On October 27, 2025 Guardant Health (Nasdaq: GH), a leading precision oncology company, and Zephyr AI, a leader in precision medicine harnessing artificial intelligence to accelerate drug development, reported a strategic partnership to deliver novel, scalable, and actionable insights that support biopharmaceutical innovation. This collaboration will combine unique multimodal molecular data and AI/ML technology from both companies driving advancement of novel cancer biomarkers for drug development, targeted therapies selection, and response monitoring.

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The partnership will be integrated with Guardant’s broader suite of Infinity AI capabilities and exemplifies both companies’ broader commitment to harnessing AI and multimodal data to empower oncologists, researchers, and biopharma developers with solutions to transform cancer patient care.

"At Guardant Health, we’ve always believed that data is key to conquering cancer," said Helmy Eltoukhy, chairman and co-CEO of Guardant Health. "By combining our industry-leading molecular data with Zephyr AI’s advanced analytics platform, we’re taking another major step toward realizing the full potential of precision oncology—helping our biopharma partners accelerate drug development and ultimately deliver better outcomes for patients worldwide."

Through the combination of Guardant Health’s multimodal real-world data and precision oncology insights and Zephyr’s proprietary AI technologies, the partnership will accelerate research and development for biopharma partners. This model is unique in its capability to generate predictions of targeted cancer therapy response validated by real-world data, integrating biologic interpretability features that result in actionable scientific intelligence.

"This collaboration represents the convergence of unmatched real-world data, leading-edge diagnostics and cutting-edge machine learning to enable more precise, scalable, and impactful oncology solutions," said Allen Chao, CEO of Zephyr AI. "By working together, Guardant Health and Zephyr AI can supercharge discovery and development needed to transform cancer treatment and deliver on the promise of personalized medicines for cancer patients."

(Press release, Guardant Health, OCT 27, 2025, View Source [SID1234657049])

On October 27, 2025 Adaptam Therapeutics (‘Adaptam’), a biotech company pioneering cancer immunotherapies specifically targeting immunosuppressive myeloid cells, reported the successful completion of a €3 million (~$3.5 million) pre-seed financing round led by Criteria Bio Ventures (Press release, Adaptam Therapeutics, OCT 27, 2025, View Source [SID1234657091]).

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This financing round will enable Adaptam to further develop its programs and enter the preclinical phase in multiple oncology indications. As part of the round, Salvatore Cappadona, PhD, and Pablo Cironi, PhD, both from Criteria Bio Ventures, joined the board of directors.

Adaptam is developing first-in-class antibody-based therapeutic programs, including ADCs and bispecific antibodies, that target novel glyco-immune checkpoints, selectively expressed in immunosuppressive myeloid cells.

"Immunosuppressive myeloid cells within tumors present one of the toughest challenges in immunotherapy today. Our goal is to neutralize this obstacle by developing therapies that specifically target these cells, offering patients new hope where traditional approaches have failed," said Asis Palazon, PhD, founder, CEO and CSO of Adaptam. "The support from Criteria Bio Ventures enables us to take a step forward in achieving our mission. We are now actively planning our next funding round to support IND-enabling studies."

Immunotherapy has transformed cancer treatment, offering new solutions to patients worldwide. However, a significant number still fail to respond to these therapies or develop resistance over time. This lack of efficacy is primarily due to the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor microenvironment (TME), which hampers the immune system’s ability to effectively target and destroy cancer cells. Among the main contributors to this immunosuppression are myeloid cells, particularly TAMs, which play a crucial role in inhibiting T-cell responses. This challenge is particularly pronounced in patients with solid tumors, where these myeloid cells create an environment that prevents immune cells from mounting an effective anti-tumoral response.

"We are thrilled to support Adaptam in its mission to transform cancer treatment by targeting the immunosuppressive cells within the TME. The scientific breakthroughs achieved by Prof. Asis Palazon and his team have laid the groundwork for potentially life-changing therapies," said Pablo Cironi, PhD, chairman of the Adaptam board. "With this strong foundation, we believe Adaptam is well-positioned to deliver new, effective treatments for patients with solid tumors, addressing critical gaps in current immunotherapy options."

"Adaptam’s differentiated approach at the intersection of myeloid-mediated immunosuppression and glycobiology represents a one-of-a-kind vision uniquely positioned to unlock the next frontier in cancer immunotherapy. We are proud to have partnered with Asis Palazon to build this exciting new venture and support its next phase of development. We are confident that Adaptam’s emerging pipeline offers a game-changing opportunity to transform cancer treatment for many patients," said Salvatore Cappadona, PhD, board member of Adaptam.

