On July 23, 2026 Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX), a leading provider of diagnostic information services, reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026.

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!

"Our robust top- and bottom-line growth in the second quarter demonstrates focused execution of our strategy to connect people and providers to innovative testing and actionable insights that illuminate paths for better health," said Jim Davis, Chairman, CEO and President. "Revenues increased by over 10%, almost all from organic revenue growth across our physician, hospital and consumer channels, and adjusted diluted EPS grew over 19%. With strong growth and sustained demand for our diagnostic insights, we are again raising our full year guidance."

Recent Highlights:

Serving Customers and Delivering Innovations

Continued to advance our Co-Lab Solutions implementation and joint venture laboratory with Corewell Health in Michigan and developed new capabilities in kidney care through our collaboration with Fresenius Medical Care in the United States.
Generated robust revenue growth through questhealth.com and our consumer, wearable and wellness partners.
Grew revenues by double-digits in several areas of Advanced Diagnostics, including Quest AD-Detect blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease and advanced cardiometabolic and endocrine tests, including liver fibrosis testing.
Granted New York State approval for our Haystack MRD test and became the largest reference lab to utilize Flatiron Health’s OncoEMR Molecular Profiling Integration (MPI) platform for select cancer tests, including Haystack MRD, starting with a pilot with American Oncology Network (AON).
Driving Operational Excellence

In the lab, extended automation solutions to improve quality and productivity in cervical cancer screening and front-end specimen processing to additional labs.
Outside the lab, launched IntelliDraw to guide clinical staff of our physician customers through specimen collection, to enhance quality and the service experience.

Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

2026

2025

Change

2026

2025

Change

(dollars in millions, except per share data)

Reported:

Net revenues

$ 3,043

$ 2,761

10.2 %

$ 5,938

$ 5,413

9.7 %

Diagnostic Information Services
revenues

$ 2,978

$ 2,699

10.3 %

$ 5,810

$ 5,288

9.9 %

Revenue per requisition

(2.8) %

(2.1) %

Requisition volume

13.1 %

12.0 %

Organic requisition volume

13.0 %

11.9 %

Operating income (a)

$ 459

$ 438

4.6 %

$ 858

$ 784

9.4 %

Operating income as a percentage of net
revenues (a)

15.1 %

15.9 %

(0.8) %

14.4 %

14.5 %

(0.1) %

Net income attributable to Quest
Diagnostics (a)

$ 320

$ 282

13.4 %

$ 572

$ 502

13.9 %

Diluted EPS (a)

$ 2.84

$ 2.47

15.0 %

$ 5.08

$ 4.41

15.2 %

Cash provided by operations

$ 597

$ 544

9.7 %

$ 875

$ 858

1.9 %

Capital expenditures

$ 138

$ 108

27.0 %

$ 252

$ 225

12.1 %

Adjusted (a):

Operating income

$ 502

$ 466

7.8 %

$ 949

$ 872

8.8 %

Operating income as a percentage of net
revenues

16.5 %

16.9 %

(0.4) %

16.0 %

16.1 %

(0.1) %

Net income attributable to Quest
Diagnostics

$ 350

$ 298

17.3 %

$ 631

$ 549

14.9 %

Diluted EPS

$ 3.12

$ 2.62

19.1 %

$ 5.62

$ 4.83

16.4 %

(a)

For further details impacting the year-over-year comparisons related to operating income, operating income as a percentage of net revenues, net income attributable to Quest Diagnostics, and diluted EPS, see note 2 of the financial tables attached below.

Updated Guidance for Full Year 2026

The company updates its full year 2026 guidance as follows:

Updated Guidance

Prior Guidance

Low

High

Low

High

Net revenues

$11.95 billion

$12.05 billion

$11.78 billion

$11.90 billion

Net revenues increase

8.3 %

9.2 %

6.8 %

7.8 %

Reported diluted EPS

$9.97

$10.17

$9.58

$9.78

Adjusted diluted EPS

$11.05

$11.25

$10.63

$10.83

Cash provided by operations

Approximately $1.80 billion

Approximately $1.75 billion

Capital expenditures

Approximately $550 million

Approximately $550 million

Based on the favorable resolution of various tax contingencies in the second quarter, the full year adjusted effective tax rate is expected to be consistent with 2025.

