Auron Therapeutics Inc. has received FDA clearance of its IND application for its oral KAT2A/B degrader AUTX-703 in hematological malignancies. A phase I proof-of-concept trial in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) will open enrollment this quarter, supported by a recently completed $27 million series B financing.

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.

Seed Therapeutics Inc.’s ST-01156 has been awarded orphan drug designation for the treatment of Ewing sarcoma as well as rare pediatric disease designation by the FDA.

Allogene Therapeutics Inc. has obtained IND clearance from the FDA for a rheumatology basket study of ALLO-329.

Ocugen Inc. has received IND clearance from the FDA for OCU-500, an inhaled mucosal vaccine for COVID-19. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) will sponsor and conduct a phase I trial of OCU-500 administered via inhalation into the lungs and intranasally as a spray.

Tikun Therapeutics Inc. has obtained U.S. orphan drug and rare pediatric disease designations for its programs in familial dysautonomia, namely its rAAV2-U1a-hELP1 gene replacement therapy for the treatment of optic neuropathy in familial dysautonomia and BPN-36964 for systemic treatment of familial dysautonomia.

Repair Biotechnologies Inc. has received encouraging feedback from a pre-IND meeting with the FDA as it works toward an IND filing to conduct a phase Ib study of its REP-0003 mRNA therapy in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH).

Axcynsis Therapeutics Pte Ltd. has gained IND clearance from the FDA for AT03-65 for the treatment of patients with CLDN6-positive solid tumors. Axcynsis is planning to initiate a phase I trial in the U.S. during the current quarter in patients with advanced CLDN6-positive solid tumors.

Rise Therapeutics LLC has gained IND clearance from the FDA to initiate a phase I trial of R-5780 in patients with cancer.

Ips Heart Inc. has been awarded orphan drug designation by the FDA for its GIVI-MPC stem cell therapy for Becker muscular dystrophy. GIVI-MPC has the unique ability to create new muscle with full length dystrophin in Becker muscular dystrophy.