This week in Drug Discovery (19-23 October)
News round-up for 19-23 October 2026 by Megan Thomas, Multimedia Editor at DDW.
In this week’s news roundup, drug discovery and biopharma companies continue to make progress across the drug development pipeline, with recent updates highlighting clinical trial milestones, emerging research and investment in new treatments.
The top stories:
Initial data from Phase I/II trial of base editing therapy at ESGCT
Beam Therapeutics will present initial data from the ongoing Phase I/II clinical trial evaluating BEAM-301 for the treatment of glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSDIa) at the 33rd Annual Congress of the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ESGCT).
Mission doses first Parkinson’s patient in Phase Ib study
Mission Therapeutics has dosed the first patient in its Phase Ib proof-of-mechanism study of MTX325 in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Ion channel blocker for autoimmune disease well tolerated in trial
Zealand Pharma has shared positive Phase I multiple ascending dose (MAD) topline results for the company’s novel Kv1.3 ion channel blocker, ZP9830.
First clinical results from AKIR001 to be presented at EANM 2026
Akiram Therapeutics’ abstract presenting the first clinical results from the ongoing first-in-human trial has been selected as a Top Rated Oral Presentation (TROP) at EANM 2026. The study is evaluating 177Lu-AKIR001 in patients with irresectable or metastatic CD44v6-positive solid tumours who have no remaining standard treatment options.
Microbiotica raises £36 million to advance into Phase II
Biopharma company Microbiotica has closed £36 million in Series C financing to support the advancement of its treatment for ulcerative colitis.