(Press release, Quest Diagnostics, JUL 23, 2026, View Source [SID1234669391])

On July 23, 2026 IMUNON, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMNN), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing DNA-mediated immunotherapies, reported that new data on IMNN-001, the Company’s DNA-based interleukin-12 (IL-12) immunotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer, will be featured in a poster presentation at the inaugural AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Conference on Drug Discovery and Development (AACR D3), July 21-24, 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!

AACR D3 is a new conference from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) designed to bring together scientists, clinicians, biopharma companies and investors around emerging technologies and novel approaches spanning the drug discovery and development continuum, rather than focusing solely on late-stage clinical results. IMUNON’s presentation introduces its TheraPlas platform technology alongside supporting translational and clinical data from its ovarian cancer program.

The standard-of-care treatment for newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer has not meaningfully changed in three decades. IMNN-001 is a proprietary novel DNA-based agent that produces therapeutic levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12), a multipotent anti-tumor cytokine, directly to the tumor site. Unlike systemic administration of recombinant IL-12, which is associated with supraphysiological, transient exposure, IMUNON’s approach is designed to achieve durable, physiologically relevant local IL-12 production intended to drive sustained anti-tumor immune activity. Administered weekly over a 6-month period, we believe this offers a highly favorable safety and efficacy profile and has the potential to substantially improve therapeutic outcomes.

"Being selected to present at the inaugural AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) D3 meeting is an important recognition of IMUNON’s platform and our team’s work in ovarian cancer," said Stacy Lindborg, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of IMUNON. "The medical and scientific communities’ interest in our IMNN-001 program in advanced ovarian cancer has been remarkable. This visibility comes at a pivotal time as we advance our Phase 3 OVATION-3 trial, and we look forward to sharing our progress with this influential audience of drug developers and investors."

"We are very pleased to have been invited to present our innovative and transformative drug delivery platform, our novel translational data and the strong clinical efficacy demonstrated in our ongoing trials in ovarian cancer at this global conference," said Douglas V. Faller, M.D., Ph.D., Imunon’s chief medical officer. "The AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) D3 meeting is the first of its kind, featuring cutting-edge science, novel technologies, and emerging frameworks that promise to revolutionize how cancer therapies are discovered, developed, and delivered. Imunon’s proven ability to safely harness, for the first time, the multipotent anti-tumor activity of IL-12 for the benefit of women with advanced ovarian cancer is being showcased as an example of the future of immune-oncology, establishing a new paradigm for immunotherapy."

Data being presented include findings from the randomized, controlled Phase 2 OVATION-2 study in advanced ovarian cancer, demonstrating that IMNN-001 is safe, achieves local delivery of IL-12, and induces anti-tumoral immune responses. The poster reports that IMNN-001 plus neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with a numerical increase in median overall survival of over 13 months compared to chemotherapy alone (40.5 vs. 27.6 months), to remain consistent with the abstract submission. As recently announced, final results from the trial increased to a 14.7 month increase in medial overall survival (45.1 vs. 30.4 months).

Translational analyses further showed that IMNN-001 enhanced favorable ratios of CD8+/Tregs and CD8+/CD4+ cells in patients’ tumors and tumor microenvironment, both of which have been previously reported to be associated with improved patient outcomes and are consistent with the clinical benefit observed in the trial. IMNN-001 was safe and well-tolerated, with no cytokine release syndrome or higher incidence of immune-related events observed in the experimental arm of OVATION-2.

