Mabwell Biosciences presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress 2026 in Barcelona (September 5-9, 2026) — with syndicated press coverage continuing through Saturday September 12 — Phase 1b/2a results for 9MW1911, an anti-ST2 monoclonal antibody developed on Mabwell's B-lymphocyte screening platform in China. In the 9MW1911-C03 study of former smokers with moderate-to-severe COPD, the annualized rate of moderate-to-severe exacerbations was reduced by 81% at the 900 mg dose and 24% at the 600 mg dose versus placebo; annualized severe exacerbation rate reductions were 100% and 47% respectively. The Phase 3 trial is expected to initiate around end of 2026 in China; the FDA has cleared the IND application for a Phase 2a U.S. trial. 9MW1911 targets ST2 (the IL-33 receptor) — the same biological pathway targeted by Regeneron/Sanofi's itepekimab and GSK's depemokimab in COPD. Sanofi and Regeneron's Phase 3 AERIFY-1 and AERIFY-2 itepekimab trials in COPD had mixed results reported May 2025; Mabwell's data support continued ST2 blockade testing in the disease.
Zymeworks (NASDAQ: ZYME) announced Monday June 29, 2026 a definitive agreement to acquire Theravance Biopharma (NASDAQ: TBPH) for $17.00 per share in cash, an equity value of approximately $929 million plus a contingent value right (CVR) entitling Theravance shareholders to 80% of net proceeds from any future license, divestiture, or monetization of ampreloxetine (the late-stage program that posted topline results from the Phase 3 CYPRESS study on March 3, 2026, prompting the buyout window). The $17.00 price represents a 22% premium to Theravance's March 3 closing price and a 10% premium to the volume-weighted average price since that date. Financing comes from a $350 million non-recourse note secured by the US YUPELRI profit share from OMERS Life Sciences, plus Theravance's expected $360 million net cash balance at closing. The strategic anchor is YUPELRI (revefenacin), a once-daily nebulized long-acting muscarinic antagonist for COPD that competes against GSK's Trelegy, AstraZeneca's Bevespi, and Boehringer Ingelheim's Spiriva Respimat. The transaction is expected to close in H2 2026 subject to Theravance shareholder approval and regulatory clearances. Industry context: the deal sits inside a late-June biotech consolidation wave that also produced AbbVie's $10.9B Apogee Therapeutics acquisition (June 22, anti-IL-13 zumilokibart) and Sangamo's Chapter 11 with Lilly's $50M stalking-horse bid on capsid, zinc finger, MINT, and ST-506 prion-disease assets (June 23).
OrbiMed-incubated Pinnacle Medicines is featured at the Boston peptide summit highlighting its oversubscribed $89M Series B financing (closed March 26) for advancing oral peptide therapeutics designed to match the efficacy of injectable biologics. Lead programs target asthma, COPD, immunology, and inflammation — distinct from the GLP-1 obesity focus dominating peptide headlines. The platform combines proprietary peptide stabilization with oral-bioavailability engineering, positioning Pinnacle as one of the most differentiated non-GLP-1 oral peptide developers in the current pipeline.