Life Sciences News, October 7, 2026

Today in brief

Taiho Oncology’s Harold Keer said the Phase 3 trial of zipalertinib plus chemotherapy met its primary endpoint, with median progression-free survival of 14.5 months versus 8.5 months on chemotherapy alone.1 Caribou Biosciences is shutting down after failing to raise funds for a planned Phase 3 lymphoma trial and will end clinical development of its two CRISPR-based CAR-T therapies.2

Taiho reports longer progression-free survival with zipalertinib combination

Harold Keer, Taiho Oncology’s chief medical officer, said the Phase 3 REZILIENT3 trial met its primary endpoint, with median progression-free survival of 14.5 months on zipalertinib plus chemotherapy and 8.5 months on chemotherapy alone.1 The result was statistically significant, with a hazard ratio of 0.50 and a 95% confidence interval of 0.34 to 0.73, Keer said.1

Overall survival results are immature, Keer said, and median survival could not be estimated in either group.1 By the data cutoff, 24 of 140 patients in the combination group and 31 of 139 in the chemotherapy group had died.1 Keer said 64.2% of patients assigned to chemotherapy had switched to zipalertinib after disease progression, which could reduce the observed difference between groups.1

The combination caused more adverse events, mostly myelosuppression, or reduced blood-cell production, and more grade 3 or higher events.1 Keer said these effects were most pronounced during the first four treatment cycles and were managed with dose reductions or treatment discontinuations.1 Three treatment-related deaths occurred in the combination group, compared with none in the chemotherapy group.1 The trial is continuing, with later overall-survival analyses planned as more progression or survival events occur.1

Caribou to close after failing to fund planned lymphoma trial

Caribou Biosciences said it is shutting down after it could not secure funding for a planned Phase 3 trial of its off-the-shelf CAR-T therapy for lymphoma.2 The company plans to end clinical development of both its CRISPR-based CAR-T therapies, including vispa-cel for advanced B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.2

Caribou worked with the FDA over the past year to finalize the Phase 3 design for vespa-cel.2 Chief executive Rachel Haurwitz told STAT that raising money for the trial had proved too difficult.2

Also worth knowing

P
Adecto and Aviceda are winding down, according to a report published October 7.3