On April 16, 2025 Ipsen (Euronext: IPN; ADR: IPSEY), a global specialty-care biopharmaceutical company, reported sales for the first quarter of 2025 (Press release, Ipsen, APR 16, 2025, View Source [SID1234651945]).

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Q1 2025 % change % change
€m Actual CER1
Oncology 655.0 8.5% 8.0%
Neuroscience 193.5 8.0% 9.6%
Rare Disease 70.3 78.4% 74.6%
Total Sales 918.8 11.7% 11.6%

"Ipsen has delivered a strong start to 2025, building further momentum in the transformation of our company," commented David Loew, Chief Executive Officer, Ipsen. "We continued to execute on our strategy with strong top-line growth and pipeline progression. I am pleased to see the rapid build-up of our Rare Cholestatic Liver disease franchise with two innovate medicines for five indications. 2025 is set to be an important year for Ipsen, with multiple launches underway and several milestones expected across our portfolio."

Full-year guidance

Ipsen is confirming financial guidance for full-year 2025:

Total sales growth greater than 5.0%, at constant currency. Based on the average level of exchange rates in March 2025, a limited effect on total sales from currencies is expected.
Core operating margin greater than 30.0% of total sales, which includes additional R&D expenses from anticipated early and mid-stage external-innovation opportunities.
Guidance includes expected negative impact on Somatuline sales due to increased generic competition in the U.S. and Europe. It excludes any impact from potential late-stage (Phase III clinical development or later) business development transactions.

Upcoming Milestones

Ipsen anticipates several key milestones across its portfolio in 2025, including:

Cabometyx (CABINET trial) – Regulatory decision in the European Union for advanced pancreatic (pNETs) and extra-pancreatic (epNETs) neuroendocrine tumors (NETs).
fidrisertib (FALKON trial) – Readout of the pivotal Phase IIb trial in fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP).
LANT3 (LANTIC trial) – Proof-of-concept data readout, evaluating its potential in aesthetics.
Q1 pipeline progress

The regulatory filing for tovorafenib was accepted by EMA for review in the European Union, marking an important step forward in the development of this potential treatment for pediatric low-grade glioma and reinforcing Ipsen’s commitment to innovation in rare and difficult-to-treat cancers.

Ipsen also initiated the entry in Phase I of IPN01195, a RAF inhibitor, complementing IPN01194, an ERK inhibitor, and tovorafenib, two other assets targeting the MAPK pathway.

Group refinancing

Ipsen announced on March 19th the successful completion of its inaugural Rated Public Bond of €500 million with a coupon of 3.875%, maturing in March 2032. Following the disclosure of the Investment Grade ratings from S&P and Moody’s, this transaction was very well received and largely oversubscribed by a diversified and solid institutional investor base. This transaction is an important component of Ipsen’s refinancing plan which included the successful renewal of €1,5 billion syndicated Revolving Credit Facility, extending Ipsen’s debt maturity profile.

Conference call

A conference call and webcast for investors and analysts will begin today at 2pm CET. Participants can access the call and its details by registering here; webcast details can be found here.

Calendar

Ipsen intends to publish its half-year results on July 31st, 2025.

Notes

All financial figures are in € millions (€m). The performance shown covers the three-month period to 31 March 2025 (Q1 2025, the quarter), compared to the three-month period to 31 March 2024 (Q1 2024), unless stated otherwise.

On April 15, 2025 TJ Biopharma ("TJ Bio" or "Company"), a fully integrated biotech company focusing on discovery, development, manufacturing and commercialization of innovative biologics in the areas of autoimmune diseases, oncology and metabolic disorders, reported completion of patient enrollment in the Phase 2 stage of its ongoing Phase 2/3 clinical study evaluating uliledlimab, a differentiated CD73 antibody, in combination with toripalimab (doublet study) as first-line treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (Press release, TJ Bio, APR 15, 2025, View Source [SID1234654002]). The Company anticipates topline data readout in the first half of 2025 and intends to initiate a Phase 3 registrational study of the doublet study as planned.

