Life Sciences Daily Summary: What Happened on November 5, 2026

Boehringer adds six early cancer programs through China deal

Boehringer Ingelheim agreed to license six preclinical cancer programs from Sino Biopharmaceutical, including antibody-drug conjugates and T-cell engagers, molecules designed to direct immune cells toward targets.1 Sino will receive $358 million in upfront and near-term payments and could earn up to $7 billion in milestones, plus tiered royalties on sales.1

Sino will lead early development. Boehringer can exercise options after clinical milestones.1 Boehringer’s potential rights to four programs exclude mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau. Rights to the other two could be worldwide.1 LaNova Medicines supplied five candidates and Tide Pharmaceutical supplied one.1

BioNTech lifts revenue outlook as cancer pipeline delivers mixed results

BioNTech raised its 2026 revenue forecast to €1.7 billion–€1.9 billion, from a previous range of €1.6 billion–€1.9 billion.2 Third-quarter revenue was €1.289 billion and net profit was €184.5 million. The company recorded a €1.168 billion net loss for the first nine months of the year.2 BioNTech ended the quarter with €16.2 billion in cash and liquid securities.2

The Bristol Myers Squibb collaboration contributed €613 million in third-quarter revenue, exceeding the €554 million from COVID-19 vaccines after a contractual payment became recognizable when a termination option expired.2 The deal includes another $2 billion in non-contingent payments through 2028, plus potential milestones of up to $7.6 billion.2

The first, non-pivotal portion of gotistobart’s Phase 3 study showed a statistically significant overall-survival improvement over chemotherapy. BioNTech said median survival was nearly twice as long.2 BioNTech expects interim results from the study’s second portion before the end of 2026, subject to an initial review by an independent monitoring committee.2 A Phase 3 trial of trastuzumab pamirtecan met its primary progression-free-survival endpoint, but BioNTech described the effect as moderate and reported more interstitial lung disease, including severe and fatal cases.2

BNT113 did not significantly improve progression-free survival when added to pembrolizumab. A Phase 2 colorectal cancer trial of autogene cevumeran is ending early.2 A separate Phase 2 autogene cevumeran study in pancreatic cancer is continuing after recruitment ended in August.2

China clears Bayer’s sevabertinib for first-line lung cancer treatment

China’s National Medical Products Administration approved Bayer’s sevabertinib for adults with advanced, unresectable or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer with activating HER2 mutations, including people not previously treated for the disease.3 The approval is based on a cohort of 73 previously untreated patients in the ongoing Phase 1/2 SOHO-01 study. The objective response rate was 75%, and 6% of patients had a complete response.3

Among responders, 73% maintained their response for at least six months.3 A Phase 3 trial is testing sevabertinib against standard therapy in previously untreated patients. The early response results do not establish whether it improves progression-free or overall survival over standard care.3 Boehringer Ingelheim’s zongertinib received China’s first-line authorization in May 2026. Sevabertinib already had first-line authorization in the United States and Japan.3

Alethio raises $90 million for blood-cancer antibody

Alethio Therapeutics raised a $90 million Series A co-led by Sofinnova Partners and RA Capital to advance ATX-011 and other drug candidates.4 The company plans to develop ATX-011, an antibody targeting G6B, first for essential thrombocythemia, a type of myeloproliferative neoplasm.4

Research using samples from more than 100 people with myeloproliferative neoplasms found G6B on abnormal stem cells but not on healthy blood stem cells.4 In a study of two nonhuman primates, platelet counts fell 80% after 96 hours and later recovered as the antibody cleared. Researchers reported no effects on hemoglobin or white blood cells.4 Alethio’s chief executive expects enrollment to start during the first six months of 2028, pending regulatory processes.4

T-Therapeutics raises $133 million for two experimental programs

T-Therapeutics raised $133 million in a Series B to advance two experimental T-cell engager programs toward clinical proof of concept.5 The company is developing the programs for cancer and autoimmune diseases.5

Its platform uses engineered mice to find human T-cell receptors, which the company incorporates into bispecific molecules that bind a disease-associated target and CD3 on T cells.5 Advent Life Sciences and British Business Bank jointly led the financing. Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Samsara BioCapital, M-Ventures, and Eli Lilly were among the new investors.5

Evommune licenses autoimmune candidate from Hinova

Evommune obtained an exclusive license from Hinova for EVO570 in territories outside Greater China, covering development, manufacturing, and commercialization.6 The deal is valued at up to about $1.1 billion.6 Evommune will pay $30 million upfront, comprising $20 million in cash and $10 million in pre-funded warrants. Further payments depend on development, regulatory, and commercial milestones.6

EVO570 is a molecular glue degrader designed to target VAV1 signaling, a pathway involved in immune-cell activity.6 A Phase 1 study is scheduled to assess safety, pharmacokinetics, and target engagement. Evommune plans to report findings and start a Phase 2 rheumatoid arthritis trial in 2027.6