Group 1: I-Mab Biopharma and Taysha Gene Therapies - I-Mab Biopharma will change its name to NovaBridge Biosciences and pursue an initial public offering in Hong Kong, transforming into a "hub-and-spoke" company with drugmaking subsidiaries [2] - NovaBridge will have a newly formed "spoke" called Visara, which will acquire an experimental eye drug currently in Phase 2 testing in China [2] - Taysha Gene Therapies has regained rights to an experimental gene therapy for Rett Syndrome after Astellas Pharma declined to license the treatment, which has helped Taysha secure a breakthrough therapy designation from the FDA [2] Group 2: Funding and Collaborations - Veradermics raised $140 million in a Series C round to fund the development of an oral version of minoxidil, with funding led by SR One and participation from at least 10 other firms [2] - Sanofi announced a collaboration with EVOQ Therapeutics to discover new drugs that induce "immune tolerance" in autoimmune conditions, with EVOQ potentially receiving over $500 million in payments and royalties [2]

Core Insights - Absci is advancing ABS-201, an AI-designed therapeutic antibody for treating androgenetic alopecia, with guidance from renowned dermatologists [1][4][5] - Androgenetic alopecia affects approximately 80 million Americans, with current FDA-approved treatments showing limited efficacy [2] - ABS-201 targets prolactin receptors to stimulate hair follicle regeneration, demonstrating superior hair regrowth compared to minoxidil in preclinical studies [3] Company Overview - Absci is a clinical-stage biotech company utilizing generative AI for drug discovery, aiming to create better biologics faster [7][8] - The company’s Integrated Drug Creation™ platform combines AI models with synthetic biology to innovate therapeutics [7] - Absci is headquartered in Vancouver, WA, with additional facilities in New York City and Switzerland [8] Scientific Advisory Board - Dr. Rodney Sinclair and Dr. David Goldberg have joined the ABS-201 Scientific Advisory Board, bringing extensive expertise in dermatology and hair loss [1][4][6] - Dr. Sinclair has over three decades of experience and has authored over 1000 publications in dermatology [4][5] - Dr. Goldberg has nearly four decades of clinical experience and has conducted pivotal research studies in hair loss, including original Minoxidil trials [5][6] Clinical Development - Phase 1/2a clinical trials for ABS-201 are set to begin in early 2026, with initial proof-of-concept data expected in the second half of 2026 [3] - The novel mechanism of action of ABS-201 offers potential for a durable therapy, addressing the limitations of current treatments that require continuous usage [5][6]