Adaptam originated from research conducted by Prof. Asis Palazon and his team at CIC bioGUNE in Bilbao, Spain, with expert insights from Criteria Bio Ventures on the ideation, corporate strategy and operational setup of the company. Asis Palazon also received a Caixa Research Health grant from "la Caixa" Foundation in 2021. Some of the core structural and mechanistic discoveries of immune-modulating glycan-binding proteins and their interactions with immune cells were previously published in Nature Communications.

"CIC bioGUNE’s long-standing leadership in glycobiology provided the scientific foundation for Adaptam and we have supported the company from its earliest steps through to today’s preclinical maturation," said Prof. Jesús Jiménez-Barbero, scientific director of CIC bioGUNE.

On October 27, 2025 Nurix Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: NRIX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of targeted protein degradation medicines in oncology and autoimmune disease, reported the closing of its previously announced underwritten registered offering of 24,485,799 shares of its common stock at a purchase price of $10.21 per share. The gross proceeds to Nurix from the offering were $250.0 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses payable by Nurix.

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"The successful completion of this offering not only allows Nurix to accelerate our implementation of pivotal trials in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), but it also enables us to move more decisively to explore the use of bexobrutideg in autoimmune disease, which could unlock a new dimension of therapeutic potential of the BTK degradation mechanism," said Arthur T. Sands, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Nurix. "We are very fortunate to be strongly supported in our mission to advance novel medicines for patients with cancer and autoimmune disease by a fantastic group of both current and new investors."

The offering included participation from both new and existing investors, including General Atlantic, Redmile Group, Braidwell LP, Deep Track Capital, Perceptive Advisors, Trails Edge Capital Partners, and Vestal Point Capital, as well as other healthcare-dedicated funds.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Jefferies LLC, and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated acted as joint book-running managers for the offering. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. and Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated acted as lead managers.

Nurix currently intends to use the net proceeds from this offering primarily to fund the clinical development of its drug candidates, including the ongoing development of bexobrutideg (NX-5948) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and the exploration of potential autoimmune indications, as well as to support research and development activities to expand its pipeline and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

The securities were offered pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-280117) previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and declared effective on June 11, 2024. A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering have been filed with the SEC and are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

A copy of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to this offering may be obtained from: J.P. Morgan, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, or by email at [email protected] and [email protected]; Jefferies LLC, Attention: Equity Syndicate Prospectus Department, 520 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, by telephone at (877) 821-7388, or via email at [email protected]; or Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Attention: Prospectus Department, One Montgomery Street, Suite 3700, San Francisco, CA 94104, by telephone at (415) 364-2720, or via email at [email protected].

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of Nurix, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

(Press release, Nurix Therapeutics, OCT 27, 2025, View Source [SID1234657034])

On October 27, 2025 ORIC Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ORIC), a clinical stage oncology company focused on developing treatments that address mechanisms of therapeutic resistance, reported posters at the 2025 EORTC-NCI-AACR (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper) AACR-NCI-EORTC (Free AACR-NCI-EORTC Whitepaper) International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics (EORTC-NCI-AACR) (Free ASGCT Whitepaper) (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper) highlighting preclinical data that further illustrate the potential for ORIC-944, a potent and selective allosteric inhibitor of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) via the embryonic ectoderm development (EED) subunit, to treat prostate cancer and various other solid tumors.

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"These preclinical data underscore the potential of ORIC-944 to overcome resistance not only in prostate cancer but in other solid tumors and highlight that the therapeutic potential of PRC2 inhibition may be maximized in combination with inhibitors of key tumor drivers, including AR inhibitors and KRAS inhibitors," said Lori Friedman, PhD, chief scientific officer. "Based on these data and clinical findings to date, we continue to believe ORIC-944 is a potential best-in-class PRC2 inhibitor with potential in both castration-resistant and castration-sensitive prostate cancer, as well as multiple other tumor types."

Key findings of posters presented at the 2025 EORTC-NCI-AACR (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper) AACR-NCI-EORTC (Free AACR-NCI-EORTC Whitepaper) International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics (EORTC-NCI-AACR) (Free ASGCT Whitepaper) (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper):

PRC2 inhibition enhances AR inhibitor response to delay treatment relapse in castration-sensitive prostate cancer by restricting adaptation of tumor cells in preclinical studies

ORIC-944 is a potential best-in-class PRC2 inhibitor that, when combined with androgen receptor (AR) inhibition, synergistically impaired tumor growth, significantly improved survival and extended the duration of response to AR inhibitors in vivo by restricting cellular plasticity and delaying prostate tumor adaptation in castration-sensitive prostate cancer (CSPC).
Transcriptional effects induced by combining ORIC-944 and AR inhibitors were comparable across all AR inhibitors tested (i.e., darolutamide, apalutamide or enzalutamide), and consistent with transcriptional effects of mevrometostat and AR inhibitor combination.
Mechanistically, ORIC-944 in combination with AR inhibition in CSPC was linked to increased luminal cell state, and the restriction of lineage adaptation through reduced chromatin accessibility at binding sites of transcription factors associated with lineage diversification and cell plasticity such as FOXA, HNF1A and ONECUT2. These results were reproduced with mevrometostat and AR inhibitor combination and are consistent with what was previously reported in preclinical studies of CRPC.
PRC2 inhibition enhances KRAS inhibitor response to delay treatment relapse in KRAS-mutant preclinical lung and colorectal cancer models

