On July 6, 2026 Astex Pharmaceuticals ("Astex"), a pharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel small molecule therapeutics for oncology and diseases of the central nervous system, reported that it has entered into an exclusive, worldwide research collaboration and license agreement with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, to identify small molecule drug candidates with selective inhibitory activity as potential treatments for breast cancer.

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Under the terms of the agreement, Astex will grant Genentech an exclusive license to compounds from Astex’s existing drug discovery program for breast cancer and will collaborate with Genentech to accelerate the further optimisation and development of lead compounds towards the identification of preclinical candidates. Genentech will be solely responsible for preclinical and clinical development of lead candidates as well as commercialisation of all medicines arising from the collaboration globally. Astex will receive an upfront payment of $25 million and is eligible to receive further payments on the achievement of preclinical, clinical, regulatory and sales milestones, potentially totalling more than $490 million, as well as tiered royalties on net sales of medicines arising from the collaboration.
Astex’s drug discovery program originated from an earlier collaborative project under Astex’s strategic alliance agreement with Newcastle University and Cancer Research Horizons.

Michelle Jones, president of Astex Pharmaceuticals, said, "Working together with colleagues from Newcastle University, Astex’s fragment-based drug discovery expertise has led to the discovery of a novel and innovative approach to selectively inhibit this key oncology target for breast cancer therapy. Genentech’s focus on embracing innovation, its expertise in oncology and its longstanding dedication to innovation for breast cancer patients makes Genentech an excellent partner for this collaboration. We are delighted to be working together in this important drug discovery alliance with the aim to build on our progress and accelerate compounds into development in a rapidly emerging area of need which, as yet, remains unmet."

"We are committed to pushing the boundaries of scientific innovation and turning breakthroughs into better outcomes for people with breast cancer," said Boris L. Zaïtra, Head of Roche Corporate Business Development. "Working alongside partners like Astex Pharmaceuticals in pursuit of precision therapies against cell-cycle regulators, we follow the science to focus our innovation on the areas of the highest unmet need."

(Press release, Astex Pharmaceuticals, JUL 6, 2026, View Source [SID1234669068])

On July 5, 2026 InnoCare Pharma (HKEX: 09969; SSE: 688428), a leading biopharmaceutical company focusing on the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, reported that the first patient has been dosed in the clinical trial of novel CDH17 targeted ADC, ICP-B208, in China.

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Developed from InnoCare’s in-house ADC platform, ICP-B208 is a novel ADC comprising a humanized anti-CDH17 monoclonal antibody conjugated to a potent, in-house invented payload via a protease-cleavable linker. This design enables significantly enhanced tumor-killing effects with improved stability and safety.

CDH17 is a calcium-dependent cell adhesion protein that plays a key role in tumor cell proliferation, migration, and metastasis. Its tumor-restricted expression and functional role in cancer biology make CDH17 an attractive and differentiated target for the ADC therapy, which can be developed for the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal, gastric, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, and biliary tract cancer. Currently, there are no approved CDH17 targeted ADCs globally.

Dr. Jasmine Cui, Co-Founder, Chairwoman, and CEO of InnoCare, said, "I am pleased to see the clinical development progress of our second ADC drug, following ICP-B794, our novel ADC targeting B7-H3. Through our innovated platform, we have developed multiple ADC candidates with strong tumor killing effects and an excellent safety profile, which will offer better treatment options for cancer patients globally."

(Press release, InnoCare Pharma, JUL 5, 2026, View Source [SID1234669065])

On July 4, 2026 Sanyou Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. ("Sanyou Bio") and Guangzhou Baiyunshan Xihe Health Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. ("Baiyunshan Xihe") reported the official signing of a strategic cooperation agreement. This partnership will focus on the co-development of novel radiopharmaceuticals and radiodiagnostic products, aiming to integrate their respective core strengths in AI-driven innovative drug molecule discovery and the full industrial value chain of nuclear medicine. Together, the two parties seek to build an end-to-end innovation chain spanning from target molecule discovery to clinical translation of radiopharmaceuticals, delivering more transformative solutions for precision oncology diagnosis and therapy.

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The development of radiopharmaceuticals and radiodiagnostic products places extremely high demands on the precision, stability, and druggability of targeting molecules. This strategic collaboration is based on both parties’ deep insight into the nuclear medicine industry trends and strong mutual recognition of each other’s technological capabilities.

Sanyou Bio will leverage its globally leading AI-Super trillion antibody/molecule libraries (AI-STAL) and its Sanyou AI-Drug Accelerator (SAI-DA) to provide source innovation power for the discovery and optimization of high-performance antibodies and targeting molecules against specific targets. Baiyunshan Xihe will rely on its end-to-end capabilities in novel medical radionuclide production, GMP manufacturing, and clinical translation to advance partnered molecules into radiolabeling, in vitro and in vivo evaluation, and preclinical studies, thereby accelerating the industrialization of innovative radiopharmaceuticals and radiodiagnostic products.

This strategic partnership aims to generate core value through deep integration across multiple dimensions:

1. Building an End-to-End Innovation Closed Loop:

Establish an integrated collaborative R&D model of "AI-driven molecular discovery – radionuclide labeling – clinical translation," seamlessly connecting upstream molecular discovery capabilities with the radiopharmaceutical industrialization platform, significantly shortening the development timeline from target concept to radiopharmaceutical candidate compounds.

