Mestag Therapeutics Ltd. has raised a $40 million round from existing investors as it completes final preparations for its lead program MST-0312 to enter clinical development in mid-2026. MST-0312 is a bispecific antibody aimed at the lymphotoxin-β receptor (LTBR), which is essential for the development of lymphoid tissues.

In a recent publication, researchers from Johnson & Johnson presented a bispecific antibody – JNJ-79032421 – targeting CD3 on T cells and the membrane-restricted, non-shed region of full-length mesothelin (MSLN) on cancer cells.

Akeso Inc.’s first-in-class trispecific antibody, AK-150, has received IND clearance from China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for clinical trials in patients with advanced solid tumors. Engineered using Akeso’s AI-driven drug discovery platform and its proprietary Tetrabody technology, AK-150 is a humanized anti-CSF-1R, ILT2 and ILT4 trispecific antibody that achieves multipathway blockade of both innate and adaptive immunity.

Cbio A/S has received European regulatory clearance to begin a first-in-human trial of novoleucel, the company’s next-generation T-cell therapy, in late-stage cervical cancer. The phase I/IIa study will enroll patients with persistent or recurrent cervical cancer at Karolinska University Hospital.

Valanx Biotech Gmbh has secured €3 million (US$4 million) in funding to advance its lead antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) program. The financing will enable preclinical development of VLX-ADC-001.

University of Pennsylvania researchers investigated death receptor 5 (DR5 or CD262) as a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) target for solid tumors.

C-Further, an international consortium supporting new therapeutics for pediatric cancers, has unveiled the first early-stage therapeutic programs in its pipeline. The company said it is advancing CF-012 and CF-033 through its collaborative model.