These findings support the rapidly recruiting pivotal Phase 3 OVATION-3 trial, which is designed to confirm the safety and survival benefit of IMNN-001 in frontline advanced ovarian cancer; and if successful, will provide an immediate basis for a BLA filing and approval.

About IMNN-001 Immunotherapy

Designed using IMUNON’s proprietary TheraPlas platform technology, IMNN-001 is an IL-12 DNA plasmid encased in a nanoparticle delivery system that enables cell transfection followed by persistent, local production of the IL-12 protein. IL-12 is one of the most active cytokines for the induction of potent anticancer immunity acting through the induction of T-lymphocyte and natural killer cell proliferation. IMUNON previously reported positive safety and encouraging Phase 1 results with IMNN-001 administered as monotherapy or as combination therapy in patients with advanced peritoneally metastasized primary or recurrent ovarian cancer and completed a Phase 1b dose-escalation trial (the OVATION 1 Study) of IMNN-001 in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel neoadjuvantly in patients with newly diagnosed ovarian cancer. IMUNON previously reported positive results from the recently completed Phase 2 OVATION 2 Study, which assessed IMNN-001 (100 mg/m2 administered intraperitoneally weekly) plus neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy (N/ACT) of paclitaxel and carboplatin compared to standard-of-care N/ACT alone in 112 patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer.

(Press release, IMUNON, JUL 23, 2026, View Source [SID1234669409])

On July 23, 2026 Hoffmann-La Roche reported strong momentum continues in the first half of 2026, delivering +6% sales growth at constant exchange rates; -2% in CHF due to the significant appreciation of the Swiss franc.

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!

(Press release, Hoffmann-La Roche, JUL 23, 2026, View Source [SID1234670201])

On July 23, 2026 VERAXA Biotech AG (NASDAQ: VRXA; "VERAXA"), an emerging leader in designing novel cancer therapies, reported the appointment of Christoph Erkel, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), effective immediately. Christoph Erkel, previously Vice President of Research & Development at VERAXA, will apply his extensive management expertise in R&D to direct and accelerate development of the company’s proprietary BiTAC (bi-targeted tumor-associated cytotoxicity) platform technologies, with the goal of developing safer and more effective cancer treatments for patients with solid tumors. He succeeds Rick Austin, Ph.D., who will be leaving the company after a successful transition period.

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!

Christoph Erkel is an accomplished scientific leader with 20 years of expertise in antibody therapeutics, with a career bridging early-stage discovery and clinical readiness. His expertise includes antibody engineering and preclinical development, advancing candidate molecules up to IND submission. Prior to joining VERAXA, he served as Research Program Leader at MorphoSys AG (acquired by Novartis), where he led cross-functional teams and therapeutic programs in immuno-oncology, including the development of conditionally active T cell engagers for solid and hematologic tumors. Earlier, he held senior roles in Discovery Biology and Antibody Engineering, as well as scientific and leadership positions at Sloning BioTechnology GmbH. Christoph Erkel earned his Ph.D. in Biology from Philipps University in Marburg and conducted postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology.

"I am excited to take on this role at such a pivotal moment for VERAXA," said Christoph Erkel, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of VERAXA. "Our mission to translate the groundbreaking potential of the BiTAC platforms into transformative therapies for patients is both inspiring and pressing. I look forward to working with our exceptional team to expand our pipeline, accelerate our programs toward clinical trials, and deliver on the promise of a new generation of oncology treatments."

"We would like to thank Rick Austin for his many contributions during this transformative phase of our company’s journey," said Oliver R. Baumann, Chairman of the VERAXA Board. "His leadership has been instrumental in shaping our pipeline and target decisions. At the same time, we are thrilled to welcome Christoph Erkel as our new CSO. Christoph’s proven ability to manage complex, multi-disciplinary projects and his deep scientific expertise will be instrumental as we advance our innovative BiTAC technology platform and expand our product portfolio."

