On May 15, 2026 Racura Oncology, an Australian Phase 3 stage clinical biopharmaceutical company, reported that the independent Safety Review Committee (SRC) has completed its review of safety data from Cohort 1 of the ongoing CPACS clinical trial, evaluating the safety and pharmacokinetics of RC220 alone and in combination with doxorubicin in advanced metastatic solid tumor patients.

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Following its review, the SRC recommended that the study continue, noting no safety concerns in patients treated with 40mg/m2 of RC220 as monotherapy, or 40mg/m2 of RC220 in combination with 60mg/m2 of doxorubicin, in the first patient cohort of this groundbreaking trial.

"The SRC’s unanimous recommendation to proceed with the trial, along with the absence of any safety concerns, represents an important milestone for this clinical program," said Daniel Tillett, CEO of Racura Oncology. "These findings support the continued advancement of RC220 into the next cohorts of this study. We wish to thank the patients and their families for their courage and generosity shown by participating in the CPACS trial."

Based on this positive SRC recommendation, Racura plans to proceed to screening of new eligible patients for enrolment in Cohort 2 (80mg/m2 RC220 dose level) using an updated trial protocol, which includes an initial lead-in safety monotherapy cycle of doxorubicin prior to the administration of RC220. This protocol update enables an assessment of the anthracycline-cardioprotective potential of RC220 using a blood-based molecular test.

The Company has received the SRC’s formal written recommendation and has promptly notified the clinical trial sites to initiate enrolment in Cohort 2, as patients present and meet the eligibility criteria.

About Cardioprotection and Anticancer Synergy (CPACS) Trial

The CPACS Phase 1 solid tumor clinical trial is exploring the preclinical discovery that RC220 can provide protection from anthracycline cardiotoxicity while improving the anticancer activity of anthracyclines. Stage 1 of the trial is using ascending doses of RC220 to determine the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and maximum tolerated combined dose (MTCD) of RC220 in combination with doxorubicin in up to 33 patients using a Bayesian design. The effects on a range of clinical biomarkers, including a blood-based measure of the cardioprotective mechanism of action of RC220, are also being explored in the study.

After interim analysis of the data, the optimal dosage of RC220 in combination with doxorubicin will be assessed in an additional 20 patients in Stage 2 for further safety, tolerability, and preliminary cardioprotective and anticancer efficacy signals. This open-label trial is being conducted across multiple sites in Australia, Hong Kong, and South Korea.

About RC220 & (E,E)-bisantrene

RC220 is a proprietary formulation of (E,E)-bisantrene designed to overcome drug solubility issues that prevent safe peripheral intravenous infusion. (E,E)-bisantrene is a clinical validated small molecule anticancer agent that primarily functions via G4-DNA and RNA binding, leading to potent silencing of the important cancer growth regulator MYC.

(Press release, Racura Oncology, MAY 15, 2026, View Source [SID1234665796])

On May 15, 2026 Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) reported results from the Phase 3 trial evaluating two dose levels of fianlimab (LAG-3 inhibitor) in combination with cemiplimab (PD-1 inhibitor) as a first-line treatment for patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic melanoma. The trial did not reach statistical significance for the primary endpoint of improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared to pembrolizumab (PD-1 inhibitor) monotherapy. No new safety signals were identified with the fianlimab combination.

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High-Dose
Combination
(n=508) Low-Dose
Combination
(n=422) Pembrolizumab
Monotherapy
(n=462) Cemiplimab
Monotherapy*
(n=154)
Primary endpoint:
median PFS, months
(95% Confidence
Interval [CI])

11.5 (6.3, 16.8)

9.6 (6.2, 13.9)

6.4 (4.4, 11.1)

6.3 (4.0, 17.2)

Hazard Ratio (95%
CI)
Relative to
Pembrolizumab

0.845 (0.709,
1.008) 0.931 (0.773,
1.122)#
p-Value p=0.0627 p=0.4661#
*Cemiplimab was used to define contribution of components and was not used in the statistical comparison
# Low dose combination compared against subset of concurrently randomized patients on pembrolizumab (n=421)

Detailed results from the trial will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting.