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"Despite multiple challenges, our team successfully managed to complete the patient enrollment on track, demonstrating TJ Bio’s exceptional clinical operations capabilities," said Dr. Jingwu Zang, Founder and Chairman of TJ Bio. "The development of uliledlimab, a cornerstone of our staged pipeline, is accelerating steadily. We’re confident in the clinical value of this therapy and look forward to upcoming data analysis results as we prepare for the Phase 3 study launch, aiming to provide more effective and innovative treatment options for lung cancer patients."

Earlier this year, TJ Bio initiated and dosed the first patient in another Phase 2 clinical study evaluating uliledlimab in combination with sintilimab and chemotherapy (triplet study) as first-line treatment for NSCLC. The Company is actively advancing both studies in China as planned.

About Uliledlimab
Uliledlimab (also known as TJD5) is a differentiated, humanized antibody against CD73, an ecto-enzyme expressed on stromal cells and tumors that converts extracellular adenosine monophosphate (AMP) to adenosine. Adenosine, in turn, binds to adenosine receptors on relevant immune cells and inhibits anti-tumor immune responses in the tumor microenvironment. Uliledlimab is expected to offer clinical benefits by suppressing tumor growth in concert with checkpoint therapies such as PD-(L)1 antibodies. Uliledlimab is effective in anti-tumor activities through a unique intra-dimer binding, leading to differentiated and favorable functional properties, as evident in preclinical and clinical studies.

Positive results from the Phase 1b/2 clinical study (NCT04322006) of uliledlimab in combination with toripalimab as first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2023: The combination therapy showed a 31% response rate in treatment-naïve NSCLC patients; notably, in patients with high CD73 expression and PD-L1 positivity, the response rate reached 63%. Biomarker analysis revealed a strong correlation between high tumor CD73 expression and treatment response, further supporting the potential of CD73 expression as a predictive biomarker. In September 2024, TJ Bio and Sanofi entered into strategic partnership for the development, manufacturing and commercialization of uliledlimab in Greater China.

On April 15, 2025 Galmed Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Nasdaq: GLMD) ("Galmed" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing novel treatments for liver, cardiometabolic, and gastrointestinal oncology indications, reported the unveiling of novel pharmacodynamic (PD) blood markers for its lead compound, Aramchol, the industry’s most clinically advanced SCD1 inhibitor (Press release, Galmed Pharmaceuticals, APR 15, 2025, View Source,-the-Most-Clinically-Advanced-SCD1-Inhibitor [SID1234652231]). These newly identified biomarkers shed fresh light on Aramchol’s potential far beyond its role in NASH (MASH) therapy—offering a deeper understanding of the drug candidate’s biochemical impact and presenting an exciting opportunity to enhance clinical decision-making and expand into additional disease areas.

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In collaboration with Proteas Health, a leader in innovative protein biomarker and targeted assay development, Galmed has pinpointed plasma markers that track Aramchol’s therapeutic impact through cutting-edge proteomics and AI technologies. Specifically, a panel of 70 proteins expressed at Week 12 of Aramchol treatment (compared with baseline) was captured in the Company’s Phase 3 ARMOR MASH study. This panel forms an actionable, single blood-based pharmacodynamic signature to monitor and potentially predict patient response, encompassing both systemic and local (liver) effects.

Galmed’s analysis revealed that this signature aligns with reduced chronic systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and atherosclerotic plaque pathogenesis—key drivers in cardiometabolic diseases. Significantly, the data also demonstrate a marked reduction in ANP (Atrial Natriuretic Peptide), widely recognized as an established clinical biomarker for heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction. Moreover, the findings indicate a stimulated expression of KDM4C, a protein known to play a role in repressing liver fibrosis. Altogether, these insights underscore Aramchol’s broad therapeutic relevance and create valuable opportunities for Galmed to expand its clinical pipeline and address additional cardiometabolic and potentially oncological indications.

Allen Baharaff, CEO of Galmed Pharmaceuticals commented: "The newly discovered markers showed significant expression in untreated patients at baseline and were reversed following treatment with Aramchol. These PD markers could serve as a liquid biopsy as an early indicator of Aramchol’s efficacy in clinical settings. Additionally, the observed significant effects on cardiometabolic biomarkers open future research avenues for Aramchol in CVD and related conditions".

