IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eledon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Eledon”) (Nasdaq: ELDN) today announced that David-Alexandre C. Gros, M.D., Chief Executive Officer will participate in a fireside chat at the upcoming 37th Annual Piper Sandler Healthcare Conference on Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 8:50 a.m. ET (5:50 a.m. PT). To register in advance for the fireside chat webcast, sign up here. A webcast replay will be accessible following the live session on the Company’s website under Events. ...

Core Points - Adverum Biotechnologies, Inc. is in the process of being acquired by Eli Lilly and Company, with a tender offer price of $3.56 per share in cash and potential additional value through contingent value rights (CVRs) [1][2][9] - The total potential consideration for Adverum shareholders could reach up to $12.47 per share if certain milestones are achieved [1][9] - The tender offer is set to expire on December 8, 2025, and is contingent upon the tender of a majority of Adverum's outstanding shares [2][5] Financial Details - Adverum has issued a promissory note to Lilly for a total of $65 million, of which $40 million has already been advanced, with an additional $25 million due on December 5, 2025 [3][5] - The promissory note carries an interest rate of SOFR plus 10% per annum, with a maturity date of January 22, 2026 [3][5] - If the merger agreement is terminated, all amounts under the promissory note will become due immediately, which could lead to Adverum's bankruptcy due to insufficient liquidity [3][6] Strategic Considerations - The Adverum Board of Directors believes the cash offer provides immediate liquidity and certainty of value, especially in light of potential liquidation risks [3][9] - The board conducted an 18-month review of strategic alternatives, concluding that the offer from Lilly is the best available option for shareholders [3][9] - The CVRs offer an opportunity for shareholders to gain additional value, contingent on the achievement of specified milestones [3][9]

Core Insights - Seer, Inc. announced a significant genome-wide association study (GWAS) published in Nature Genetics, demonstrating the importance of mass spectrometry in validating protein changes and establishing reliable drug targets and clinical biomarkers [1][10] Group 1: Study Overview - The GWAS involved approximately 1,600 blood samples from diverse ethnic backgrounds, with a discovery cohort of 1,260 and a replication cohort of 325, leading to the detection of 5,753 proteins and quantification of 1,980 proteins in at least 80% of participants [2] - Researchers identified 364 protein quantitative trait loci (pQTLs) associated with protein abundance, with 102 of these replicated in the independent cohort, including 35 previously unreported signals [3] Group 2: Methodology and Findings - Traditional affinity-based proteomics can produce erroneous signals due to epitope effects, where genetic variants alter binding sites, leading to false associations between protein expression and genetic variants [4] - The Proteograph's mass spectrometry approach allows for direct measurement of proteins at the peptide level, effectively mitigating confounding effects and confirming true biological changes [5][6] Group 3: Implications for Research and Development - The study emphasizes that mass spectrometry validation is crucial for ensuring the reliability of protein measurements, which can enhance drug discovery and biomarker development by reducing technical noise and increasing the likelihood of clinical success [9][10] - The findings suggest that datasets relying solely on affinity reagents may contain a significant number of false associations, underscoring the need for mass spectrometry validation in genetic association studies [6][7] Group 4: Future Directions - As proteomics integrates with genomics and clinical data, the accuracy of these datasets will be vital for supporting drug targets and translational medicine, positioning Seer to lead in population-scale proteomics [11]

Core Insights - Bicara Therapeutics announced early data from a Phase 1b expansion cohort evaluating 750mg of ficerafusp alfa in combination with pembrolizumab for first-line HPV-negative recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) [1][2] - The results indicate a high overall response rate and a safety profile consistent with the 1500mg dose, supporting ongoing pivotal trials [1][2] Company Overview - Bicara Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing bifunctional therapies for solid tumors, with ficerafusp alfa as its lead program [11] - Ficerafusp alfa is a first-in-class bifunctional antibody designed to enhance tumor penetration by targeting both epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) [9][11] Clinical Trial Data - In the efficacy evaluable population of 30 patients, the objective response rate was 57%, with 50% achieving partial responses and 7% achieving complete responses [6] - The disease control rate was reported at 83%, and complete neutralization of TGF-β1 was observed [6] - Safety findings were consistent with the known safety profile of ficerafusp alfa plus pembrolizumab in R/M HNSCC [6] Upcoming Events - Bicara Therapeutics will present the findings at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Asia Congress on December 6, 2025, and will host a conference call and webcast on the same day [1][5][3]

