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Defence Therapeutics Receives Uspto Allowance For Patent Application Covering Next-Gen Adc Technology

On June 9, 2025 Defence Therapeutics Inc. ("Defence" or the "Company"), (CSE: DTC, OTCQB: DTCFF, FSE: DTC) a leading biotechnology company specializing in drug delivery technologies, reported that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a Notice of Allowance for its U.S. patent application covering one of its next-generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technologies (Press release, Defence Therapeutics, JUN 9, 2025, View Source;utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=defence-therapeutics-receives-uspto-allowance-for-patent-application-covering-next-gen-adc-technology [SID1234653788]). The allowance of U.S. patent application no. 18/351,291 (‘291) includes valuable composition-of-matter claims broadly covering therapeutically active ADCs – not limited to individual diseases or therapeutic targets – as well as claims covering the use of ADCs for treating or diagnosing diseases such as cancer.

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Defence’s Accum-based ADCs have demonstrated enhanced intracellular delivery and cytotoxic activity in multiple preclinical cancer models compared to conventional ADCs. Upon grant, the ‘291 patent application will provide the Company with potential market exclusivity until 2043 for its proprietary second-generation Accum-based ADCs, which include antibodies conjugated to innovative new constructs featuring a bile acid conjugated to a nuclear localization signal (NLS) derived from the ribosomal protein eS17 (RPS17).

This milestone builds on Defence’s established patent portfolio for its foundational Accum technology, which includes granted patents in the United States (US 11,352,437), Japan (JP 7,126,956), Australia (AU 2017233725), and Israel (IL 261765), with applications currently pending in Canada and Europe.

"Second-generation Accum-based ADCs represent a significant advancement in both oncotherapy and targeted drug delivery," said Sébastien Plouffe, CEO and Founder of Defence Therapeutics. "This recent allowance underscores the innovation and versatility embedded in our ADC platform technology and reflects our commitment to developing novel, effective cancer treatments that push the boundaries of current ADC technologies."

This newly allowed U.S. patent application is poised to become the eighth granted U.S. patent in Defence’s expanding portfolio, which now comprises seven published patent families.

Axio BioPharma and Likarda Announce Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Biologic Drug Development and Delivery

On June 9, 2025 Axio BioPharma Inc., a next-generation biomanufacturing company using AI to transform mammalian protein production, and Likarda Inc., a leader in advanced drug delivery and formulation technologies, reported a strategic partnership to accelerate innovation in biologic drug development (Press release, Likarda, JUN 9, 2025, View Source [SID1234653786]). This collaboration will integrate Likarda’s proprietary delivery technologies with Axio’s manufacturing capabilities, creating a more efficient and scalable path to clinical manufacturing for clients across the biopharmaceutical sector.

Through this collaboration, Axio BioPharma will incorporate Likarda’s proprietary delivery platforms— including its Core-Shell Spherification (CSS) hydrogel technology for encapsulation, stability, and controlled release —into its service offering, enhancing workflows for monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), bispecifics, and Fc-fusions. Likarda will also offer Axio’s discovery-to-GMP manufacturing capabilities to its client base, supporting programs in need of high-quality protein production and scalable manufacturing solutions.

"This partnership brings delivery innovation directly into the development process, helping our clients move faster and make better decisions," said Justin Byers, CEO of Axio BioPharma. "By aligning earlier on both delivery and manufacturing, we reduce friction, shorten timelines, and provide integrated solutions that truly support our clients’ goals."

"At Likarda, we believe that delivery should never be an afterthought—it should be part of the development strategy from day one," said Dr. Stella Vnook, CEO of Likarda Inc. "Partnering with Axio allows us to integrate our encapsulation and formulation technologies earlier in the drug development process, where they can have the greatest impact on stability, efficacy, and patient experience. Importantly, it provides seamless integration to scaled manufacturing for our clients. Together, we’re creating a smarter, more connected path from discovery to clinic."

This collaboration strengthens Axio’s mission of transforming biologic manufacturing through predictive science and digital-first process development. At the same time, it enables Likarda to apply its proprietary delivery technologies earlier in the development cycle, giving clients new efficiencies and expanded therapeutic applications.

New Study Published in ESMO Open Highlights Guardant Reveal’s Performance in Detecting Minimal Residual Disease in Patients with Early-Stage Breast Cancer

On June 9, 2025 Guardant Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GH), a leading precision oncology company, reported results from the LIBERATE study published in ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Open (Press release, Guardant Health, JUN 9, 2025, View Source [SID1234653785]). The results in the peer-reviewed manuscript demonstrate the clinical validity and high performance of Guardant Reveal, the company’s minimal residual disease (MRD) blood test, in predicting recurrence in patients with early-stage breast cancer. Guardant Reveal uses epigenomic (methylation) analysis to detect circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in a patient’s blood without the need for a tissue sample.

