Two back-to-back papers published in Nature on Sept. 10, 2025, shed new light on the unexpected role of neurons in shaping the evolution of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). It’s already known that, in gliomas, cerebral cancer cells actively damage axons, contributing to tumor progression through direct neural disruption. Comparable nerve-tumor interactions have been reported in peripheral cancers, where tumor-induced nerve disruption promotes inflammation and an immunosuppressive microenvironment linked to immunotherapy resistance.
Despite some expectations that the U.S. CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) would dramatically change the childhood vaccine schedule for hepatitis B, the committee is poised to vote Sept. 19 on a much smaller change that would move the current birth dose to 1 month for infants born to mothers who test negative for hepatitis B.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, and other regulatory decisions and designations: Alteogen, Biocon, Eisai, Rgenta.
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, and other news in brief: Arch, Frame Bio, Hillevax, Innate, Lipdro, Mercury Bio, Theratechnologies, Tonix, Xoma.
As Wall Street awaits phase IIb data from Kala Bio Inc. with KPI-012 in persistent corneal epithelial defect, odds are being weighed for that candidate – and others in development – against the lone approved treatment used in a market already worth more than $1 billion.
Mabwell Bioscience Co. Ltd. and Aditum Bio Management Co. LLC announced, in after-market hours Sept. 17, an agreement to forge a new company called Kalexo Bio Inc. and load the biotech with a preclinical dyslipidemia asset via a potential $1 billion global license deal.