Abdakibart phase II graded, puts Avalo in HS upper class
Avalo Therapeutics Inc. may have designed in lead asset abdakibart, a drug for hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) that offers a novel mechanism of action, wide dosing interval, and more-than-satisfying outcomes on the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinical Response 75 endpoint, just what the doctor – and Wall Street – ordered.

Abdakibart phase II graded, puts Avalo in HS upper class
Avalo Therapeutics Inc. may have designed in lead asset abdakibart, a drug for hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) that offers a novel mechanism of action, wide dosing interval, and more-than-satisfying outcomes on the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinical Response 75 endpoint, just what the doctor – and Wall Street – ordered.
Bayer buying Perfuse for $300M up front in potential $2.45B deal
In its first substantial M&A transaction since 2021, Bayer AG is buying Perfuse Therapeutics Inc., a firm that has operated quietly, though it reported positive midstage data last year for PER-001, an endothelin antagonist, in glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.
Resmed boosts sleep health portfolio with Noctrix buy
Resmed Corp. has agreed to acquire Noctrix Health Inc. for $340 million, boosting its sleep health portfolio. Noctrix has developed Nidra, a wearable neuromodulation device which treats restless legs syndrome (RLS) without disrupting sleep. With RLS impacting approximately 7% of adults globally, including about 17 million people in the U.S., the technology offers a non-drug option that could potentially treat a significant proportion of this patient population.
GSK licenses siRNA asset in $1B deal for Siranbio
In a deal that could be worth up to $1 billion for Suzhou Siran Biotechnology Co. Ltd. (Siranbio), GSK plc licensed exclusive worldwide rights to the siRNA oligonucleotide SA-030, which has recently entered phase I trials for cardiometabolic disease.
Eyes are first prize for newco Link Biologics
The classic origin story for a biotech startup is that of a scientist who nurtures his work out of a university and to commercial success. For Link Biologics Ltd. and its TSG6-based pipeline, the story is the other way around; it began with now-CEO Reuben Dawkins meeting University of Manchester scientists Tony Day and Caroline Milner while he was on the lookout for “great science that needs help to make it to patients.” The three are now co-founders of Link, which spun out of the University of Manchester in 2021 and has four programs in three indications, all based on TSG-6 biology.
Today's news in brief
BioWorld briefs for May 6, 2026.
Swiss Biotech reports record private investment, employment in 2025
Privately-funded biotechs in Switzerland raised a record CHF1.15 billion (US$1.47 billion) in 2025, an increase of 38% over 2024, and 45% of the total capital raised by the sector. This was a significant advance on previous years, when private companies typically attracted about 30% of overall investment.
Kailera's record IPO headlines strong April for biopharma financings
Biopharma financing activity is continuing its rebound in early 2026 compared to the past several years. Total funding reached $38.66 billion in the first four months of 2026, more than doubling 2025’s $15.85 billion in the same period and also exceeding 2022 and 2023. While still below the peak years of 2021 and 2024, when financings topped $50 billion in the period, the 2026 total shows a strong recovery.
Multiple appearances on Priority Watch List leading to action?
It’s a sure bet when the U.S. Trade Representative releases its annual Special 301 Report that Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Russia and Venezuela will be on the Priority Watch List. The 2026 report was no exception.
China med-tech raises: Star Sports’ $105M IPO; Cofoe nabs $133M
Star Sports Medicine Co. Ltd. debuted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange with an HK$829.55 million (US$105.86 million) IPO May 5, with shares closing about 118% higher on the first day.

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Analysis and data insight

Bio Korea 2026: US policy risks shift to execution framework
Conferences
Regulatory uncertainty that dominated the life science sector in 2025 is transitioning into an execution framework for biotechnology companies, provided companies can tailor regulatory strategies early, and across the entire development cycle.
Day One buyout headlines active Q1 for cancer stocks
Cancer
After a standout 2025, the BioWorld Cancer Index (BCI) started 2026 on more measured footing. Early volatility this year saw the BCI drop 11.51% by the end of January before recovering to post a modest 1.39% gain for the first quarter (Q1).
Bio Korea 2026 kicks off with spotlight on oligonucleotides
Clinical
Three decades of trial-and-error, and the resulting safety data, in the oligonucleotide-based therapeutic space have paved way for the present-day innovations and the promise of “programmable,” precision medicine for patients, speakers at Bio Korea 2026 said April 28.
US legislative reforms needed to make biosimilars competitive
Regulatory
Now that the FDA is on board with doing away with the U.S.’ unique two-tier biosimilar pathway, the biosimilar industry is urging Congress to pass the bipartisan Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act, which would recognize that biosimilars and interchangeables are one and the same.

Financings

Cytospire raises £61M series A to target EGFR in solid tumors
Science
Next-generation T-cell engager (TCE) specialist Cytospire Therapeutics Ltd. has raised £61 million (US$82.7 million) in a series A round, equipping it to advance the lead program CYT-X300 to the clinic in the treatment of EGFR-positive solid tumors. The company’s pan gamma delta (γδ) TCEs are...

Medical technology

MMI’s Symani system treats Alzheimer’s patient in IDE study
Clinical
Medical Microinstruments Inc.’s (MMI) Symani surgical system was used to treat a patient with Alzheimer’s disease as part of a study evaluating robotic-enabled microsurgery for the condition. The procedure investigated whether restoring lymphatic drainage pathways in the deep cervical lymph nodes...