2. Developing a Differentiated Product Portfolio:

By combining Sanyou Bio’s extensive experience in innovative drug development and its strengths in AI-driven molecular discovery with Baiyunshan Xihe’s standardized production technologies for key medical radionuclides such as Gallium-68, Zirconium-89, Copper-64, and Rhenium-186, the two parties will jointly develop internationally competitive theranostic radiopharmaceuticals and novel radiodiagnostic products.

3. Building a New Industrial Ecosystem for Collaboration:

Both parties will integrate their deep resources in innovative drug R&D services and the nuclear medicine industry chain, jointly explore open and mutually beneficial collaboration models, enhance China’s upstream innovation capabilities in radiopharmaceuticals, and promote high-quality industry development.

Liu Hong, Chairman and General Manager of Baiyunshan Xihe, stated:

"We are very pleased to enter into this strategic collaboration with Sanyou Bio. As a leading enterprise in Guangzhou’s nuclear medicine industry chain, Baiyunshan Xihe has established a fully integrated value chain from radionuclide production to clinical services, and has developed a dual-track product portfolio featuring both self-developed nanobody-based RDCs and mature microsphere products. Sanyou Bio’s AI-STAL platform for upstream drug discovery is globally leading, with a library capacity exceeding 11 trillion and outstanding screening capabilities. This collaboration will strongly complement our capabilities in targeting molecule discovery and accelerate the layout and advancement of our theranostic radiopharmaceutical pipeline. We look forward to this deep integration of ‘discovery + translation’ to jointly develop truly clinically valuable innovative radiopharmaceutical products."

Dr. Lang Guojun, Founder and CEO of Sanyou Bio, stated:

"This collaboration with Baiyunshan Xihe represents an important extension of Sanyou Bio’s mission—’To make it easy to develop new drugs worldwide’—into the cutting-edge field of nuclear medicine. Backed by the strong industrial resources of Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings, Baiyunshan Xihe has built solid capabilities in radionuclide production and full value-chain integration. This strategic synergy is a key step in deeply connecting our AI-driven molecular discovery capabilities with a leading radiopharmaceutical industrialization platform. We believe that, through the dual engines of ‘intelligent molecular design’ and ‘precise radionuclide labeling,’ we can provide truly fundamental solutions to upstream innovation challenges in nuclear medicine, jointly empowering the technological upgrade of the global nuclear medicine industry."

This strategic collaboration marks a solid step forward for Sanyou Bio in deepening industrial synergy and expanding into cutting-edge application areas. Starting from this partnership, both parties will continue to explore broader collaboration opportunities and strive to become a benchmark force driving upstream innovation in radiopharmaceutical development in China.

(Press release, Guangzhou Baiyunshan Pharma, JUL 4, 2026, View Source;sanyou-bio-and-baiyunshan-xihe-join-forces-to-advance-innovative-radiopharmaceuticals-and-radiodiagnostics-302817920.html [SID1234669064])

On July 2, 2026 Iovance Biotherapeutics presented its corporate presentation.

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(Presentation, Iovance Biotherapeutics, JUL 3, 2026, View Source [SID1234669061])

On July 2, 2026 Nona Biosciences ("Nona"), a global biotechnology company advancing biotherapeutic discovery through innovative technology platforms, reported the appointment of Dr. Peng Wang as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Dr. Wang will be based in Suzhou and report directly to Dr. Di Hong, Chief Executive Officer of Nona Biosciences.

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In this role, Dr. Wang will be responsible for establishing an efficient and integrated scientific research platform, rapidly building core technical capabilities, and upgrading the Company’s comprehensive and standardized scientific research service system. He will lead efforts to realize lean and efficient resource management, with a focus on elevating overall project management efficiency to support Nona’s growing portfolio of partner programs.

Dr. Wang brings over 15 years of extensive experience in biomedical research and drug development. Prior to joining Nona, he served as Head of Biologics and in vitro APAC at Crown Bioscience. Before that, he held the position of Head of Antibody Group at WuXi AppTec and served as a Senior Scientist at Roche. Dr. Wang began his career with several years of postdoctoral research experience at the University of Pennsylvania.

"We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Peng Wang to Nona Biosciences at a pivotal time as we continue to strengthen our platform capabilities and enhance our operational infrastructure," said Dr. Di Hong, Chief Executive Officer of Nona Biosciences. "Peng’s deep expertise across biologics development, antibody discovery, and research operations will be instrumental in formulating our long-term platform strategy and ensuring the efficient execution of our project portfolio. I am confident that he will fulfill his role to the best of his ability and maintain Nona’s high standard of performance and delivery."

"Nona Biosciences has established itself as a leader in antibody discovery and engineering, with its proprietary technology platforms and integrated I to I framework from idea to IND," said Dr. Peng Wang, Chief Operating Officer of Nona Biosciences. "I am excited to join the team and look forward to further enhancing our scientific capabilities, streamlining operations, and delivering greater value to our partners."

Dr. Wang holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Delaware.

(Press release, Nona Biosciences, JUL 2, 2026, View Source [SID1234669062])