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AVEO Oncology, an LG Chem company, Announces Completion of the First Interim Analysis in the Global Phase 3 FIERCE-HN Study

On February 18, 2026 AVEO Oncology, an LG Chem company, (AVEO) reported that the 20mg/kg dose of ficlatuzumab was selected for the combination arm of the Phase 3 registrational FIERCE-HN clinical trial. This dose selection decision follows the recommendation of the Independent Data Monitoring Committee and alignment with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. The ongoing FIERCE-HN trial continues to enroll patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC) with the aim to enroll 410 to 500 patients.

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FIERCE-HN is a global, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating ficlatuzumab in combination with ERBITUX (cetuximab), an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody, as compared to placebo plus cetuximab in patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC). Ficlatuzumab is AVEO’s investigational antibody that targets hepatocyte growth factor (HGF).

"This is a significant milestone for AVEO, as we are dedicated to improving patient outcomes through novel clinical research," said Michael P. Bailey, President and CEO of AVEO. "The selection of the ficlatuzumab dose in combination with cetuximab advances us towards understanding the potential clinical value of this combination in a patient population that has limited effective treatment options available to them today."

"Today’s announcement is a defining moment and one that brings us one step closer to determining the potential clinical benefit of the combination of ficlatuzumab and cetuximab in this underserved population," commented Julie E. Bauman, MD, MPH. Dr. Bauman is the Director of the George Washington Cancer Center and Associate Dean of Cancer and Professor of Medicine at the George Washington School of Medicine & Health Sciences as well as the principal investigator of the FIERCE-HN clinical trial. "While I remain a blinded investigator, identifying the optimal dose is a significant inflection point for the clinical trial. We are keen on completing enrollment and continuing to advance the FIERCE-HN study."

In addition, at the upcoming Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium being held February 19-21, 2026, in Palm Desert, California, Dr. Bauman will be presenting a Trials in Progress poster: FIERCE-HN: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 3 Study of Ficlatuzumab (HGF/cMET MAb) in Combination with Cetuximab in Patients with Recurrent or Metastatic (R/M) HPV Negative Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC).

2026 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium
Date: February 20, 2026
Time: 3:00 P.M. – 3:30 P.M. PT
Poster No.: 9
Abstract No.: 2128
Location: JW Marriott Desert Springs, Spring Ballroom

(Press release, AVEO, FEB 18, 2026, View Source [SID1234662762])

XOMA Royalty to Present at Investor Conferences in March

On February 18, 2026 XOMA Royalty Corporation (NASDAQ: XOMA), the biotech royalty aggregator, reported members of its Executive Team will participate at the following investor conferences in March. Management will also participate in one-on-one investor meetings.

T.D. Cowen 46th Annual Health Care Conference (March 2-4, 2026)
Format:
Fireside chat
Date: Monday, March 2, 2026
Time: 11:50AM ET
Location:
Boston, MA
Link: https://bit.ly/3JXiyRJ

Leerink 2026 Global Healthcare Conference (March 8-11, 2026)
Format: Fireside chat
Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Time: 11:20AM ET
Location:
Miami Beach, FL
Link: https://bit.ly/499Y0Og

XOMA’s presentations can also be accessed by visiting the investor relations section of the Company’s website at www.xoma.com. A replay of each presentation will be available and archived on the site for 90 days after the event.

(Press release, Xoma, FEB 18, 2026, View Source [SID1234662761])

Propanc Biopharma Provides Corporate Update and Reports Half Yearly 2025/26 Results

On February 18, 2026 Propanc Biopharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPCB) ("Propanc" or the "Company"), a biopharmaceutical company developing novel treatments for recurrent and metastatic cancer, reported an update on corporate progress and reported half yearly financial results as of December 31, 2025 (Year end June 30).

