Biopharmaceuticals

Orange County, Calif. – October 07, 2026 -- The Institute for Molecular Medicine (IMM) and Nuravax have dosed the first four participants in TAURUS-1980, a Phase 1 trial testing AV-1980R, described as the world's first active immunotherapy targeting pathological tau protein linked to Alzheimer's disease.

Trial targets at-risk adults before cognitive symptoms appear

TAURUS-1980 will enroll up to 48 cognitively unimpaired adults aged 65 to 80 who have biomarker-confirmed brain amyloid pathology, a known precursor to Alzheimer's. Participants are randomized 3:1 to receive AV-1980R or placebo across three ascending-dose cohorts of 20, 60, and 180 micrograms.

Sarasota, Fla. – October 07, 2026 -- Lakewood-Amedex Biotherapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: LABT) reported that its Bisphosphocin compound Nu-8, delivered intravesically to rodents infected with E. coli, achieved up to 97% inhibition of bacterial growth using a 10% solution, against no effect in a vehicle control group.

Nu-8 targets drug-resistant bacteria linked to catheter-associated UTIs

The Bisphosphocin class has shown in vitro activity against a broad range of resistant bacteria common in urinary tract infections, including E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and P. aeruginosa, and against biofilm-forming organisms. Complicated UTIs, particularly catheter-associated urinary tract infections, are frequently driven by drug-resistant strains and biofilm formation, a persistent challenge for hospital infection control.

Mesa, Ariz. – October 07, 2026 -- Bright Path, a U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturer, has been named a 2026 AZBio Fast Lane Award honoree by the Arizona Bioindustry Association, recognizing milestones reached over the past 18 months including a first-of-its-kind FDA manufacturing designation and committed commercial production of hospital medicines facing chronic shortages. The company was honored at the 23rd Annual AZBio Awards at the Phoenix Convention Center during Arizona Bioscience Week.

Johns Creek, Ga. – October 07, 2026 -- Boehringer Ingelheim has secured U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for a new Quarterable Snap-Tab design of PREVICOX (firocoxib) Chewable Tablets, enabling veterinarians to prescribe the canine pain medication to dogs as small as seven pounds.

Double-scored tablets expand dosing precision for veterinarians

The redesigned 57 mg and 227 mg tablets feature double scoring that allows division into quarters, giving veterinarians more granular, weight-based dosing options for dogs across a broader size range. PREVICOX is a COX-2 selective NSAID approved for controlling pain and inflammation from osteoarthritis and for postoperative pain following soft-tissue and orthopedic surgery in dogs.

New York – October 07, 2026 -- Three early-career scientists each received $250,000 unrestricted prizes at the 2026 Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists, the largest such award available to researchers under 42 in the United States.

Three laureates emerge from a pool of 372 nominees across 43 states

The Blavatnik Family Foundation and The New York Academy of Sciences selected the winners from 372 nominees representing 187 academic and research institutions. An independent jury also named 15 Finalists, each receiving $15,000 in unrestricted funding, plus nine Blavatnik Regional Awards honorees.

Pleasanton, Calif. – October 07, 2026 -- More than 175 emerging biotechs have adopted Veeva Basics, a suite of pre-configured, pre-validated applications spanning clinical, regulatory, quality, medical, and commercial functions, Veeva Systems (NYSE: VEEV) announced.

Biotechs deploy Veeva Basics applications in weeks instead of months

The pre-configured systems allow high-growth companies to move from startup to commercialization without building internal IT infrastructure or managing complex customizations. Whitehawk Therapeutics, a company with under 40 employees developing antibody-drug conjugates for difficult-to-treat cancers, used the platform to replace paper-based processes. "Veeva Basics redefined how we operate, significantly improving processes across regulatory and quality for greater speed and compliance," said Bryan Ball, chief technology operations officer at Whitehawk Therapeutics.

Toronto – October 07, 2026 -- Vector Science and Therapeutics Corp. (TSXV: PAIN) has made an investment in Scoreboard, Inc., a performance wellness company co-founded by NBA Hall of Famer Gary Payton, through a Simple Agreement for Future Equity.

Vector and Scoreboard will co-develop peptide-based products for athletic performance, recovery and longevity

The two companies plan to jointly develop products using peptides formulated and manufactured by Vector, which tests all materials for purity, potency, endotoxin levels and sterility through validated analytical methods.

Doylestown, Pa. – October 07, 2026 -- Nordic Pharma, Inc., a subsidiary of SEVER Life Sciences B.V., will present new patient data for its LACRIFILL Canalicular Gel at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Annual Meeting in New Orleans, running October 9-12.

More than 2,200 U.S. practices now use LACRIFILL Canalicular Gel

The company reports that over 2,200 ophthalmology and optometry practices across the United States have adopted the gel for patients undergoing cataract or refractive surgery and for managing dry eye disease. More than 130,000 patients have been treated with the therapy to date.

Patient survey shows 96% report improved comfort after cataract surgery

In Nordic Pharma's latest patient experience survey, 96% of respondents who had cataract surgery within the past six months said LACRIFILL Canalicular Gel made their eyes feel better. Among all surveyed patients, 91% reported the same improvement.

LONDON – – October 07, 2026 -- OncoBayes has completed preclinical work on OB-001, an oral drug candidate designed to overcome antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) resistance and boost brain penetration of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), the privately held clinical-stage pharmaceutical company announced.

OB-001 raises osimertinib brain exposure by nearly 400% in mouse studies

In perfused-brain mouse models, pretreatment with OB-001 increased brain exposure of osimertinib by almost 400%, while plasma exposure remained broadly unchanged. The data, presented at AACR 2026, covered four gold-standard kinase inhibitors and showed systemic drug levels were largely unaffected by the efflux-pump inhibition.

Milan – October 07, 2026 -- LG CNS is showcasing a pharma-specific manufacturing automation suite at CPHI Milan 2026, the world's largest pharmaceutical and biotech trade show, as the Korean AI transformation firm expands into drug-manufacturing technology. The company is the only Korean participant in CPHI's newly created "AI & Tech" zone this year, presenting its booth under the theme "Autonomous Factory in Pharma."

CPHI Milan draws 60,000 visitors and 3,000 exhibitors from 160 countries

The Milan event is CPHI's flagship show, held annually across global venues including the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and is considered the premier gathering for pharma and biotech manufacturing technology.