Liminatus Pharma Inc. has announced plans to conduct a phase I trial of IBA-101, a next-generation CD47-blockade antibody designed to work alongside PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors across a range of solid tumors.

VST Bio Corp. has closed its series A financing designed to support the company’s work in vascular diseases with the development of first-in-class antibodies targeting edema and inflammation for patients with ischemic stroke.

Rare disease drug development companies battle with economic challenges and small patient populations, but new technology alongside a human connection are helping researchers and marketers identify patients, educate physicians and build networks. At Pharma USA, a Reuters Events meeting in Philadelphia March 16-17, executives from Astrazeneca plc and UCB SA discussed their successes with rare disease launches, presenting their playbooks for building trust and driving adoption among patients.

Qyuns Therapeutics Co. Ltd. has moved closer to its first commercial product after China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) accepted its NDA for IL-17 antibody crusekitug (QX-002N) for treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the spine and sacroiliac joints.

Excellergy Inc. has presented data for Exl-111, an investigational allergic effector cell response inhibitor (ECRI) targeting the IgE axis that is designed to disarm allergic effector cells at the source of activation.

U.K. biopharma is working with the country’s space agency and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to plot a route for manufacturing biologic drugs in low earth orbit.

Qyuns Therapeutics Co. Ltd. has moved closer to its first commercial product after China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) accepted its NDA for IL-17 antibody crusekitug (QX-002N) for treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the spine and sacroiliac joints.

Counterx Therapeutics Inc. has executed an exclusive licensing agreement with the University of Minnesota and the University of Washington for a portfolio of novel monoclonal antibody and vaccine candidates targeting fentanyl and opioid overdose.

Shortly after Amgen Inc. walked away from its partnership with Kyowa Kirin Co. Ltd., the Tokyo-based company said it is discontinuing all ongoing clinical trials for rocatinlimab due to safety concerns.

Australia’s Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd. is advancing a potential challenger to Novartis plc’s dominant prostate cancer radioligand therapy, Pluvicto (lutetium [177Lu] vipivotide tetraxetan), after reporting that the safety lead-in portion of its global phase III Prostact trial met its primary objectives.