ASCO 2025: Key Highlights in Advanced Lung Cancer

Just returned from ASCO 2025, Isabel Preeshagul, DO, comments on intriguing data that were presented, including results from REZILIENT1, which showed a 35% response rate for zipalertinib in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor exon 20-altered stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), even those previously treated with targeted therapies, with manageable toxicity. An unexpected finding from another study in the advanced NSCLC space suggested that administering immunochemotherapy before 3:00 PM was associated with better outcomes, possibly due to circadian influences on immune response.
In extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, tarlatamab demonstrated superiority over chemotherapy in the DeLLphi-304 trial, with favorable patient-reported outcomes including improved cough and exertional shortness of breath. Finally, Dr Preeshagul notes how the IMforte study reported promising results for maintenance atezolizumab plus lurbinectedin, with improved progression-free survival and overall survival, making it a potential option pending further risk-benefit discussion.

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36 minutes ago

• Yahoo

A longer ‘winter': Public funding slowdown heightens pressure on biotech startups

This story was originally published on BioPharma Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily BioPharma Dive newsletter. Biotechnology industry watchers were hopeful at the start of 2025. Venture funding appeared to be rebounding after a lengthy slump, and a smattering of new stock offerings and company acquisitions brewed optimism that the public markets might be similarly warming up to young drugmakers. But the positivity quickly dissipated. Trump administration policies gutted scientific research funding and raised questions about U.S. drug prices. Large layoffs and upheaval at public health agencies created regulatory turmoil that added risk to what's already, by its nature, a risky sector to invest in. The results were laid out in a June report from David Windley and Tucker Remmers, two analysts at the investment bank Jefferies. According to that report, funding in public biotech companies — be it from initial public offerings, follow-on stock offerings, or 'PIPE' deals — plummeted in May. The 'political and economic uncertainties' have "cast a cloud over biotech investment,' they wrote. 'Since product development cycles can range 12-15 years in this industry, biotechs (and their boards and investors) want clarity on FDA regulation, drug pricing, and funding before committing to large, [long-term] investments,' Windley and Remmers wrote. Investors and industry insiders interviewed by BioPharma Dive say that the public slowdown is trickling down to startups that have already been under intense pressure during a prolonged pullback. Companies and investors are struggling to align on valuations, making funding rounds more difficult to close than in prior years. The uphill battle in the public markets is further delaying IPO plans, too. "People are waiting to see what happens, and it's extended that winter," said Tim Scott, the president of Biocom California, an industry trade group. To date, only seven biotech companies have priced IPOs in 2025, and no large offerings have occurred since mid-February. No biotechs have publicly disclosed IPO ambitions in several months either, and one of the last to do so, Odyssey Therapeutics, pulled its offering in May. In a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission, CEO Gary Glick wrote that it was 'not in the best interests of the company' to go public at that time. One reason IPOs have ground to a halt, experts say, is that the public markets aren't rewarding drug startups as predictably as they once were. Typically, drug companies can expect their value to climb after delivering positive clinical results. But 'even companies with good data aren't seeing a lot of movement in the public markets,' said Jonathan Norris, a managing director at HSBC Innovation Banking. As a result, Norris said, companies are looking at the time and expense it takes in the monthslong process to go public and wondering: 'What's the benefit?' 'If you have any readouts that are even eye squinting, you're going to get crushed,' he said. 'It's a tough, tough endeavor.' The shuttered IPO window is exacerbating problems for young biotechs. "If you don't have a public market opportunity, then the companies that are private have to think about ways to raise capital and stay private for longer," said Maina Bhaman, a partner at Sofinnova Partners. Feeling that burden, venture investors are becoming more conservative. While private funding hasn't plummeted as much as its public counterpart, investors are more selective and slower-moving. Funding has become increasingly consolidated into fewer and larger 'megarounds,' to the extent that more firms are compiling similar portfolios. And they're hard to finalize, even when most of a funding syndicate is already onboard, according to Norris. "People are struggling to figure out where the bottom of the market is and what's the appropriate valuation and expectation for that investment,' he said. "A lot of VCs are pencils down right now on deals they would otherwise be moving forward on,' Scott added. Pullbacks are nothing new in biotech. But what has been unusual, some say, is how long the sector has spent in the doldrums after peaking in early 2021. One reason is the most recent boom flooded the market with more companies than it could support. But another is that the ensuing correction has intensified amid regulatory and political upheaval. A report last week from Roel van den Akker, PwC's U.S. pharma and life science deals leader, predicted that companies will be 'preparing contingency plans' to account for delays in 'trial oversight' and drug applications. Drug companies are used to dealing with a high level of risk, as most experimental medicines never make it to market. But 'now you've got a lot more macro uncertainty that is being layered on top," Bhaman said. On the public side, that uncertainty has resulted in less patient investors, some of whom are pressing company boards to shut down after setbacks rather than change course. But some startups are taking drastic steps, too, such as cutting programs and staff to, some experts believe, depress their value so they can still attract investment. The "lack of surety" is pressuring biotechs to be as efficient as possible with their cash, Scott said, perhaps working on one program instead of a few. There have been multiple high-profile examples of late. Eikon Therapeutics and Insitro, two well-funded startups, both cited a need for 'prudence' in laying off staff. Norris expects more companies to proactively cut staff, or even close, as the longer-than-expected winter drags on. 'Most of those companies are not going to find the investors that they're hoping for,' he said. 'And I think that's just the unfortunate truth.' Recommended Reading Radiopharmaceutical drugmaker RayzeBio signals plans to go public

