Volume 19 Issue 4, December 2025

Large biopharma companies are partnering with companies developing drug candidates that harness induced proximity approaches to tackle challenging targets.

NEOsphere Biotechnologies is accelerating drug discovery through high-throughput proteomics, enabling efficient screening of molecular glue libraries and systematic identification of clinically relevant degraders.

NanoSyrinx is pioneering Nanosyringe technology for targeted intracellular delivery of proteins, a new modality enabling access to undruggable targets and redefining what is possible for biologics.

NodThera has developed first-in-class small-molecule inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome, a master switch for inflammation, and is charting a clinical path to patients in multiple indications.

Bispecific and multispecific antibodies are gaining momentum in oncology research. They accounted for a quarter of the top 20 highest-grossing deals in the year to date, with many transactions focusing on Chinese assets.

The Korea Drug Development Fund (KDDF), Korea’s largest non-dilutive funder of drug research and development (R&D), is advancing Korea’s oncology sector with a globally competitive, modality-diverse pipeline of cancer therapeutics.

Variational AI is using its Enki platform to explore uncharted regions of the chemical space, accelerating the discovery and development of transformative therapeutics in collaboration with biopharma partners across various high-need therapeutic areas.

Actithera is pioneering chemistries in radioligand therapy that extend tumor residence time, creating differentiated candidates like its lead fibroblast activation protein-targeted compound.

Candel Therapeutics is driving a paradigm shift in the treatment of solid tumors through the development of novel viral immunotherapies. The company plans to file a Biologics License Application (BLA) for its lead clinical candidate, aglatimagene besadenovec (CAN-2409), for localized prostate cancer in late 2026.

By detecting and targeting myeloid-dependent immune suppression, Bectas Therapeutics is on a mission to realize the full potential of cancer immunotherapies.

CytoReason’s proven artificial intelligence-powered disease models and analytics platform are providing insights at scale.

Advances with in vivo cell therapies and adeno-associated viral vectors that deliver gene therapies to organs other than the liver have driven major deals in the past 12 months.

Adverum Biotechnologies is developing one-time gene therapies aimed at revolutionizing the treatment of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration and other serious ocular disorders.

Biotech firm Syntax Bio aims to transform pluripotent stem cells into clinical therapeutics using its CRISPR-based technology platform called Cellgorithm.

Angiocrine Bioscience uses its propriety platform to harness the reparative powers of vascular endothelial cells and develop advanced therapeutics that repair tissue damage and treat chronic conditions.

Intravitreal injection of jCyte’s proprietary retinal progenitor cells can halt vision loss and potentially restore sight in patients with retinitis pigmentosa, the leading cause of inherited blindness.

DC-Biotech is using its pioneering, proprietary αNKT technology to leverage the unique immunomodulatory properties of natural killer T-cells and mesenchymal stem cells, accelerating the development of regenerative medical products for diseases with unmet need, particularly those related to immune system dysregulation and inflammation.

ExploRNA Therapeutics’ biologically inspired, ground-breaking technologies are enabling more precise customization of mRNA constructs with advanced vaccine and therapeutic applications.

The biotech is aiming to develop a first-line consolidation treatment for large B-cell lymphoma that predicts and prevents relapse.

This year’s drug development has been characterized by multiple deals signed with companies from China, along with collaborations involving firms specializing in artificial intelligence and antibodies.

Renascience Inc. is betting that targeting PAI-1 can tackle two of medicine’s biggest frontiers: cancer and aging.