Corporate and R&D Highlights

Accelerates IP Momentum: Files Four Provisional Patent Applications – Strengthening Global Protection for Breakthrough Proenzyme Formulations

Four provisional patent applications were filed with IP Australia detailing two new methods to treat resistant cancer and fibrosis, methods of producing synthetic trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen, and innovative formulations of trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen. As these applications advance to national phase entry across major global markets, it is expected to more than double the Company’s IP portfolio — from approximately 90 to over 200 patents — covering compositions, formulations, treatment methods, and new therapeutic indications

Publishes Impact of Proenzymes on Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Fibroblasts in Peer Reviewed Journal

The Company and its joint research partners at the Universities of Jaén and Granada published key findings in a peer reviewed journal, Scientific Reports, regarding the impact of proenzymes on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) fibroblasts. The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a pivotal role in tumor initiation, progression, and the form of pre-metastatic niches. PDAC is characterized by a dense fibrotic stroma containing a significant enriched population of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). The interplay between CAFs and tumor cells is crucial in driving tumor advancement and metastasis, underscoring the potential benefits of novel therapeutic strategies targeting stromal cells to improve patient survival. PRP, consisting of two bovine derived pancreatic proenzymes, trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen, have shown efficacy in cancer treatment. The findings demonstrate PRP exerts multifaceted effects. Results underscore the candidacy of PRP as a potential disruptor of the TME.

Corporate and Financial Updates

$100 Million Private Placement Facility

Propanc entered into a private placement agreement for up to $100 million to accelerate clinical development. The Company received an initial $1 million investment upon issuance of 100 shares of Series C Convertible Preferred Stock. A further $500,000 investment was received upon exercise of 50 shares of Series C Convertible Preferred Stock.

Q1 Financial Summary (Quarter Ended September 30, 2025)

Total assets: $15.11 million
Total liabilities reduced by $2.07 million
Convertible notes reduced to $55,000 (from $538,000)
Net cash from financing activities: $3.49 million
Quarter-end cash: $561,237
$0.5 million tranche from the Series C facility subsequently received
The Company expects the financing facility to continually support planned R&D activities, including advancement of PRP and Rec-PRP.

Management Commentary

"We are pleased with the advancements made with our R&D programs and in particular, our lead asset PRP which we are preparing for our world-first, Phase 1b, First-In-Human study in advanced cancer patients," said James Nathanielsz, CEO of Propanc. "We are executing several activities in preparation for this pivotal study, which we believe will become a future breakthrough treatment for metastatic cancer from solid tumors, especially fast spreading tumors with a poor patient prognosis where few treatment options exist. Activities include partnering with GMP manufacturing and bio-analytical contract organizations to produce the drug product and validate the pharmacokinetics method for the upcoming pivotal study. In the meantime, we continue to build the foundation for sustained success by extending our scientific research through partner universities, which enables further patentable discoveries including new therapeutic indications that could elevate proenzyme technology to future blockbuster status."

(Press release, Propanc, FEB 18, 2026, View Source [SID1234662760])

Allarity Therapeutics Doses First Patients in VA-Funded Phase 2 Trial Focused on Small Cell Lung Cancer with High Unmet Need

On February 18, 2026 Allarity Therapeutics, Inc. ("Allarity" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: ALLR), a Phase 2 clinical-stage pharmaceutical company dedicated to developing stenoparib (2X-121)—a differentiated, dual PARP and WNT pathway inhibitor, reported that the first patients have been dosed with stenoparib and temozolomide in the VA-funded investigator-initiated Phase 2 trial for the treatment of relapsed small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

This trial is being conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and is fully funded through the VA’s Special Emphasis Panel on Precision Oncology. Patient recruitment is ongoing across 11 VA medical centers throughout the United States.

Stenoparib offers a differentiated mechanism of action that simultaneously disrupts DNA repair while also inhibiting the WNT/Beta Catenin oncogenic signaling pathway. It is hypothesized that this dual action may help accentuate the DNA damaging effects of temozolomide while also restraining the WNT pathway that has been frequently associated with drug resistance as well as the aberrant and aggressive behavior of advanced cancers such as relapsed SCLC.

"We are pleased to report that these patients have now received the first doses of stenoparib in combination with temozolomide. We are encouraged by the speed of enrollment, which reflects enthusiasm for this combination as well as the significant unmet medical need in relapsed small cell lung cancer," said Thomas Jensen, Chief Executive Officer of Allarity Therapeutics. "Prior studies have combined PARP inhibitors and temozolomide with great early effect but were severely limited by the toxicities of the first-generation PARP inhibitors when combined with temozolomide. The clinical experience with stenoparib to date has shown that it is well tolerated and may therefore be an ideal agent for combination with temozolomide in relapsed SCLC."