Yahoo

37 minutes ago

• Yahoo

Should You Forget Medical Properties Trust and Buy These Unstoppable Dividend Stocks Instead?

Medical Properties Trust has a 7.2% yield and a history of dividend cuts behind it. Other healthcare REITs have high yields and dividends that have withstood adversity much better. Omega Healthcare has a 7.4% yield, and LTC Properties has a 6.5% yield. 10 stocks we like better than Medical Properties Trust › Medical Properties Trust (NYSE: MPW) has a lofty 7.2% yield. That compares to the S&P 500 index's skinny little 1.2% yield, and the average real estate investment trust's (REIT's) yield of around 4.1%. On the surface, it appears to be an obvious choice. But don't jump at the chance to buy Medical Properties Trust just yet. You can get similarly large yields from healthcare REIT peers Omega Healthcare (NYSE: OHI) and LTC Properties (NYSE: LTC), and both offer a more compelling dividend story than Medical Properties. Here's what you need to know. Take a look at the chart below for Medical Properties Trust. The orange line is the quarterly dividend, and the purple line is the stock price. Notice the massive drop in both that has occurred since 2022. That was when some of the REIT's large tenants started to experience financial troubles. It was the start of a tense and complicated period when a small number of Medical Properties Trust's tenants failed, and it had no choice but to cut its dividend. For long-term dividend investors, the lofty 7.2% yield on offer from Medical Properties Trust comes with some lofty risks. It's possible that the bad news is all out, and the REIT can start to turn its business around. However, that's far from a certainty. Unless you're willing to bet that the future will look much brighter from here, most dividend investors will probably want to tread with caution. In fact, even if a turnaround is underway, it's likely to be a years-long process. There's a contrast to be made here with healthcare REITs Omega Healthcare and LTC Properties. Both of these REITs focus on senior housing, including nursing homes and assisted living facilities. During the coronavirus pandemic's height, both of these property types were hard hit. The reason was pretty simple: COVID-19 is particularly deadly for unvaccinated older adults and spreads easily in group settings. Occupancy fell for both REITs, and there was a drought of new customers. Both Omega and LTC also had to deal with tenant problems, as some of their lessees had trouble paying rent. That would seem like a perfect storm that would lead to a dividend cut. Yet neither Omega nor LTC cut their dividends. To be fair, neither of these REITs has increased their dividends in years. But a static dividend is much better than a dividend cut. Right now, Omega's yield is 7.4%, while more diversified LTC Properties has a 6.5% yield. The future is starting to look brighter for each of these healthcare REITs. Omega's adjusted funds from operations (FFO) rose year over year in the first quarter of 2025, and it increased its full-year guidance. LTC Properties, meanwhile, expects 2025's adjusted FFO per share to be flat to slightly higher. However, it's diversifying its business approach to include senior housing operating properties (SHOP). (SHOP assets are owned and operated by the REIT, though it actually hires a third party to handle day-to-day management of the asset.) As it grows, this business should increasingly benefit from the growth in demand for senior housing as the U.S. population ages. The key takeaway here, however, is that, when faced with adversity, Omega and LTC Properties held firm in their commitment to shareholders. They adjusted as needed to keep paying. Medical Properties Trust, on the other hand, couldn't manage that feat. The past doesn't predict the future, of course, but the past is all we have to go on as investors. And since all three of these healthcare REITs have faced material adversity just recently, their strengths and weaknesses have been laid bare. While the worst might be over for Medical Properties Trust, most dividend investors should probably err on the side of caution with either Omega, which has a higher yield, or LTC Properties, which has a lower yield but a far more diversified business model. Before you buy stock in Medical Properties Trust, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Medical Properties Trust wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $659,171!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $891,722!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 995% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 9, 2025 Reuben Gregg Brewer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Should You Forget Medical Properties Trust and Buy These Unstoppable Dividend Stocks Instead? was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio

Washington Post

an hour ago

• Washington Post

How to feel about climate change? A scientist reflects on anger, hope and love.

Kate Marvel is a climate scientist. She spends her days working with climate models, watching temperatures climb, glaciers melt and seas rise — and she has some feelings about it. Marvel's new book is called 'Human Nature: Nine Ways to Feel About Our Changing Planet,' and it's organized around emotions. There is anger, grief and fear, of course — but there is also wonder, surprise, hope and love.