Phrontline Biopharma Suzhou Co. Ltd. closed a $60 million pre-A+ financing round led by Lapam Investment, with participation from nine other investors. The funds raised will support Phrontline’s development of next-generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) candidates.

A potentially $1.76 billion oncology deal created a little more than three years ago between partners Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc and Zymeworks Inc. now has a more solid direction. New and positive top-line results for the phase III Herizon-GEA-01 study of the HER2-targeted bispecific antibody zanidatamab in locally advanced or metastatic gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEA) moved the stock and expectations for both companies.

The inhibition of PD-L1 and VEGF individually or in combination has shown efficacy across several solid tumor types, but not all patients respond to therapy or respond for short duration. IMM-2510 is a novel bispecific antibody developed by Immuneonco Biopharmaceuticals Inc. that targets both PD-L1 and VEGF, thus achieving both angiogenesis inhibition and immune checkpoint blockade.

Akeso Inc. has received clearance from China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) to initiate clinical trials with AK-152 for Alzheimer’s disease.

ABL Bio Inc. inked a license and research agreement with Eli Lilly and Co. worth up to $2.6 billion to develop multiple therapeutics using the Grabody-B platform. Under the terms announced Nov. 12, ABL will receive a $40 million up-front payment and up to $2.56 billion in development, regulatory and commercialization milestones, plus tiered royalties on net sales.

ABL Bio Inc. inked a license and research agreement with Eli Lilly and Co. worth up to $2.6 billion to develop multiple therapeutics using the Grabody-B platform. Under the terms announced Nov. 12, ABL will receive a $40 million up-front payment and up to $2.56 billion in development, regulatory and commercialization milestones, plus tiered royalties on net sales.

Celltrion Inc. scored a hat-trick of deals to license new antibody candidates, including a $744 million deal with Kaigene Inc. Nov. 3, and a near $500 million deal with Mustbio Co. Ltd. Oct. 31.

Neok Bio Inc. was formed earlier this year and is already on schedule to file an IND in a few months for its two bispecific antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) to treat various types of tumors. The biotech got a leg up on development from its principal investor, Korean biotech ABL Bio Inc., where the discovery work was accomplished.

Celltrion Inc. scored a hat-trick of deals to license new antibody candidates, including a $744 million deal with Kaigene Inc. Nov. 3, and a near $500 million deal with Mustbio Co. Ltd. Oct. 31.