Sonire starts US study of cancer HIFU after $18M series A
Clinical
Sonire Therapeutics Inc. initiated a U.S.-based Sunrise II study of Suizenji, its novel ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) system designed to ablate pancreatic tumors, after closing an $18 million series A financing round April 15.
EMA launches pilot for breakthrough medical devices in the EU
Regulatory
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has launched a pilot program to fast track breakthrough medical devices in the EU and get lifesaving technologies to patients sooner. The program will allow for companies to obtain scientific advice from the expert panels intended to support evidence generation...

Newco news

Pilatus PLT-012 takes immunometabolic approach to reprogram TME
Cancer
Pilatus Bio Inc. is working to address a major under-addressed target of current checkpoint inhibitors: metabolic stress within solid tumors. “Traditional immunotherapies release immune ‘brakes,’ but they do not address the underlying metabolic stress in tumors,” Pilatus CEO and cofounder Raven Lin...
Anaptysbio’s spinout First Tracks hits the slopes
Immune
Anaptysbio Inc. announced in September of 2025 that it planned to separate its drug development business from the royalties it receives on Jemperli (dostarlimab) from GSK plc and imsidolimab from Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. Just seven months later, on April 20, 2026, well ahead of its “year-end...
Tortugas launches with $106M for neurology, neuropsychiatric drugs
Financings
Tortugas Neuroscience Inc. came out of its shell to announce the raising of $106 million between its seed and series A financing rounds. “We like the symbolism of the sea turtle – long-lived, persistent, very determined,” Tortugas CEO Jeff Jonas said of the company’s name.
Remedy pushes ‘cell-free’ secretome therapy for IPF into phase I
Clinical
“Single drugs targeting single biological pathways are insufficient for complex diseases,” Remedy Cell Ltd. CEO Ayelet Dilion Mashiah told BioWorld. Remedy is taking a secretome-based approach to treat lung disorders, having moved its lead asset, RC-0315, into a first-in-human clinical trial for...
‘Immune reset’ is ambition of Tr1x’s allogenic Tr1 cell therapy
Clinical
Tr1x Inc. was founded with a simple but ambitious goal: to change how autoimmune and inflammatory diseases are treated, moving away from chronic treatment and toward durable cures. “We are trying to flip the script on regulatory T cells (Tregs),” Tr1x CEO David de Vries told BioWorld. “The goal is...

U.S.

Cytokinetics metrics satisfy in nHCM phase III
Clinical
Thanks to a trial design that, according to Evercore ISI analyst Cory Kasimov, “played out exactly as drawn up,” Cytokinetics Inc. hit both of the phase III co-primary endpoints with aficamten in symptomatic non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (nHCM).

Europe

UCB onboards more autoimmune TCEs with $2.2B Candid buy
Cancer
UCB SA agreed to pay $2 billion up front to acquire bispecific T-cell engager (TCE)-maker Candid Therapeutics Inc. and lead BCMA/CD3 TCE asset cizutamig (CND-106), continuing big pharma’s spree for China-made autoimmune assets in 2026.

Enterobiotix raises $25.7M for phase IIb of microbiome pill in IBS
Clinical
Microbiome specialist Enterobiotix Ltd. has raised £19 million (US$25.7 million) to fund phase IIb development of its lead program EBX-102-02 in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C).
Biggest overhaul of UK clinical trials rules in 20 years comes into force
Clinical
New U.K. clinical trials regulations coming into force today, April 28, aim to reduce the time taken to get approval for studies and introduce a category of lower risk trials which will be automatically assessed in 14 days. The key measure to cut timelines is the Combined Review, under which...

Clinical

AA meeting of minds as PTC, Novartis push votoplam in HD
Neurology/psychiatric
What PTC Therapeutics Inc.’s latest data with votoplam might mean in the Huntington’s disease (HD) landscape became grist for Wall Street after the firm unveiled top-line results from the phase II Pivot-HD study, sharing data from the 24-month...
Death a sticking point in Erasca molecular glue phase I
Cancer
A patient death marred Erasca Inc.’s phase I dose-escalation efforts with pan-RAS molecular glue ERAS-0015 in cancer, and shares (NASDAQ:ERAS) ended April 28 at $9.90, down $9.25. ERAS-0015 is being tested in RAS-mutant solid tumors, specifically...
Soligenix plummets on trial halt for Hybryte in lymphoma
Cancer
Soligenix Inc. intends to spend the next weeks further analyzing data and reviewing strategic options in the wake of a disappointing interim analysis from a pivotal phase III study testing Hybryte, its synthetic hypericin, in cutaneous T-cell...
S-OS? Compass phase II/III biliary data mixed; ahoy, FDA
Cancer
Having already hit the primary endpoint of overall response rate in the phase II/III Companion-002 study testing the bispecific antibody tovecimig in biliary tract cancer, Compass Therapeutics Inc. rolled out new data from the same experiment and...
MANE event: Veradermics beats expectations in pattern hair loss trial
Dermatologic
Shares of Veradermics Inc. spiked as the first top-line readout from its registrational program for VDPHL-01 showed the oral, extended-release version of minoxidil surpassed expectations in men with mild to moderate pattern hair loss, setting up...
Xenon spikes, Theravance sinks after phase III readouts in March
Analysis and data insight
BioWorld tracked 209 clinical trial readouts across phases I through III in March 2026, up from 152 in February and 144 in January. Among late-stage programs, 26 phase III trials reported positive results, two produced mixed results, and three...

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