued, "This study demonstrated several important advances. First, conjugation of our Marker1 to the LNP preserved the integrity of the core formulation while improving performance. Second, we observed a significant reduction in liver accumulation—a major limitation of conventional LNP therapies. Third, these results further validate our targeted LNP platform as a foundation for precision cancer therapeutics. As we advance through the in vivo phase of our development program, we will conduct additional animal studies to systematically evaluate the safety and efficacy of our novel therapy. These data will be used to support and strengthen our planned Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the FDA for human clinical trials."

Byron Elton, CEO of CancerVax added, "We would not be here without the work of our amazing science team and the help of our world-class scientific advisors. Over the past year, we have made tremendous progress developing a revolutionary way to treat cancer. The cancer immunotherapy space is very hot right now. In 2025, AbbVie acquired Capstan Therapeutics, a targeted LNP CAR-T therapy company, for $2.1 billion in Phase 1 clinical stage. In 2026, Eli Lilly acquired Orna Therapeutics, a circular RNA and targeted LNP company, for $2.4 billion in preclinical stage. CancerVax is in the targeted LNP, mRNA, cancer immunotherapy and cancer vaccine space. We hope to share our exciting progress with interested strategic partners soon."

(Press release, CancerVax, MAR 31, 2026, View Source [SID1234664108])

On March 31, 2026 Tvardi Therapeutics, Inc. ("Tvardi") (NASDAQ: TVRD), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel, oral, small molecule therapies targeting STAT3 to treat inflammatory and proliferative diseases, reported its financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and full-year ended December 31, 2025, and provided a business update.

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!

Recent Highlights:

Additional analysis from the REVERT IPF Phase 2 trial demonstrated that TTI-101 was associated with a 9.4% baseline-weighted reduction in fibrosis score compared to 2.4% for placebo, as well as a 4.5-fold greater decline in IL-6, a central STAT3-driven inflammatory cytokine. These findings are consistent with preclinical data demonstrating reductions in established fibrosis and inflammatory signaling across multiple validated disease models.
The healthy volunteer study of its next-generation STAT3 inhibitor, TTI-109, is ongoing, with topline data anticipated in the second quarter of 2026.
The ongoing Phase 1b/2 REVERT LIVER CANCER trial will report topline results in the second half of 2026 to allow the data additional time to mature. This timing adjustment is intended to enhance the depth of insights gleaned from the program, including longitudinal and translational assessments, characterization of durability and dose optimization (including the addition of up to 15 participants in the monotherapy arm to explore once-a-day dosing), to better inform subsequent development and regulatory strategy.
Imran Alibhai, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Tvardi, stated, "We entered 2026 with line-of-site to two significant clinical milestones: 1) healthy volunteer data from our next-generation STAT3 inhibitor, TTI-109, in the second quarter of this year, and 2) topline data from our ongoing Phase 2 trial of TTI-101 in HCC, which we anticipate in the second half."

"Further analysis of data from our Phase 2 IPF trial of TTI-101 that we announced in October revealed compelling trends. These data give us optimism for TTI-109, which has been developed to enhance TTI-101’s ability to target STAT3 as a more efficient delivery vehicle with the potential to improve tolerability."

"At the same time, we eagerly await data from our ongoing Phase 2 REVERT LIVER CANCER trial, with a data readout expected in the second half of this year to allow for further data maturation. Interim results from this study have already shown clinically meaningful activity of TTI-101 both as monotherapy and in combination with established anti-cancer agents across treatment lines, and we believe the broader dataset will better position us to define the optimal development path and regulatory strategy for this important program."

"I believe we are well positioned to continue to advance these promising molecules, potentially offering new hope to patients requiring new, more effective treatment options while creating enduring value for our company," Dr. Alibhai concluded.

Upcoming Milestones:

Preliminary topline data from a healthy volunteer study of the company’s next-generation STAT3 inhibitor, TTI-109, anticipated in the second quarter of 2026
Preliminary topline data from the company’s ongoing REVERT LIVER CANCER Phase 1b/2 clinical trial of TTI-101, anticipated in the second half of 2026
Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Financial Results

Research and development expenses for the three months ended December 31, 2025, were $5.5 million as compared to $8.6 million for the comparable period in 2024. For the full year 2025, research and development expenses were $18.0 million, as compared to $23.7 million for the full year 2024. The decrease was primarily driven by declining clinical costs associated with TTI-101 offset by an increase in TTI-109 developmental costs.

General and administrative expenses were $2.1 million for the three months ended December 31, 2025, as compared to $2.2 million for the three months ended December 31, 2024. For the full year 2025, general and administrative expenses were $8.7 million, as compared to $4.5 million for the full year 2024. The increase was primarily driven by increases in professional fees, attributable to increased legal, accounting and audit fees incurred as a result of the merger with Cara Therapeutics and subsequent filings as a public company.

Net loss for the three months ended December 31, 2025, was $7.3 million, as compared to a net loss of $12.7 million for the comparable period in 2024. For the full year 2025, net loss was $18.2 million, as compared to a net loss of $29.4 million for the full year 2024.

Basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common shareholders for the three months ended December 31, 2025, were a net loss of $(0.78) on a basic and diluted basis, compared to a net loss of $(4.94) on a basic and diluted basis for the comparable period in 2024. For the full year 2025, basic and diluted net loss attributable to common stockholders were $(2.46) and $(3.26), respectively, as compared to basic and diluted loss attributable to common stockholders of $(11.42) for the full year 2024.

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments as of December 31, 2025, were $30.8 million, as compared to $31.6 million as of December 31, 2024. Tvardi anticipates that its current cash runway is sufficient to fund operations, as currently planned, through clinical readouts and into the fourth quarter of 2026.

(Press release, Tvardi Therapeutics, MAR 31, 2026, View Source [SID1234664107])