A Phase 3 head-to-head trial, also in first-line unresectable or metastatic melanoma, evaluating the high-dose fianlimab combination versus Opdualag (nivolumab and relatlimab-rmbw) is ongoing.

The potential uses of fianlimab and cemiplimab described above are investigational, and safety and efficacy of this combination have not been evaluated by any regulatory authority.

About the Phase 3 Trial
This randomized, double-blind Phase 3 trial is investigating the combination of fianlimab and cemiplimab versus pembrolizumab in patients 12 years of age or older with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic melanoma who have not received a previous systemic treatment for advanced disease. The trial enrolled 1,546 patients who were randomized to receive either: 1600 mg fianlimab and 350 mg cemiplimab (high-dose combination) every 3 weeks; 400 mg fianlimab and 350 mg cemiplimab (low-dose combination) every 3 weeks; placebo and 200 mg pembrolizumab every 3 weeks; or placebo and 350 mg cemiplimab every 3 weeks.

(Press release, Regeneron, MAY 15, 2026, View Source [SID1234665777])

On May 15, 2026 Akeso, Inc. (9926.HK) ("Akeso" or the "Company") reported that compelling results from its randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II trial (AK117-206) of ligufalimab (AK117) will be presented as an oral presentation at the 2026 European Hematology Association (EHA) (Free EHA Whitepaper) Congress. The abstract is now available on the EHA (Free EHA Whitepaper) Congress platform.

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Ligufalimab is Akeso’s proprietary next-generation humanized IgG4 anti-CD47 monoclonal antibody. The study evaluated ligufalimab in combination with azacitidine (AZA) and venetoclax (VEN) in patients with treatment-naïve acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.

The abstract data demonstrated that the ligufalimab-based triplet regimen delivered encouraging efficacy, with significant improvements in survival outcomes. The combination also showed a manageable safety profile, offering a potentially better-tolerated treatment option for this vulnerable patient population.

As of the November 2025 data cutoff, key findings included:

Deep and Durable Tumor Remission

The objective response rate (ORR) was 80.0% in the ligufalimab arm versus 66.7% in the control arm, with a composite complete remission (CRc) rate of 56.7% versus 53.3%. Among patients achieving CRc, the measurable residual disease (MRD) negativity rate was higher in the ligufalimab arm (46.7% versus 36.7%).
Median duration of CRc was substantially longer in the ligufalimab arm at 10.4 months versus 6.5 months in the control arm.
Encouraging Survival Benefit Trend

At a median follow-up of 8.84 months, median overall survival (mOS) in the ligufalimab arm was not yet reached, versus 8.3 months in the control arm. The 9-month overall survival rate was 78.7% in the ligufalimab arm versus 43.1% in the control arm; the 6-month OS rates were 83.3% versus 73.2%, respectively.
Favorable Safety Profile With No New Safety Signals Observed

The incidence of overall treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and serious adverse events was comparable between treatment arms. The most common TEAEs were generally consistent with those expected in the context of AML and AZA+VEN therapy.
Anemia occurred in 46.7% of patients in the ligufalimab arm versus 50.0% in the control arm.
Notably, ligufalimab has already received Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) from the U.S. FDA for the treatment of AML. Akeso is advancing its ligufalimab clinical development programs at a globally competitive pace across both hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Ligufalimab is also the first anti-CD47 monoclonal antibody worldwide to enter a registrational Phase III clinical trial in solid tumors.

(Press release, Akeso Biopharma, MAY 15, 2026, View Source [SID1234665797])

On May 15, 2026 Sana Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ: SANA), a company focused on changing the possible for patients through engineered cells, reported that it has sold an aggregate of 21,607,878 shares of the company’s common stock through its at-the-market ("ATM") facility established through TD Securities (USA) LLC for net proceeds of approximately $69 million. The investment, including participation based on interest received from RA Capital Management, combined with the previously announced unrelated $25 million investment from the Mayo Clinic, brings the total capital raised since the end of the first quarter of 2026 to approximately $94 million and extends the company’s expected cash runway to mid-2027.

