Daily digest

Sunday, October 25, 2026

ESMO's HER2 push from Chinese developers, SGLT2 inhibitors in the very elderly and on hemoglobin, and a Treasury proposal on Chinese biotech investment

1. 01

   Anbenitamab plus albumin-bound docetaxel (HB1801) beats THP on progression-free survival in first-line HER2-positive advanced breast cancer (NEJM, HEALER trial)

   Source: NEJM

   In the phase 3 HEALER trial in China (885 patients), the HER2 bispecific anbenitamab plus HB1801 gave 24-month progression-free survival of 58.5% vs 34.4% with docetaxel, trastuzumab and pertuzumab (HR 0.46) at an interim analysis. Grade 3 or higher adverse events occurred in 45.9% vs 34.4%, with neutropenia the most common; the trial was funded by Shanghai JMT-Bio Technology.

   Why it mattersIt is the first phase 3 challenge to THP as first-line standard in HER2-positive disease, though the higher grade 3+ toxicity and China-only population will shape how regulators and clinicians read it.
2. 02

   HER2 biparatopic ADC rolditamig deuderuxtecan (TQB2102) triples PFS vs chemotherapy in HER2-low metastatic breast cancer at ESMO 2026

   Source: MedPage Today

   In the China-only phase 3 APEX-Breast01 trial (543 patients), median PFS was 16.4 months with TQB2102 vs 5.5 months with chemotherapy, with an early overall-survival trend favouring the ADC. Grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events were more common (69.1% vs 42.4%), mostly hematologic, with a reported low rate of interstitial lung disease.

   Why it mattersAnother HER2-targeted ADC joins a crowded field, and the ESMO discussant noted there are still no head-to-head ADC comparisons to guide choice or sequencing.
3. 03

   Tovecimig plus paclitaxel improves response and PFS but not overall survival in second-line biliary tract cancer (COMPANION-002, ESMO 2026)

   Source: MedPage Today

   The VEGF-A/DLL4 bispecific tovecimig with paclitaxel raised response to 18.0% vs 5.3% and median PFS to 4.7 vs 2.6 months, with no overall survival gain (8.9 vs 9.4 months) in a trial that allowed crossover. Grade 3 or higher adverse events were 93.5% vs 64.2%, with six fatal adverse events in the combination arm, two judged treatment-related.

   Why it mattersBiliary cancer has few second-line options, but the high toxicity and fatal events, plus no survival benefit, make the safety data as important as the efficacy signal.
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5. 04

   SGLT2 inhibitors raise hemoglobin and hematocrit modestly across 85 randomized trials, JAMA meta-analysis finds

   Source: JAMA

   Pooling 85 double-masked trials (70,543 participants), SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with a 0.60 g/dL higher hemoglobin and 2.36% higher hematocrit than control, with higher erythropoietin and lower ferritin and transferrin saturation. The authors call the increases small and of unclear clinical significance.

   Why it mattersClinicians and safety reviewers seeing hemoglobin rise on SGLT2 inhibitors now have a pooled estimate, and the authors flag that further rises in people who already have high hemoglobin may carry thromboembolic risk.
6. 05

   SGLT2 inhibitors linked to lower mortality but more acute kidney injury and some cardiac events in adults 80 and older with CKD

   Source: Medical Xpress (American Society of Nephrology)

   A real-world analysis of 10,076 adults aged 80 or older with CKD, presented at ASN Kidney Week 2026, linked starting an SGLT2 inhibitor to 18% lower all-cause mortality and 22% fewer major adverse kidney events over two years. It also found higher risks of heart attack, acute heart failure and acute kidney injury, with no overall effect on major cardiovascular events.

   Why it mattersVery old, frail patients are largely missing from SGLT2 trials, so this observational signal of both benefit and specific risks is useful for prescribing and safety monitoring in that group.
7. 06

   Johns Hopkins APL's OsteoSEE ultrasound aims to detect tibial stress fractures before they show on standard imaging

   Source: Medical Xpress (Johns Hopkins University)

   Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory are developing OsteoSEE, a noninvasive ultrasound platform that uses surface acoustic waves to spot microstructural damage in cortical bone without ionizing radiation. The technology was named a 2026 R&D 100 Award winner; it is still in development.

   Why it mattersA radiation-free way to catch early bone stress could matter for military, sports and occupational medicine, though clinical validation is still to come.
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9. 07

   Ixoreal reports placebo-controlled study of SRI-81 Shatavari extract in women's sexual function

   Source: Nutritional Outlook

   Supplement maker Ixoreal Biomed is highlighting an 8-week randomized trial in 135 women (India and US), published in the International Journal of Women's Health, in which its Shatavari root extract improved total Female Sexual Function Index scores more than placebo. The trial was described as exploratory and the results are company-promoted.

   Why it mattersAshwagandha and Shatavari ingredient makers are building clinical dossiers for women's health supplements; small, sponsor-linked trials like this one warrant careful reading before any claims are made.
10. 08

    Nestlé-linked Nature study: a mother's gut bacteria seed the infant gut and may help predict infant eczema

    Source: NutraIngredients

    A Nature study from a Nestlé and University Medical Center Groningen collaboration analysed 4,526 stool samples from 714 mother-infant pairs and found infants shared a median 65% of gut bacterial strains with their mothers at two and four weeks, falling to 25% by age one. Researchers reported that maternal gut bacteria offered clues to infant eczema risk.

    Why it mattersThe findings feed industry interest in maternal and infant nutrition products, but they are associative and do not show that any supplement prevents eczema.
11. 09

    Procter & Gamble posts 4% sales rise to $23.3bn in fiscal Q1 2027, with beauty organic sales up 5%

    Source: Cosmetics Business

    P&G reported first-quarter earnings with sales up 4% to US$23.3bn and organic sales up 4%; its beauty segment (Olay, Herbal Essences) grew organic sales 5%. Its updated fiscal 2027 sales guidance reflects the acquisition of supplement brand Thorne.

    Why it mattersA consumer-goods giant moving deeper into supplements signals more mainstream competition and scrutiny in the nutraceuticals market. Not investment advice.

    Market news · Not investment advice

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13. 10

    Star Therapeutics raises $200M from investors led by OrbiMed and Janus Henderson after Vega sale and Electra IPO

    Source: BioPharma Dive

    Star Therapeutics announced $200 million in venture financing co-led by OrbiMed and Janus Henderson, after selling subsidiary Vega Therapeutics to Incyte in a deal worth up to $2 billion and seeing spinout Electra Therapeutics raise $350 million in a September IPO. Star says it will return to stealth to develop biologics for hematologic and immune conditions.

    Why it mattersLarge rounds for early-stage rare-disease biotechs show investor appetite for teams with prior exits. Not investment advice.

    Market news · Not investment advice

14. 11

    STAT+: U.S. Treasury proposes major restrictions on U.S. investment in China's biotech sector

    Source: STAT (STAT+, paywalled)

    STAT's ESMO newsletter flags a STAT+ report that the Treasury has proposed major restrictions on U.S. investment in the Chinese biotech sector; details are behind the paywall.

    Why it mattersWith several of this week's headline ESMO and NEJM results coming from Chinese developers, any limits could affect U.S. investors and in-licensing deals for China-originated drugs. Not investment advice.

    Market news · Not investment advice