Plus deals involving Eisai/Sato, Keymed/Belenos, Taiho/Arcus, IASO/Innovent, Biocytogen/SOTIO, Ensol/Spine, TMS/Hokkaido University and Yuhan/Ubix.

The US approval of HLB and Hengrui’s liver cancer combination therapy looks set to be delayed after the FDA issues a CRL related mainly to CMC data, but the two companies appear positive on a quick resolution to the setback given a lack of other efficacy or safety concerns.

The ranks of B7-H3-targeting antibody-drug conjugates under development in China have seen their first dropout, although elsewhere there are two FGFR2b-directed ADCs with first-in-class potential on the horizon. Meanwhile, there have been other discontinuations of KRAS G12C inhibitors and anti-BCMA CAR-T cell therapies in the country, while new players have surfaced in the areas of mRNA cancer vaccines and amyloid-beta-targeting antibodies for Alzheimer’s disease.

Restructuring Edition: Even big pharma companies are not immune from workforce reductions. BMS and Sanofi joined that ranks of Evotec, CureVac and BenevolentAI in cutting jobs. Also, Vaxxinity will de-list and Hepion winds down its NASH trial, among other strategic updates.