Core Viewpoint - Targa Resources Corp. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Stakeholder Midstream, LLC for $1.25 billion in cash, enhancing its midstream infrastructure and cash flow generation capabilities in the Permian Basin [1][10]. Acquisition Details - The acquisition price of $1.25 billion represents approximately 6 times the estimated unlevered adjusted free cash flow for 2026 [10]. - Stakeholder operates natural gas gathering, treating, and processing services, along with crude gathering and storage services, featuring around 480 miles of natural gas pipelines and a processing capacity of approximately 180 million cubic feet per day [2][10]. - Stakeholder's assets are supported by long-term, fee-based contracts across approximately 170,000 dedicated acres, which exhibit low decline rates, ensuring a stable volume profile [2][10]. Financial Impact - Targa anticipates that Stakeholder will generate unlevered adjusted free cash flow of about $200 million annually, with minimal capital needs and low integration costs [3][10]. - The transaction is expected to have a limited impact on Targa's leverage ratio, maintaining it within the long-term target range of 3.0 to 4.0 times [7][10]. Strategic Fit - The acquisition is viewed as a strategic move to enhance Targa's existing operations, leveraging strong relationships with major producers in the region and complementing its sour gas treating and carbon capture capabilities [4][5][10]. - Targa's CEO emphasized that this transaction aligns with the company's strategy to create shareholder value through balance sheet strength and organic growth opportunities [4][5]. Transaction Timeline and Advisors - The completion of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026 [7]. - RBC Capital Markets is serving as Targa's financial advisor, while Jefferies is acting as the exclusive financial advisor to Stakeholder [8].

Core Insights - The bulk sampling at the Pardo Gold Project has demonstrated the economic potential of near-surface gold mineralization, indicating that mineralization can be extracted and processed to generate cash flow [3][4] - The results from the 007 North bulk sample support the company's vision of achieving a near-term production profile that minimizes shareholder dilution while advancing the project [3] Bulk Sample Details - The 007 North bulk sample was extracted from a flat-lying mineralized conglomerate at a depth of approximately 3 meters, with an average thickness of 1.82 meters [4] - Prior to extraction, 33 large diameter drill holes were completed, yielding a weighted average grade of 3.84 grams per tonne (gpt) gold over 1.82 meters [5] - The predicted block model illustrated 5,216 tonnes grading 3.95 gpt gold, while the actual extraction resulted in a grade of 3.14 gpt gold [5][6] Extraction and Processing - A total of 4,816 tonnes was processed, resulting in the recovery of 427 ounces of gold from 4,674 dry tonnes, with a reconciled head grade of 3.04 gpt gold and a metallurgical recovery of 94% [8][10] - The cost of the bulk sample was approximately CAD$1,200,000, leading to a sale of recoverable ounces valued at CAD$2,350,000, representing a 96% return over cost [8][11] Future Plans - The company is currently conducting a Phase 2 drill program with results pending from 62 completed drill holes [9] - An additional 10,000-tonne bulk sample is scheduled for processing at the end of January 2026 [8][9]

Located just 7 km west of Filo del Sol in the Vicuña District, the 46 South target is at the south end of a 3 km N-S trending corridor of mineralization at Sobek Central The 46 South epithermal and underlying porphyry target sits on the margin of a district scale magnetic high where coincident mag-susceptibility, MT anomalies and ground-based IP responses lie directly below a large soil survey geochemical anomaly where hydrothermal and tourmaline breccias outcrop on surface In preparation for drilling a pro ...

Core Insights - AtlasClear Holdings, Inc. reported significant growth in October 2025, with revenue increasing by 128% year-over-year and net income rising by 169% [1][3][6] Financial Performance - October 2025 revenue reached $3,051,661, a 113% increase compared to $1,433,626 in October 2024 [6] - Net income for October 2025 was $940,268, up 169% from $349,447 in October 2024 [6] - Net capital as of October 31, 2025, was $14,935,193, reflecting a 40% year-over-year increase from $10,641,242 as of October 31, 2024 [6] Operational Highlights - Wilson-Davis, a subsidiary of AtlasClear, experienced elevated client activity and strong operating leverage, marking one of the strongest months since its acquisition [2][3] - The company is focused on building a modern, technology-forward clearing and banking platform, which is expected to drive future growth [3][4] Strategic Outlook - The management expressed confidence in the company's growth strategy and the opportunities ahead for 2026 and beyond, supported by recent financing and an improving capital position [3][4]

Promising efficacy and favorable safety data from the Phase 1 study in heavily pre-treated patients show potential of CLN-049 to address a broad population of AML patients CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cullinan Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CGEM), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company accelerating potential first- or best-in-class, high-impact therapies in autoimmune diseases and cancer, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designat ...

Core Insights - Akebia Therapeutics has established a rare kidney disease pipeline, focusing on two main product candidates: AKB-097, a complement inhibitor, and praliciguat, an sGC stimulator [2][3] - The company plans to initiate Phase 2 clinical trials for both AKB-097 and praliciguat in 2026, targeting multiple rare kidney disease indications [1][3] Group 1: Product Candidates - AKB-097 is a tissue-targeted C3d-Factor H fusion protein complement inhibitor acquired from Q32 Bio, expected to address a range of complement-mediated rare kidney diseases [2][5] - Praliciguat is an oral sGC stimulator, with initial clinical trials focusing on focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a rare kidney disease [2][8] Group 2: Clinical Trials - The Phase 2 basket trial for AKB-097 is set to begin in the second half of 2026, with initial data expected in 2027 [6][3] - The Phase 2 trial for praliciguat will enroll up to 60 patients in the U.S., with the primary efficacy endpoint being the change in urine protein-to-creatinine ratio over 24 weeks [10][11] Group 3: Financial Aspects - Akebia paid an upfront fee of $7 million to Q32 Bio for the acquisition of AKB-097, with additional payments tied to development milestones and royalties on net sales [7]