Bind Research has launched as a not-for-profit focused research organization (FRO) with the aim of transforming disordered proteins into viable drug targets. The organization has secured financing from the U.K. Government’s Research Venture Catalyst program, with matched support from industry, philanthropic and charitable donors.

Inflammatory diseases specialist AB2 Bio Ltd. has signed a potential $686 million U.S. commercialization deal for its interleukin-18 neutralizing drug tadekinig. The agreement with Japanese pharma company Nippon Shinyaku Co. Ltd. includes an initial payment of $6 million, with a further $30 million due later this year.

HCW Biologics Inc. has received clearance of its IND application from the FDA to initiate a first-in-human phase I trial to evaluate HCW-9302 in patients with moderate to severe alopecia areata.

Shares of Tectonic Therapeutic Inc. (NASDAQ:TECX) closed Jan. 30 at $54.84, up $29.12, or 113%, on what Leerink analyst David Risinger called in his report “the most impressive hemodynamic results we have seen” in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Watertown, Mass.-based Tectonic unveiled positive interim data from the phase Ib acute hemodynamic trial with lead candidate TX-45, a long-acting, Fc-relaxin fusion protein.

Inflammatory diseases specialist AB2 Bio Ltd. has signed a potential $686 million U.S. commercialization deal for its interleukin-18 neutralizing drug tadekinig. The agreement with Japanese pharma company Nippon Shinyaku Co. Ltd. includes an initial payment of $6 million, with a further $30 million due later this year.

Researchers have developed an innovative immunotoxin (a fusion protein called GrB-Fc-KS49) designed to target epithelial membrane protein-2 (EMP2), a biomarker overexpressed in more than 75% of breast cancer cases, including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Guangdong Fapon Biopharma Inc. is developing its immunocytokine FP-008 for cancers that are refractory to anti-PD-1 therapies.