The LIBERATE study retrospectively analyzed 290 blood samples from 95 patients who were diagnosed with early-stage ER+/HER2- or triple negative breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy prior to surgery, half of whom had localized disease with no lymph node involvement. Nearly 40% had minimal or no residual tumor by pathologic assessment following neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Key findings include:

High Sensitivity and Specificity: Guardant Reveal demonstrated 100% sensitivity for distant recurrence in patients with ER+/HER2- breast cancer (which represents about 70% of all breast cancers), and 71% overall, with 100% specificity and 100% positive predictive value for relapse.
Significant Prognostic Power: Detection of ctDNA post-operatively was significantly prognostic for event-free survival (EFS), with median lead time of 152 days (range: 15-748 days) ahead of clinical recurrence (P < 0.0001).
Nearly 100% of All Samples Evaluable: All patients with post-operative blood samples had MRD results available from Reveal, highlighting the power of a tissue-free MRD test among patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy, particularly the large percentage who have minimal to no tumor found at surgery.
"This study underscores the clinical validity, robust prognostic value and high specificity of Guardant Reveal in identifying breast cancer patients at elevated risk of recurrence without the need for a tissue sample," said Craig Eagle, M.D., Guardant Health chief medical officer. "These findings reinforce the critical role Reveal can achieve in clinical decision-making, potentially transforming neoadjuvant and post-treatment surveillance strategies and improving patient outcomes."

This publication adds to the growing body of evidence of Reveal’s strong performance in early-stage breast cancer. Earlier this year, a peer-reviewed publication in Clinical Cancer Research focused on stage II and III triple negative breast cancer demonstrated 83% sensitivity for metastatic recurrence and 99.5% sample-level specificity. Post-surgical ctDNA detection was prognostic for shorter recurrence-free interval (P < 0.0001). Additionally, ctDNA detection at the post-neoadjuvant, presurgical time point was associated with a shorter recurrence-free interval in patients with residual disease at surgery (P < 0.0001).

Myosin Therapeutics Receives FDA Clearance to Initiate First-in-Human Trial of MT-125 in Glioblastoma

On June 9, 2025 Myosin Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class therapies targeting molecular motors, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application for MT-125 (Press release, Myosin Therapeutics, JUN 9, 2025, View Source [SID1234653784]). The active IND allows the company to initiate a Phase 1 study to evaluate MT-125 in combination with standard of care radiation in patients with newly diagnosed IDH wild type, MGMT unmethylated glioblastoma. This subset of patients faces a particularly poor prognosis due to limited responsiveness to current chemotherapy.

MT-125 is a selective inhibitor of non-muscle myosin II (NMII), a molecular motor protein that drives tumor proliferation and invasion, resistance to therapy and oxidative stress, and immune evasion. By specifically targeting NMII, MT-125 is designed to disrupt these critical mechanisms of glioblastoma progression. In preclinical models, MT-125 demonstrated potent anti-tumor activity and enhanced the efficacy of radiotherapy.

MT-125 has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA for the treatment of malignant gliomas, including glioblastoma, recognizing the potential of MT-125 in this rare and devastating disease and providing additional regulatory and financial support for the drug’s development.

"Glioblastoma remains one of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant cancers, with limited advances over the past two decades," said Dr. Courtney Miller, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer of Myosin Therapeutics. "In collaboration with the Mayo Clinic, we have rapidly advanced our MT-125 program in glioblastoma, and we’re driven and encouraged by the FDA’s clearance to proceed with our first-in-human trial. Preclinical studies suggest targeting non-muscle myosin II represents a uniquely holistic approach to tackling this complex and devastating disease."

"We appreciate the FDA’s rapid and comprehensive review of our IND submission," said Valerie Ahmuty, head of Regulatory Affairs at Myosin Therapeutics. "The population of patients we hope to support with MT-125 is in dire need of treatment options."

Neowise Biotechnology and BeOne Medicines Enter Licensing Agreement to Advance Development of Next-Generation Cell Therapies

On June 9, 2025 Neowise Biotechnology ("Neowise"), a pioneering company focused on the development of TCR-T cell therapies for solid tumors, reported that it has entered into a non-exclusive licensing agreement with BeOne Medicines Ltd. ("BeOne") (Press release, Neowise Biotechnology, JUN 9, 2025, View Source [SID1234653783]). Under the terms of the agreement, Neowise will grant BeOne rights to one of its proprietary antigen-specific TCR molecules for the development of next-generation, iPSC-based off-the-shelf cell therapies.

Under the terms of the agreement, Neowise will receive an upfront payment and will be eligible for future milestone payments based on the achievement of certain development, regulatory, and commercial milestones, in addition to royalties. BeOne will have the right to develop and commercialize its next-generation cell therapy products using the licensed TCR.

"We are very pleased to enter into this agreement with BeOne, which will expand the application of our TCR molecules into new territories and support the research and clinical development of BeOne’s next-generation cell therapy products," said Songming Peng, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Neowise. "With our expertise in antigen-specific TCR discovery, we believe in the great commercial value and broad clinical potential of our proprietary antigen-TCR library, CAST. We look forward to working with BeOne to bring next-generation, off-the-shelf cell therapies to cancer patients worldwide."

"As a global company committed to advancing the next frontier of cancer treatment, BeOne is harnessing the transformative potential of iPSC-derived cell therapies in oncology," said Alex Huang, Ph.D., Vice President and Head of Cell Therapy at BeOne. "We are building an allogeneic, off-the-shelf cell therapy platform that uses cutting-edge genetic engineering to achieve broad applicability across diverse patient populations – bringing us closer to more universal, accessible cancer treatments. To accelerate this vision, we are actively forging strategic, global partnerships. Our collaboration with Neowise represents a powerful step forward in delivering next-generation cell therapies that expand and elevate treatment options for patients worldwide."