(Press release, Veraxa Biotech, JUL 23, 2026, View Source [SID1234669392])

On July 23, 2026 HCW Biologics Inc. (the "Company" or "HCW Biologics"), (NASDAQ: HCWB), a U.S.-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing transformative fusion immunotherapeutics to treat diseases promoted by chronic inflammation, focusing on autoimmune disorders and other inflammatory diseases, cancer and senescence-associated dysplasia, reported that it has requested a Type B (pre-IND application) meeting with the U.S. FDA to discuss the development and regulatory strategy for its investigational lead product candidate, HCW11-018b, a tetravalent T-cell engager ("TCE") constructed with the Company’s proprietary TRBC drug development platform.

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!

HCW11-018b is intended to treat solid tumors and is administered by subcutaneous injection. In preclinical studies, it has shown the ability to target tissue factor-expressing cancer cells and activate CD3-positive effector T cells, while simultaneously reducing immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment. Immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment can limit effector T-cell infiltration and antitumor activity in solid tumors, particularly in gynecologic and pancreatic cancers.

TCEs have emerged as a potent therapeutic modality to treat cancer. First-generation TCEs represented a breakthrough in immunotherapy but they continue to face significant challenges, including antigen selection, limited efficacy in solid tumors, tolerability and safety concerns, and require a complex manufacturing process. Extensive preclinical studies of HCW11-018b –including assessments of in vitro and in vivo potency, antigen specificity, pharmacokinetics, toxicity in nonhuman primates, and its therapeutic window — suggest that it may be able to overcome the limitations of earlier-generation TCEs.

Currently, the U.S. FDA and other regulatory agencies have approved eight TCEs to be used to treat 12 indications. Even with a very limited number of approved indications, approved TCEs generate multi-billion-dollar annual sales. The level of interest for this area from major pharmaceutical companies remains strong over many years, as indicated by the large number of high-value partnerships formed with innovative biotechnology companies developing second-generation TCEs. These partnerships have likely been driven by TCE’s potential in both oncology and autoimmune diseases.

Dr. Hing C. Wong, the Company’s Founder and CEO, stated, "We are pleased to have reached this important milestone in the development of HCW11-018b and look forward to discussing our proposed clinical trial designs, nonclinical testing programs, and CMC data with the FDA. HCW11-018b exhibits remarkable anti-tumor activities with high tolerability in animal models. We discovered that it can penetrate into the tumor microenvironment with potent and antigen-specific anti-pancreatic cancer activities."

Dr. Wong continued, "We believe we have established a robust, streamlined, and cost-efficient manufacturing process capable of producing high-quality cGMP material to support HCW11-018b in clinical development and potential future commercialization. Our manufacturing process is based on high-producing recombinant CHO cell lines and a proprietary monoclonal antibody needed for the affinity purification process. The monoclonal antibody is currently being manufactured under GMP standards using a top-tier CDMO."

About HCW11-018b:

HCW11-108b is designed to treat a wide spectrum of solid tumors with enhanced anti-tumor activities and tolerability. HCW Biologics has identified HCW11-018b as the lead candidate in its Tetravalent T-Cell Engager Program, known as the "Big BiTE." The unique structure of the Big BiTE combines a tumor-associated tissue factor-targeting BiTE with IL-15 immune stimulation, in addition to a TGF-β trap to address immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment. HCW11-018b was created using the Company’s proprietary TRBC drug development platform, without using the Fc fusion technology commonly found in bi-specific or tri-specific fusion molecules. In extensive preclinical studies, HCW11-018b demonstrated that it induces robust, sustained, antigen-specific tumor killing, enhances CD8⁺ T-cell activation, survival, and effector functions and promotes tumor infiltration into solid tumors. Further, HCW11-018b demonstrated in preclinical studies that it does not trigger cytokine release syndrome, a major concern of using BiTEs, when used in its therapeutic dose range.

(Press release, HCW Biologics, JUL 23, 2026, View Source [SID1234669410])