Ascletis Pharma Inc. has announced IND clearance by the FDA for a phase I trial of ASC-50 for the treatment of mild to moderate plaque psoriasis. Dosing is expected to start in the third quarter of this year.

Avenzo Therapeutics Inc. has gained IND clearance from the FDA for AVZO-023 (formerly ARTS-023), a CDK4-selective inhibitor. The company also announced it has exercised its exclusive option for AVZO-023 from Allorion Therapeutics Inc., securing global (excluding Greater China) development, manufacturing and commercialization rights.

Suzhou Sanegene Bio Inc. has gained clinical trial approval in China for SGB-3383 for the treatment of complement-mediated kidney diseases, including IgA nephropathy, C3 glomerulopathy, immune complex-mediated membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Repair Biotechnologies Inc.’s REP-0003 has been awarded orphan drug designation by the FDA for the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH).

Abcellera Biologics Inc. has received a no objection letter from Health Canada authorizing its clinical trial application (CTA) for ABCL-635.

The FDA has granted orphan drug designation to Cure Rare Disease’s CRD-002, an antisense oligonucleotide therapeutic for the treatment of spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA), including spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3).

The U.S. FDA’s decision to phase out animal testing for INDs is driving a new market of alternative, nonanimal testing technologies like organoids and organs-on-a-chip, speakers at Bio Korea 2025 said.

Mavrix Bio has received IND clearance from the FDA for MVX-220, an investigational AAV gene therapy for the treatment of Angelman syndrome. The company expects to initiate its first-in-human study, ASCEND-AS, in the second half of this year.

Ensoma Inc. has obtained IND clearance from the FDA for its lead program EN-374 in X-linked chronic granulomatous disease (X-CGD).

Capsida Biotherapeutics Inc. has gained IND clearance from the FDA for CAP-002, its first-in-class, intravenously administered gene therapy for syntaxin-binding protein 1 developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (STXBP1-DEE). Dosing in the phase I/IIa SYNRGY trial will begin in the third quarter of this year.