Genfleet Therapeutics (Shanghai) Inc. debuted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on its second attempt at an IPO, raising HK$1.819 billion (US$234 million). Genfleet’s shares (HKEX:2595) rose to HK$44.00 at the opening bell on Sept. 19 and closed at HK$42.10, about 106% higher than the listing price.

With positive phase III results in hand, Roivant Sciences Ltd. and Priovant Therapeutics Inc. anticipate an NDA filing in the first half of 2026, seeking approval for brepocitinib, a dual inhibitor of tyrosine kinase 2 and JAK1, in dermatomyositis, a rare autoimmune disease with limited treatment options.

Dualitas Therapeutics Inc. exited stealth mode with a $65 million series A investment that was co-led by Versant Ventures and Qiming Venture Partners USA.

When Robert Kennedy Jr. announced the cancellation of 22 projects related to mRNA vaccines and the end of new investments in that technology, the U.S. Secretary of Health only mentioned their use against respiratory viruses, without referring to other applications. The vaccines whose safety and effectiveness Kennedy is questioning are based on the same molecular principles as cancer vaccines under development. “Continued investment in mRNA technology is essential to fully realize its potential in oncology and ensure that promising strategies like neoantigen-based vaccines reach clinical application.” Kazuhiro Kakimi, professor at the Department of Immunology at Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, told BioWorld.

South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced Sept. 12 plans to significantly raise drug application fees for biosimilars but slash their review times starting next year.

Dualitas Therapeutics Inc. exited stealth mode with a $65 million series A investment that was co-led by Versant Ventures and Qiming Venture Partners USA.

Three-year-old Areteia Therapeutics Inc. hit the primary endpoint in its Exhale-4 phase III study of dexpramipexole for eosinophilic asthma, bringing the oral small molecule one step closer to the U.S. market, where it could challenge currently approved injectable anti-IL-5/5R biologics.

In its second deal with Novartis AG of the past 11 months, Monte Rosa Therapeutics Inc. is getting $120 million up front to collaborate on developing molecular glue degraders to treat immune-mediated diseases. The agreement could swell to $5.7 billion for Monte Rosa.

Auravax Therapeutics Inc. has received funding from the Gates Foundation to evaluate the efficacy of Nanosting-001 in validated swine models of influenza infection at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine and The Pirbright Institute.

An ongoing concern for scientists is that there will be across-the-board funding cuts. This is already happening in mRNA research, where reductions affected coronavirus-related projects. During the pandemic, efforts focused on this pathogen, and once the health emergency was over, grants for antivirals were eliminated. However, these drugs could stem future outbreaks. Despite the cuts, recent research continues to demonstrate the potential of mRNA, not only for the development of antivirals, but also for obtaining more effective and longer-lasting vaccines.