Pharmaceuticals & Biopharmaceuticals

MADRID – October 29, 2026 -- Hengrui Pharma presented a record 64 oncology studies at the ESMO Congress 2026 in Madrid. Innovative oncology medicines generated 81.02% of the company's innovative medicine sales revenue in 2025.

Hengrui lists 64 accepted studies across 21 drugs

The accepted work comprises three Proffered Papers, three Rapid Oral presentations, 32 Posters and 26 e-Posters. The studies span more than ten cancer areas, including gastrointestinal, lung, breast, gynecological and genitourinary cancers, plus supportive care. They involve 21 innovative drugs in China: nine approved products and 12 investigational candidates.

Hengrui has attended ESMO for 11 consecutive years since 2016. It has presented nearly 200 research findings at the congress since 2023.

Hangzhou – October 29, 2026 -- Lynk Pharmaceuticals reported that its oral JAK1 inhibitor zemprocitinib sustained a 91.8% ACR20 response rate at Week 76 in rheumatoid arthritis patients who had failed or could not tolerate biologic therapy, with no new safety signals in the pivotal Phase III trial.

Trial met primary endpoint at Week 24 before long-term extension

The double-blind, placebo-controlled study randomized 430 patients with moderate-to-severe active RA and prior bDMARD inadequate response or intolerance; 429 received at least one dose. Patients received zemprocitinib 12 mg twice daily or placebo for 24 weeks. The trial met its primary ACR20 endpoint and key secondary endpoints versus placebo (p<0.0001). Patients then continued or switched to active treatment, with efficacy and safety tracked through Week 76 and a 4-week safety follow-up.

TOKYO – October 29, 2026 -- Astellas Pharma Inc. has secured an exclusive option on a worldwide license to Audax Biosciences' immuno-oncology candidate DAX-044 in a transaction worth up to US$1.34 billion, excluding royalties.

Audax receives US$285 million up front and on option exercise

Audax will receive US$285 million in combined up-front and option-exercise payments. It is also eligible for development and commercial milestones of up to US$1.05 billion, plus tiered double-digit royalties on worldwide net sales if DAX-044 is approved.

Audax carries the program into a Phase 1 study expected to start in 2027. DAX-044 is currently in IND/CTN-enabling development.

Thousand Oaks – October 29, 2026 -- Amgen's Board of Directors declared a fourth-quarter 2026 dividend of $2.52 per share, the company (NASDAQ: AMGN) announced.

Amgen sets December 11 payment date for Q4 dividend

The dividend will be paid on December 11, 2026, to all stockholders of record as of the close of business on November 20, 2026.

Dow Jones and Nasdaq-100 member keeps dividend in focus for investors

Amgen is one of the 30 companies in the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is also part of the Nasdaq-100 Index. The company is advancing a pipeline and portfolio of medicines for cancer, heart disease, inflammatory conditions, rare diseases, and obesity and obesity-related conditions.

Thousand Oaks – October 29, 2026 -- Amgen's dazodalibep reduced systemic disease activity in Sjögren's disease patients by 5.6 points on the ESSDAI scale at Week 48 in the Phase 3 OASIZ-301 trial, against 3.8 points for placebo. The company will present the late-breaking data at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Convergence 2026.

Both dazodalibep regimens beat placebo on the primary endpoint

Patients entered OASIZ-301 with an average ESSDAI score of 10.2. The trial enrolled approximately 621 adults with moderate-to-severe systemic disease activity (ESSDAI of at least 5).

The 1,500 mg every-four-weeks regimen cut scores by a least-squares mean of 5.6 points, 1.8 points better than placebo (adjusted p<0.001). The 3,000 mg every-12-weeks regimen cut scores by 5.2 points, 1.4 points better than placebo (adjusted p=0.010). Treatment effects appeared as early as four weeks.

New York – October 29, 2026 -- ProJenX will present long-term Phase 1b data at the 2026 NEALS Annual Meeting showing that its ALS candidate prosetin reached target therapeutic exposures and kept a favorable safety profile over extended dosing. The meeting runs Oct. 27-30 in Clearwater, Florida, and online.

PRO-101 data show target engagement tracking with prosetin exposure

Prosetin is an oral, CNS-penetrant MAP4K inhibitor being tested in people with ALS in the Phase 1b PRO-101 study. The trial is evaluating safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. According to CEO Stan Abel, target engagement in PRO-101 tracked with exposure.

Abel said the results show for the first time that CNS-penetrant MAP4K inhibition is "a viable clinical strategy." The company has not disclosed participant numbers, dosing levels or efficacy endpoints in this announcement.

San Diego – October 29, 2026 -- Atrium Therapeutics (Nasdaq: RNA) has dosed the first patient in Corventis, a Phase 1/2 trial of ATR 1072 in PRKAG2 syndrome, and expects initial proof-of-concept data in the second half of 2027.

Corventis will enroll about 37 participants in two parts

The open-label, multicenter study will evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and efficacy of ATR 1072. Part A uses multiple ascending dose cohorts to characterize safety and support dose selection. Part B is a single-arm expansion cohort at the recommended Phase 2 dose, assessing efficacy trends in cardiac structure and function.

The primary endpoint is the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events. Secondary and exploratory endpoints include PRKAG2 mRNA reduction, siRNA tissue concentrations and plasma pharmacokinetics.

TAMPA – October 29, 2026 -- Akari Therapeutics (Nasdaq: AKTX) will present its PH1 antibody drug conjugate (ADC) payload at five oncology, ADC and investor conferences in the United States and China during September 2026, as it looks for pharma partners and investors ahead of a planned first-in-human trial by mid-2027.

CEO Abizer Gaslightwala will deliver a keynote and featured presentations. The company says it will discuss global R&D collaboration, platform partnerships and pipeline expansion.

Akari fills a September calendar across Boston, Shanghai, WuXi and New York

The schedule runs from September 9 to September 29:

TAMPA – October 29, 2026 -- Akari Therapeutics (Nasdaq: AKTX) has filed international patent application PCT/US2026/45955, adding claims on how its PH1 payload modulates alternative splicing across multiple cancer-driving genes.

The filing expands the company's intellectual property around PH1, a splicing-modulating payload derived from its proprietary Thailanstatin platform, and around PH1-based antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). Akari contrasts PH1 with conventional ADC payloads that rely on tubulin inhibition, such as vedotin, or DNA damage, such as topoisomerase I inhibitors.

Application claims PH1 shifts VEGF-A splicing to block tumor blood supply

The claims cover PH1 altering VEGF-A splicing in cancer cells. The shift moves from a pro-angiogenic isoform to the anti-angiogenic VEGF-165b isoform, which prevents blood vessel recruitment to tumors.

Tampa, FL and London – October 29, 2026 -- Akari Therapeutics (Nasdaq: AKTX) has appointed Vatnak Vat-Ho as Chief Business Officer, adding an executive who has held senior roles in oncology transactions totaling more than $25 billion in aggregate value.

Vat-Ho will run corporate strategy, partnering, licensing and investor engagement

Vat-Ho will lead corporate and business development at the oncology biotech, which is developing antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) built on a novel RNA splicing-disrupting payload called PH1. His remit covers corporate strategy, partnering and licensing, and investor engagement as the company advances its lead TROP2-targeted ADC, AKTX-101, toward the clinic.

He brings more than 20 years of experience across oncology business development, biopharmaceutical strategy, equity research and healthcare investing. His transaction record involves Pfizer, Exelixis, BioNTech, Merck KGaA, Roivant and Roche/Genentech.