Pharmaceuticals & Biopharmaceuticals

Houston – October 02, 2026 -- Researchers at Rice University, backed by the Rice Biotech Launch Pad, have developed an implantable device that produced therapeutic monoclonal antibodies continuously for one year across multiple preclinical models, with the platform now advancing toward human trials through biotech company Duracyte.

Implant sustained antibody production for a full year in preclinical testing

The system, detailed in a study published in Science Advances titled "Once-yearly cell-based therapy for sustained and dose-tunable delivery of monoclonal antibodies," uses engineered protein producers (EPPs) enclosed in a modified biomaterial. The retrievable device also let researchers halt treatment or adjust dosing by removing or replacing the implant, addressing the foreign body response -- inflammation and scar tissue buildup -- that typically limits implanted cell therapy performance.

North Chicago, Ill. – October 02, 2026 -- Saros Therapeutics has received its second Phase II award from the National Cancer Institute, worth approximately $2 million, to advance a nanoparticle-based cancer immunotherapy toward human clinical testing.

NCI funds second two-year award for nanoparticle immunotherapy

The two-year grant will support studies needed to move Saros' experimental therapy toward an Investigational New Drug (IND) application, the company said. Saros operates within Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science's (RFU) Helix 51 biomedical incubator in North Chicago, Illinois, which it joined earlier this year.

Washington – October 02, 2026 -- Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: VNDA) is presenting three new data sets on its monoclonal antibody imsidolimab at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Annual Meeting in Vienna, Austria, running September 30 through October 3, 2026.

Vanda shows imsidolimab cuts neutrophil levels rapidly in GPP patients

Poster P1769 (Abstract AS-4323) reports a rapid reduction in neutrophils and the neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio following imsidolimab treatment in patients with generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP), a rare orphan skin condition.

Immunogenicity data on imsidolimab presented in separate poster

A second poster, P1784 (Abstract AS-2420), details the immunogenicity profile of imsidolimab in GPP patients.

Ashland, Missouri – October 02, 2026 -- ABK Biomedical Inc. has launched construction of a commercial-scale manufacturing facility at Cartwright Business Park in Ashland, Missouri, designed to produce its Eye90 microspheres for liver cancer treatment. The groundbreaking, attended by Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe, follows the company's April announcement selecting Ashland for its long-term U.S. manufacturing base.

Facility targets commercial-scale output of yttrium-90 radioembolization device

The planned Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility will be built for commercial-scale production of Eye90 microspheres, a clinical-stage yttrium-90 radioembolization device still under development for liver cancer treatment. The devices remain investigational and are not approved for use outside authorized clinical trials.

South San Francisco, Calif. – October 02, 2026 -- Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: RIGL) has granted 35,275 restricted stock units to 18 non-executive employees under its Inducement Plan.

Rigel ties new hire equity to four-year vesting schedule

The restricted stock units vest over four years, with 25% of each grant releasing annually. The Compensation Committee of Rigel's Board of Directors approved the awards as an inducement material to new employees joining the company.

Grants comply with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

Rigel issued the awards in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4), which permits companies to grant equity inducements to new employees outside shareholder-approved equity plans. The rule requires public disclosure of such grants, which Rigel has now made.

Cambridge, Mass. – October 02, 2026 -- Marengo Therapeutics will present interim results from its STARt-002 trial combining invikafusp alfa with Gilead's TRODELVY (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer's 41st Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, November 4-8, 2026.

STARt-002 pairs a T-cell agonist with an antibody-drug conjugate for the first time in clinical testing

The Phase 1b/2 study tests invikafusp alfa, a Vβ6-selective dual T-cell agonist, alongside TRODELVY's TROP2-directed cytotoxic payload delivery. Marengo's Chief Medical Officer Kevin Chin said the ADC is designed to release tumor antigens and inflame the tumor microenvironment, priming less immunogenic tumors for T-cell-mediated responses that invikafusp alfa can then amplify.

Nottingham, England – October 02, 2026 -- Quotient Sciences and Copenhagen-based Acesion Pharma have launched a collaboration to apply AI-enhanced formulation development to Acesion's early-stage pipeline of small molecules targeting atrial fibrillation, a condition affecting an estimated 50-60 million people globally.

AI tool uses Bayesian optimization to screen drug formulations for clinical success

The collaboration deploys Quotient Sciences' new AI-enhanced formulation development solution within its Translational Pharmaceutics platform, applying active machine learning with Bayesian optimization to identify and prioritize drug products most likely to succeed in clinical testing. The approach is designed to compress early clinical decision-making timelines for sponsors developing new treatments.

Hong Kong – – October 02, 2026 -- Ascletis Pharma Inc. (HKEX: 1672) presented preclinical data showing its ASC36_35FDC injectable combination drove a 24.8% body-weight reduction in a diet-induced obesity rat model on Day 14, outperforming two competitor co-formulations tested under identical dosing conditions.

The data were unveiled in a short oral discussion at the 62nd European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting, held September 28–October 2, 2026, in Milan, Italy.

Valby – October 02, 2026 -- H. Lundbeck A/S will present late-breaking Phase III data on its multiple system atrophy (MSA) drug candidate amlenetug alongside new Parkinson's disease pipeline results at the International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders (MDS) 2026 in Seoul, South Korea, running October 4-8.

MASCOT trial enrolled 401 participants across a global Phase III program

The late-breaking oral presentation will detail baseline characteristics of participants in MASCOT (NCT06706622), Lundbeck's ongoing Phase III trial of amlenetug in MSA. The trial enrolled 401 participants with clinically probable or established MSA, covering both MSA-C and MSA-P subtypes, across sites in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The double-blind treatment period runs 72 weeks, comparing high- and low-dose amlenetug against placebo, with results expected in Q3 2027.

London – October 02, 2026 -- Samfara has completed the acquisition of Chr. Olesen Synthesis, a Danish manufacturer of controlled-substance active pharmaceutical ingredients, marking the London-based life sciences investment firm's first deal. The transaction sees Samfara buy the business from Chr. Olesen and funds managed by Signet Healthcare Partners, with Chief Executive Thomas Moestrup co-investing alongside the new owner. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Chr. Olesen Synthesis supplies opioid-disorder and ADHD treatment ingredients globally

Based near Copenhagen, Chr. Olesen Synthesis develops and manufactures APIs and advanced intermediates specialising in controlled substances, including buprenorphine for opioid use disorder and lisdexamfetamine for ADHD. Its cGMP-certified plant in Hvidovre has been in commercial production since 2015, supplying pharmaceutical companies across Europe, North America and the Middle East.