ORIC-944 is a potential best-in-class PRC2 inhibitor that, when combined with KRAS inhibition, significantly improved efficacy and progression-free survival in KRAS G12C mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) models, demonstrating that PRC2 inhibition can deepen and extend responses by preventing or delaying resistance to KRAS inhibition.
PRC2 activity is increased in tumors from KRAS-mutant NSCLC and CRC patients, and transcriptional analysis from in vivo studies of CRC demonstrated that PRC2 inhibition drives tumor cell differentiation.
ORIC-944 combined with the KRAS inhibitor adagrasib, regressed 100% of tumors in KRAS-mutant adenocarcinoma and squamous NSCLC xenograft models in vivo. The combination also prevented adagrasib tumor relapse and extended progression-free survival in a KRAS G12C adenocarcinoma NSCLC xenograft model.

About ORIC-944
ORIC-944 is a potent and selective allosteric PRC2 inhibitor via EED subunit that demonstrates best-in-class drug properties in preclinical studies, including potency, solubility, and pharmacokinetics, with half-life supporting once daily dosing. ORIC-944 was initially evaluated as a single agent in a Phase 1b trial in patients with advanced prostate cancer and demonstrated potential best-in-class drug properties, including clinical half-life of approximately 20 hours, robust target engagement, and a favorable safety profile. ORIC-944 continues to further demonstrate a potential best-in-class profile with positive interim PSA response data generated in an ongoing Phase 1b trial in combination with ERLEADA (apalutamide) and in combination with NUBEQA (darolutamide) for prostate cancer (NCT05413421).

(Press release, ORIC Pharmaceuticals, OCT 27, 2025, View Source [SID1234657035])

On October 27, 2025 Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. ("Rakovina" or the "Company") (TSX-V: RKV)(FSE: 7JO0) reported the successful presentation of new data at the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper)-NCI-EORTC AACR-NCI-EORTC (Free AACR-NCI-EORTC Whitepaper) International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics (EORTC-NCI-AACR) (Free ASGCT Whitepaper) (Free EORTC-NCI-AACR Whitepaper), held October 23–27 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Company’s poster, titled "Novel ATR inhibitors with CNS penetrance developed by artificial intelligence," highlights promising results from its AI-driven kt-5000AI drug discovery program for Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein serine/threonine kinase (ATR) inhibitors for cancer therapy.

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Through its collaboration with Variational AI, Rakovina Therapeutics utilized the Enki generative AI platform to identify novel small-molecule candidates predicted to meet a defined target product profile for CNS-penetrant ATR inhibition. Data presented at the conference confirm that multiple lead compounds achieved this profile, demonstrating potent ATR inhibition together with clear evidence of central nervous system exposure.

While multiple ATR inhibitors are in development globally, none have yet demonstrated meaningful central nervous system penetration. Rakovina’s kt-5000AI program is advancing next-generation, AI-designed ATR inhibitors with confirmed CNS exposure, potentially extending the benefits of ATR-targeted therapy to patients with primary brain tumors and brain metastases, where effective treatments remain limited.

In cell-based assays, multiple compounds demonstrated:

>50% inhibition of ATR activity below 200 nM;
potency exceeding reference compounds such as ceralasertib, tuvusertib, and elimusertib;
equal selectivity across the PIKK kinase family compared to reference compounds; and
metabolic stability following incubation with human liver microsomes
In in vivo pharmacokinetic studies, lead compounds demonstrated:

measurable drug concentrations in both plasma and brain tissue following intraperitoneal dosing at 5 mg/kg, indicating CNS penetration; and
good tolerability after single-dose administration, supporting continued optimization and preclinical development
"Presenting at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper)-NCI-EORTC is an opportunity to highlight Rakovina’s progress in translating AI-discovered compounds into preclinical validation to the scientific community," said Prof. Mads Daugaard, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Rakovina Therapeutics. "ATR is a central regulator of DNA damage repair and a validated target across multiple tumor types. Developing ATR inhibitors capable of penetrating the blood–brain-barrier could expand treatment options for patients with primary brain tumors and brain metastases, areas where few effective therapies exist."

(Press release, Rakovina Therapeutics, OCT 27, 2025, View Source;utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rakovina-therapeutics-showcases-potent-ai-developed-atr-inhibitors-with-cns-penetrance-at-aacr-nci-eortc-international-conference [SID1234657036])