The collaboration with Proteas Health aims to translate these discoveries into a streamlined, cost-efficient, high-throughput assay that directly measures Aramchol’s unique PD signature. Such an assay, once validated, could bolster Galmed’s forthcoming clinical trials by further de-risking development and allowing clinicians to evaluate drug response in real time.

"Through this collaboration, Proteas Health and Galmed aim to develop a cost-effective, high-throughput assay targeting Aramchol’s unique pharmacodynamic signature. This assay could play a pivotal role in Galmed’s future clinical trials, accelerating the efforts to bring Aramchol to market" said Dr. Antigoni Manousopoulou, MD, PhD, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Proteas Health. "By focusing on targeted pharmacodynamic biomarkers, Proteas Health is not just enhancing drug development Proteas Health ensuring therapies are tailored to achieve maximum benefit with minimal risk."

These promising data underscore Galmed’s growing momentum: by combining innovative biomarker strategies with Aramchol’s safety and efficacy profile, the Company believes it is well-positioned to broaden its market reach and deliver significant value to patients and stakeholders alike. Given the global burden of cardiometabolic and fibro-inflammatory conditions, the ability to demonstrate and monitor Aramchol’s impact through a single blood test has the potential to transform future clinical development and create new horizons for commercialization.

On April 15, 2025 Vaccinex reported its annual report for the year 2024 (Filing, 3 mnth, DEC 31, Vaccinex, 2024, APR 15, 2025, View Source [SID1234652129]).

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On April 15, 2025 Baylink Biosciences reported that new preclinical data from its portfolio will be presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting from April 25-30, 2025, in Chicago, IL (Press release, Baylink Biosciences, APR 15, 2025, https://www.baylinkbio.com/post/lorem-ipsum-dolor-sit-amet-consectetur-adipiscing-elit [SID1234652049]). These data provide insights into the potential of Baylink’s innovative Antibody Drug Conjugate platform in treatment of cancers with high unmet medical need. Scientists at Baylink have invented a platform technology that enables the delivery of a variety of payloads including hydrophobic chemotherapy and protein degrader drugs at a high drug to antibody ratio while preserving stability and pharmacokinetic characteristics to enable application in ADC format. The innovative linker panel combined with Baylink’s proprietary payloads create a deep well of products, including dual payload ADC designs, and Degrader Antibody Conjugates (DAC) with potential application in cancer treatment.

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Preclinical data from Baylink’s most advanced candidate (BLB-101) will be presented. BLB-101 is an antibody drug conjugate designed to target Claudin 6/9 and deliver the topoisomerase 1 inhibitor, exatecan in a highly efficient manner with a drug to antibody ratio of 8. Claudin 6 (CLDN6) is a tight junction protein that is highly expressed in various human cancers, including ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but is absent in normal adult tissues. Claudin 9 (CLDN9), which shares high homology with CLDN6, exhibits a similar expression pattern—being nearly undetectable in normal tissues but upregulated in ovarian and endometrial cancers.

Data generated to support the rationale for Baylink’s innovative linker platform will also be presented. Baylink’s linker platform is designed to reduce non-specific uptake into healthy tissues and cells while enhancing potency by improving ADC’s homogeneity, stability, PK, and efficacy. The platform also has the ability to deliver ADCs with multiple payload classes.

"We are very pleased to share these results from Baylink’s innovative antibody drug conjugate platform. The data presented at this year’s AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) meeting demonstrate the potential for Baylink’s technology to overcome critical challenges in the ADC field," said Alice Chen, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer and Founder of Baylink. "In addition to sharing details on our platform technology, we are presenting data for one of our lead products, BLB-101, a novel antibody targeting CLDN6/9, conjugated to our linker BL001 delivering exatecan. We believe BLB-101 offers the potential for best in class performance for CLDN6/9+ tumors such as ovarian, endometrial, and lung cancer."

A linker platform for antibody drug conjugates (ADCs): expanding the therapeutic window

Poster number：7463

Session Date and Time: April 30, 2025, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Preclinical evaluation of BLB-101, a topoisomerase-inhibitor-based anti-CLDN6/9 antibody-drug conjugate featuring a proprietary hydrophilic linker

Poster number：1578

Session Date and Time: April 28, 2025, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM