**Madrid, Spain, October 23‑27, 2026** — Three early‑phase clinical studies presented at the 2026 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress reported preliminary efficacy and safety profiles for novel antibody‑drug conjugates (ADCs), including combination regimens and bispecific ADCs (BsADCs), in patients with advanced solid tumors. A Phase II trial reported an objective response rate (ORR) of 80.6% in the platinum‑resistant ovarian cancer cohort treated with B7‑H3‑targeted ADC elfetabart drozuntecan plus PD‑L1/VEGF‑A bispecific antibody pumitamig, while the cervical cancer cohort achieved an ORR of 50.0%. Two Phase I trials of EGFR/cMET‑ and EGFR/B7‑H3‑targeted bispecific ADCs also demonstrated antitumor signals across non‑small‑cell lung cancer and other solid malignancies. All findings represent early‑phase signals; durability of response and long‑term safety remain to be validated.

ESMO Congress 2026 has opened in Madrid, Spain on October 23. Centered on treatment optimisation, the congress aims to reduce the burden on patients and healthcare systems and improve access to effective anti‑cancer therapies. A new guideline for humanistic reporting of cancer research was released. Key data on mRNA cancer vaccines, ADCs and bispecific antibodies will be presented. The congress expects more than 40,000 global participants, with over 6,300 abstracts and around 230 scientific sessions. The opening press conference was hosted by Dr Angela Lamarca, Chair of ESMO Communications Committee. ESMO sets two priorities: advancing innovative therapies and optimising existing regimens for better efficacy, lower toxicity and wider access. ESMO President Fabrice André noted that treatment optimisation seeks to reduce treatment intensity without compromising outcomes. Shorter and less intensive therapy reduces harm to patients and saves healthcare resources, making effective treatment available to more people worldwide. It is a core priority of the ESMO 2030 Strategy. ESMO continues to fund independent academic trials exploring minimal effective treatment intensity. A new humanistic reporting guideline for cancer research, co‑developed with patient organisations, was launched to align with ESMO 2030’s patient‑centred oncology principle. It encourages researchers and clinicians to focus on patients behind clinical data, rather than only survival statistics. mRNA cancer vaccines are a major highlight. Results of the INTerpath‑001 trial in melanoma will be unveiled in the Presidential Symposium. Dr James Larkin stressed the need for rigorous trials across tumour types to validate mRNA technology. Dr Yelena Janjigian highlighted new Phase III randomised data for ADCs. ADCs deliver chemotherapy payloads precisely to tumour cells. Updates on ADC targets, payload engineering and bispecific antibodies will also be shared. She reminded clinicians to recognise and manage ADC‑related adverse events. The congress embodies global collaboration in oncology. Balanced chair selection across regions is emphasised. Fabrice André recognised growing contributions from Asia, especially China, to anti‑cancer drug development and clinical trials. ESMO unites the global oncology community for one shared goal: curing patients.

On October 7, 2026, Stanford University and Elsevier, a leading international academic publisher, jointly released the 2026 World's Top 2% Scientists list. It is one of the most highly regarded annual rankings for research evaluation and assessment of academic impact.

Ovarian cancer is highly malignant, and platinum-resistant recurrence represents a formidable clinical challenge. Treatment options for patients in later lines are limited, creating an urgent unmet need for novel therapeutic regimens. Recently, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) issued a positive opinion, recommending the marketing authorisation of relacorilant (brand name: Lifyorli) in the European Union. Key data from the pivotal ROSELLA trial were presented at the ESMO Congress and garnered widespread attention across the gynaecologic oncology community. On 17 September 2026, CHMP adopted a positive opinion recommending a marketing authorisation for relacorilant (Lifyorli) for use in adult patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer or primary peritoneal cancer. The marketing application was submitted by Corcept Therapeutics Netherlands B.V.

Numerous stubborn obstacles continue to hinder drug development for a wide range of menopausal symptoms. In recent years, menopause has stepped out of the shadows and into public discourse. People are increasingly willing to talk about issues such as hot flashes and night sweats, while a wave of telehealth start-ups promising relief for multiple symptoms has sprung up, fuelling a menopause therapeutics market valued at USD 17 billion[1-2]. Yet therapeutic demand remains far out of reach of scientific advances, with deep-rooted structural barriers plaguing women’s health. Kim Dalla Torre, Global and Americas Health Leader at EY, says people have stepped forward and are attempting to make an impact in specific areas. Research funding has historically been inadequate in women’s health[3]. According to the World Economic Forum, even today only around 6% of private medical funding goes to women’s health, stifling innovation[4]. Dalla Torre notes that women remain underrepresented in clinical research[5], leaving physicians constrained by a limited evidence base when making treatment decisions. Pharmaceutical companies have stepped in to try to fill this gap. While some major healthcare providers have expanded menopause care options[6], numerous smaller firms have flooded the market selling unproven health supplements and products, which account for the bulk of spending in the menopause market[7]. A recent article in the *British Medical Journal (BMJ)* raises concerns over the growing popularity of expensive hormone test panels. Multiple medical associations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, deem such tests unnecessary[8]. These tests can cost hundreds of US dollars yet offer limited clinical value, as there is no clear time window for hormone therapy. Even so, these unnecessary tests are used to justify personalised hormone treatment regimens whose efficacy and safety have not been verified. Researchers argue this phenomenon reflects broader issues stemming from the commercialisation of women’s health and signals a drift away from evidence-based medicine in the field. Insufficient pharmaceutical R&D investment may remain a major challenge ahead. Menopause drug development has long been a rocky road for many pharma firms, partly due to symptom heterogeneity. An estimated 6,000 women enter menopause every day in the United States, yet their experiences vary widely[9]. Some develop debilitating vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, while others experience brain fog and sleep disturbances. “There isn’t a single disease where companies can put money in and say ‘this is where I can get a return on investment in women’s health’… No single drug can solve this,” Dalla Torre states. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) remains one of the primary treatments physicians use to ease symptoms, regaining popularity after falling out of favour. In the 1990s, HRT was widely hailed as a remedy for many menopausal complaints. That changed abruptly in 2002, when researchers halted the large Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trial over concerns that HRT raised risks of serious conditions including breast cancer, heart disease and stroke[10]. New analyses of those findings have since painted a more complex picture of HRT, including recognition that its benefit-risk profile is strongly tied to treatment timing[11]. Dalla Torre is eager to see biotech companies focus on this space. Once that happens, large pharmaceutical firms can take the baton and expand the field. Several drug developers are already working diligently here. Most recently, Bayer secured approval in October 2025 for Lynkuet, a new medicine for hot flashes[12]. Targeting NK1 and NK3 receptors, it will compete with Astellas’ Veozah, an NK3 receptor drug launched in 2023. Bayer forecasts Lynkuet’s annual sales to exceed USD 1 billion. Veozah has recently received an FDA safety warning for rare but severe liver complications[13], with sales underperforming expectations[14] and complicated reimbursement issues. More candidates are in the pipeline, such as AbCellera’s NK3R-targeting Phase II asset[15]. Still, Dalla Torre points out that hot flashes are an easier target for drug developers, as treatment efficacy can be quantified more readily in clinical trials. For other conditions, women will need more personalised therapies. “If we approach women’s health the way we approach CAR-T therapy, as personalised medicine with solutions tailored to individual patients’ needs and symptoms, we can make far greater progress,” Dalla Torre says. Dalla Torre argues the field needs better characterisation of interconnected diseases that disproportionately affect women, such as autoimmune disorders and Alzheimer’s disease, followed by deeper research to find solutions. Meanwhile, women are doing what they can to manage menopausal symptoms and seek answers on their own. Dalla Torre observes women rely on anecdotal evidence, reading blogs and consulting friends and family, because relevant research remains insufficient. Delivering better options means generating more evidence, which requires lowering barriers to clinical trial participation. Women often have little free time due to work and care responsibilities for children and ageing parents, so trials need to become more accessible to female participants. More must also be done to raise awareness that menopausal symptoms are not something women simply have to endure. Per Mayo Clinic data, roughly 80% of women with these symptoms do not seek medical help. Pharma also has a role to play[16]. Dalla Torre hopes more biotech firms will focus on this area. Once this trend gains traction, large pharmaceutical companies can take over and scale up, creating broader global impact.

At 17:00 Beijing Time on October 5, the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden announced that the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for their discoveries of light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.

Numerous stubborn hurdles continue to impede drug development targeting a wide range of menopausal symptoms in women. In recent years, menopause has stepped out of the shadows and into the public spotlight. People are increasingly willing to discuss issues such as hot flashes and night sweats, while a wave of telehealth startups promising relief for multiple symptoms have sprung up, giving rise to a menopause therapeutics market valued at USD 17 billion [1-2]. Yet therapeutic demands remain far out of reach of scientific advances, with deep-rooted structural obstacles plaguing women’s health. Kim Dalla Torre, Global and Americas Health Leader at EY, notes that stakeholders are stepping up and seeking to make an impact in specific areas. Research funding has historically been inadequate for women’s health [3]. According to the World Economic Forum, even today only around 6% of private healthcare funding is directed toward women’s health, stifling innovation [4]. Dalla Torre points out that women remain underrepresented in clinical research [5], leaving physicians constrained by a limited evidence base when making treatment decisions. Pharmaceutical companies have stepped in to try to fill this gap. While some major healthcare providers have expanded care options for menopause [6], a large number of smaller firms have entered the space, selling unproven dietary supplements and products that account for the bulk of spending in the menopause market [7]. A recent article published in *The BMJ* raised concerns over the growing popularity of expensive hormone test panels. Multiple medical societies, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), deem such tests unnecessary [8]. These tests can cost hundreds of US dollars yet offer limited clinical value, as there is no clear time window for hormone therapy. Even so, these unnecessary tests are used to justify personalized hormone treatment regimens lacking validated efficacy and safety profiles. Researchers argue that this phenomenon reflects broader issues stemming from commercialization in women’s health, marking a drift away from evidence-based medicine. With insufficient pharmaceutical investment in R&D, this will likely remain a major challenge for the field. Menopause drug development has been a bumpy journey for many pharma companies, partly due to the heterogeneity of symptoms. An estimated 6,000 women enter menopause every day in the United States, yet their experiences vary widely [9]. Some develop debilitating vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, while others suffer from brain fog and sleep disturbances. “There isn’t one disease that companies can invest in and say, ‘This is where I get return on investment in women’s health’… There is no single drug that can solve this,” Dalla Torre states. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) remains one of the primary treatments physicians use to relieve symptoms. After falling out of favor, it has seen a resurgence. In the 1990s, HRT was widely hailed as a remedy for many menopausal complaints. However, the landscape shifted dramatically in 2002, when researchers halted the large Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trial over concerns that HRT raised risks of serious conditions including breast cancer, heart disease and stroke [10]. New analyses of those findings have since painted a more complex picture of HRT, including recognition that the benefit-risk profile is closely tied to treatment timing [11]. Dalla Torre is eager to see biotech companies focus on this field. Once this momentum builds, large pharmaceutical firms can take the baton and further expand development. Several drug developers are already hard at work here. Most recently, Bayer secured approval in October 2025 for Lynkuet, a new medicine for hot flashes [12]. Targeting NK1 and NK3 receptors, this drug will compete with Veozah, an NK3 receptor inhibitor launched by Astellas in 2023. Bayer forecasts that Lynkuet will generate annual sales exceeding USD 1 billion. Veozah recently received an FDA safety warning for rare but serious liver complications [13], with sales below expectations [14] and complex reimbursement hurdles. More candidates are in the pipeline, such as an AbCellera NK3R-targeted agent in Phase II development [15]. Still, Dalla Torre notes that hot flashes represent an easier target for drug developers because treatment response can be quantified more readily in clinical trials. For other manifestations, women will need more personalized therapies. “If we approach women’s health the way we approach CAR-T therapy — as personalized medicine, tailoring solutions to patients’ specific needs and symptoms — we can make much greater progress,” Dalla Torre says. Dalla Torre argues that the field needs to better unpack the connections between interrelated diseases that disproportionately affect women, such as autoimmune disorders and Alzheimer’s disease, and conduct deeper research to identify solutions. Meanwhile, women are doing what they can to manage menopausal symptoms and seek answers on their own. Dalla Torre observes that women care about real-world outcomes. They read blogs and talk to friends and family, relying on anecdotal evidence, because relevant research remains sparse. Delivering better options for them means generating more evidence, which requires lowering barriers to clinical trial participation. Women often have limited free time due to work and caregiving responsibilities for children and aging parents, so trials need to become more accessible to female participants. More efforts are also needed to raise awareness that menopausal symptoms are not something women simply have to endure. According to the Mayo Clinic, roughly 80% of women with these symptoms do not seek medical help. Pharmaceutical enterprises also have a role to play [16]. Dalla Torre hopes more biotech companies will dedicate their efforts to this space. Once this trend takes hold, large pharma can carry the work forward and scale up, creating a broader global impact.

On September 28, 2026, information published on the official website of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) showed that Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD)’s pembrolizumab injection (subcutaneous formulation, MK-3475A) has been approved for marketing in China. This approval marks the launch of a new administration formulation of pembrolizumab in China, offering a new therapeutic option for clinical practice.

On September 6, 2026, the highly anticipated 26th Asia-Pacific Association for Gynecologic Endoscopy (APAGE) Annual Congress & the 13th Indonesian Gynecological Endoscopy Society (IGES) 2026, officially commenced in Bali, Indonesia. Under the theme "Collective Brilliance: Elevating Gynecology Endoscopy through Shared Innovation," the congress brings together top experts in gynecologic minimally invasive surgery from the Asia-Pacific region and across the globe. Discussions will delve into hot topics such as cutting-edge gynecologic endoscopic techniques, AI applications, oncology diagnosis and treatment, fertility preservation, and robotic telesurgery. As the Official Exclusive Media Partner of the congress, OBGYN.net has dispatched a reporting team to the scene to provide real-time, first-hand updates on the latest academic trends.

Where emerald seas gather the finest minds, the frontier of surgical research comes alive. On September 4–5, 2026, the APAGE 2026 & 13th IGES flagship academic program — twelve specialized hands-on technique workshops — successfully concluded on the Indonesian island of Bali. As the core academic segment of the congress, distinguished by its strong practical value, this edition focused on advancing clinical skills in gynecologic minimally invasive surgery and fostering international academic exchange. It brought together experts, frontline physicians, and nursing leaders from over twenty countries and regions, building a high-level Asia-Pacific training and exchange platform for minimally invasive techniques through immersive practice, refined instruction, and in-depth transnational discussion. The Obstetrics & Gynecology Network traveled to the venue to witness this international academic gathering firsthand and document the latest achievements in minimally invasive techniques. A Practice-Oriented, Problem-Solving Curriculum Unlike traditional academic meetings that emphasize theoretical presentations, this Workshop series was built around four core principles: practice-focused, difficulty-targeting, application-driven, and exchange-oriented. Moving beyond generic academic lectures, it established twelve vertical, segmented training tracks centered on the challenging pain points and procedural blind spots of clinical gynecologic minimally invasive surgery... Breaking Barriers, Sharing Across Borders The core value of this international training workshop lay in breaking down the geographical barriers separating obstetric and gynecologic care across nations, achieving the interconnection, shared progress, and mutual learning of minimally invasive techniques throughout the Asia-Pacific region... Bridging China and the World Clinicians from multiple countries exchanged ideas and engaged in deep dialogue on the same stage... Several Chinese obstetric and gynecologic experts took the stage to share the clinical practice achievements and innovative techniques of Chinese minimally invasive gynecology, conveying the strength of Chinese obstetric and gynecologic medicine to the Asia-Pacific medical community... A Successful Conclusion, A Lasting Mission The two-day hands-on workshop came to a successful close... reflecting the vibrant atmosphere of dedication and collaborative progress that characterizes the Asia-Pacific field of minimally invasive obstetrics and gynecology.