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The shares of common stock described above were sold by the company pursuant to an automatically effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3ASR (File No. 333-293981), including the ATM prospectus supplement, filed by the company with the SEC on March 3, 2026. The ATM prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained from TD Securities (USA) LLC, LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717 or by email at [email protected]. Electronic copies of the ATM prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are also available on the SEC’s website at View Source

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

(Press release, Sana Biotechnology, MAY 15, 2026, View Source [SID1234665778])

On May 15, 2026 Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRA), a global leader in cell-free DNA and precision medicine, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Signatera CDx as a companion diagnostic (CDx) for use with adjuvant atezolizumab (Tecentriq) immunotherapy in MIBC.

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This is the first companion diagnostic approval in the field of blood-based MRD. It is a significant milestone in the industry-wide shift toward personalized, MRD-guided cancer care, in which treatment decisions may depend on Signatera MRD status, and interventions may be delayed or deferred for patients who remain MRD-negative. Supported by more than 185 peer-reviewed publications and Medicare coverage across multiple cancer types (including Bladder, Breast, Lung, Colorectal, Ovarian, and pan-cancer immunotherapy monitoring), Signatera has become a cornerstone of precision oncology.

Signatera CDx has been approved by the FDA for use with adjuvant atezolizumab (Tecentriq) to identify patients with MIBC who are ctDNA MRD-positive and may benefit from treatment. This follows The New England Journal of Medicine publication in October 2025 of the landmark, global Phase III IMvigor011 trial, sponsored by Genentech. The trial results demonstrated that Signatera MRD-positive patients treated with immunotherapy achieved significant improvements in disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS), while Signatera MRD-negative patients achieved 97% 2-year OS with no adjuvant therapy at all.

"The practice-changing IMvigor011 trial and this approval signal a transformation in cancer care, where MRD is guiding when to treat, whom to treat, and how to treat more precisely," said Professor Thomas Powles, lead principal investigator of IMvigor011 and Chair of Barts Cancer Centre at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital. "Historically, we relied on imaging to tell us when cancer had returned, but that also meant millions of cancer cells were already present in the body. As we saw with IMvigor011 and in several other trials, Signatera detected tumor DNA at an earlier timepoint and provided us with a significant head start to improve outcomes for patients."

"For bladder cancer patients and families, the period after bladder removal can be filled with uncertainty," said Meri-Margaret Deoudes, CEO of the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network. "Approaches like Signatera can help clarify which patients are more likely to experience recurrence, giving clinicians additional important information as they consider next steps. Our priority is ensuring that patients and families have access to tools that support informed decision-making, reduce unnecessary treatment when possible, and help guide timely care when it’s needed."

"This FDA approval is a major milestone for the field of precision oncology and personalized medicine," said Solomon Moshkevich, president of clinical diagnostics at Natera. "This validates the vision that Natera introduced 10 years ago and solidifies Signatera MRD as the new standard of care in muscle-invasive bladder cancer. With our growing portfolio of TOMR trials and our recent innovations in ultrasensitive genome-based MRD and phased variant technologies, Natera continues to drive forward the science across all cancer types."

There are approximately 30,000 new diagnoses of MIBC each year in the U.S. and 150,000 globally.1-5 Radical cystectomy, with or without neoadjuvant therapy, is associated with long-term disease control in approximately half of patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, but it has historically been difficult to identify which patients are likely to recur and to offer them effective, personalized therapy while sparing others from unnecessary treatment.5-6 With IMvigor011, there is now prospective evidence showing that MRD can guide care for patients in this setting and adds to the growing body of evidence on Signatera across the bladder cancer continuum.

(Press release, Natera, MAY 15, 2026, View Source [SID1234665798])