Unlike earlier-generation PARP inhibitors, which have shown limited use in SCLC due to dose-limiting hematologic toxicity, stenoparib’s favorable safety profile may allow for more tolerable and sustained combination therapy. This combination with temozolomide, an alkylating chemotherapy agent, is designed to maximize tumor cell death while reducing toxicity risks.

According to CDC U.S. Cancer Statistics, more than 218,000 Americans are diagnosed with lung cancer each year, and approximately 12% of cases are small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Nearly 60–70% of SCLC patients present with extensive-stage disease at diagnosis. Despite the availability of approved second-line agents, real-world data indicate that only 40% receive second-line treatment, with median treatment duration under two months—highlighting the continued unmet need in relapsed SCLC.

Stenoparib’s ability to cross the blood-brain barrier adds further clinical relevance in SCLC, where brain metastases are a common and difficult-to-treat complication.

About Stenoparib/2X-121
Stenoparib is an orally available, small-molecule dual-targeted inhibitor of PARP1/2 and tankyrase 1/2. At present, tankyrases are attracting significant attention as emerging therapeutic targets for cancer, principally due to their role in regulating the WNT signaling pathway. Aberrant WNT/β-catenin signaling has been implicated in the development and progression of numerous cancers. By inhibiting PARP and blocking WNT pathway activation, stenoparib’s unique therapeutic action shows potential as a promising therapeutic for many cancer types, including ovarian cancer, Small Cell Lung Cancer and colorectal cancer. Allarity has secured exclusive global rights for the development and commercialization of stenoparib, which was originally developed by Eisai Co. Ltd. and was formerly known under the names E7449 and 2X-121. Allarity has two ongoing Phase 2 trial protocols for stenoparib in Ovarian Cancer patients. In the first, patients who had had 2+ lines of therapy were enrolled on stenoparib and given drug twice daily. This protocol has been closed to further enrollment but continues for the enrolled patients who are still receiving benefit from stenoparib administration. The updated data from this study were presented at this AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) special conference on advances in Ovarian Cancer. Note that, as these data are from an ongoing trial, analyses may change as the study fully matures. An amended protocol designed expressly to capitalize on the emerging clinical experience with stenoparib in platinum resistant patients began enrolling patients this summer. This amended protocol enrolls only platinum resistant or platinum-ineligible patients and is designed to accelerate the clinical development of stenoparib toward FDA approval.

About the Drug Response Predictor – DRP Companion Diagnostic
Allarity uses its drug-specific DRP to select those patients who, by the gene expression signature of their cancer, may have a high likelihood of benefiting from a specific drug. By screening patients before treatment, and only treating those patients with a sufficiently high, drug-specific DRP score, the therapeutic benefit rate may be enhanced. The DRP method builds on the comparison of sensitive vs. resistant human cancer cell lines, including transcriptomic information from cell lines, combined with clinical tumor biology filters and prior clinical trial outcomes. DRP is based on messenger RNA expression profiles from patient biopsies. The DRP platform has shown an ability to provide a statistically significant prediction of the clinical outcome from drug treatment in cancer patients across dozens of clinical studies (both retrospective and prospective). The DRP platform, which may be useful in all cancer types and is patented for dozens of anti-cancer drugs, has been extensively published in the peer-reviewed literature.

(Press release, Allarity Therapeutics, FEB 18, 2026, View Source [SID1234662759])

aTyr Pharma to Present at the Leerink Partners Global Healthcare Conference

On February 18, 2026 aTyr Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATYR), a clinical stage biotechnology company engaged in the discovery and development of first-in-class medicines from its proprietary tRNA synthetase platform, reported that Sanjay S. Shukla, M.D., M.S., President and Chief Executive Officer, will present at the Leerink Partners Global Healthcare Conference, which is scheduled to take place March 8 – 11, 2026, in Miami, FL.

Details of the presentation appear below:

Conference: Leerink Partners Global Healthcare Conference
Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Time: 8:00am EDT
Location: Miami, FL
Format: Corporate Presentation

In addition to the presentation, company management will be available to participate in one-on-one meetings with investors who are registered attendees of the conference. A webcast of the event will be available on the Investor’s section of the company’s website at www.atyrpharma.com. Following the event, a replay of the presentation will be available on the aTyr website for at least 90 days. For more information, contact [email protected].

(Press release, aTyr Pharma, FEB 18, 2026, View Source [SID1234662758])