LONDON and RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Thunes, the Smart Superhighway to move money around the world, has announced the rollout of real-time cross-border payments into Saudi Arabia. Through its Direct Global Network, Thunes’ Members can now deliver instant payouts directly to bank accounts and wallets in the Kingdom in Saudi Riyals (SAR), streamlining transactions for both individuals and businesses.

The move comes as Saudi Arabia accelerates its financial sector transformation under Vision 2030, with rising demand for fast and transparent cross-border payments. According to industry data*, the value of money received into the Kingdom is expected to reach US $232 billion in 2025, reflecting strong growth in transaction volume and digital adoption.

Research from Thunes’ 2025 Report: Money Without Borders highlights that 65% of expatriates view transaction speed as the most critical factor when choosing how to send funds. By connecting directly with the Saudi banking network, Thunes’ delivers faster, more cost-efficient, and more transparent transfers compared to traditional payment methods.

The rollout enables overseas businesses managing Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage campaigns to pay fees into the Kingdom seamlessly and securely, ensuring faster settlement and a smoother experience for pilgrims.

Ahmad Yaacoub, VP MENA and Country Head for Saudi Arabia at Thunes, said: “Saudi Arabia’s financial sector is undergoing a rapid digital shift, and demand for faster, reliable cross-border payments has never been higher. Our launch of real-time payments into the Kingdom gives our Members the tools to meet these expectations and better serve both consumers and businesses.”

Aik Boon Tan, Chief Network Officer at Thunes, added: “Speed is now a necessity in cross-border payments. Our real-time direct payout capability in Saudi Arabia equips our Members to deliver instant, secure, and transparent transfers into one of the Middle East’s most dynamic and rapidly-growing economies.”

With this launch, Thunes strengthens its leadership in real-time cross-border payments and supports greater financial inclusion, enabling millions to participate more fully and easily in the global economy.

Thunes is exhibiting and speaking at the inaugural Money 2020 Middle East taking place in Riyadh from September 15 – 17, 2025. Contact us to arrange a meeting.

* Trading Economics and Statista reports on the value of inward remittances and trade.

HONG KONG, Sept. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Akeso, Inc. (9926.HK) (“Akeso” or the “Company”) announced that the first patient has been dosed in its global, multicenter, randomized Phase II registrational trial (COMPASSION-36/AK104-225). The trial will evaluate cadonilimab, Akeso’s first-in-class PD-1/CTLA-4 bispecific antibody, in combination with lenvatinib versus lenvatinib alone for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients previously treated with atezolizumab (a PD-L1 inhibitor) and bevacizumab.

COMPASSION-36 is the first global registrational Phase III trial of cadonilimab, currently ongoing in China, the U.S. and Europe. Its advancement represents a significant milestone in the global development and registration of cadonilimab, reflecting Akeso’s commitment to advancing cancer immunotherapy and addressing the limited survival benefits associated with single-target therapies.

Additional global multicenter registrational/Phase III clinical trials for cadonilimab are currently being prepared. Going forward, Akeso will continue to pursue a dual strategy of in-house development and open collaboration, leveraging high-quality global resources to accelerate the internationalization of cadonilimab and offer patients worldwide improved and more accessible treatment options.

Currently, immune checkpoint inhibitor (IO) combination therapies have become the standard first-line treatment for various advanced malignancies. However, for patients worldwide whose disease progresses after IO combination therapy, there is a lack of effective second-line treatment options. The very limited second-line treatment options for advanced malignancies drive the critical need to explore new therapeutic strategies. Cadonilimab-based combination therapies have shown substantial potential in overcoming IO resistance across multiple tumor types.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, with approximately 865,000 new cases of liver cancer reported globally in 2022. The combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab (A+T regimen) is the standard first-line therapy for advanced HCC, as recommended by the NCCN guidelines. However, for patients whose disease progresses after first-line A+T treatment, there is currently no FDA-approved second-line therapy available in the U.S., and also no approved treatment options from the NMPA in China. This creates a significant unmet need in the clinical management of these patients.

The potential of cadonilimab for the treatment of HCC has been validated in multiple studies. The promising data from the combination of cadonilimab and pulocimab (anti-VEGFR-2) in treating IO-resistant lung cancer was recently presented as an oral presentation at WCLC 2025, generating widespread attention within the industry. At the 2023 ESMO Asia Congress, a study was presented demonstrating that cadonilimab, combined with FOLFOX-HAIC as neoadjuvant therapy, achieved a 100% disease control rate (DCR) in patients with resectable multinodular HCC. Data presented at the 2023 ESMO Congress revealed that the combination of cadonilimab and lenvatinib as first-line treatment for advanced HCC shows superior antitumor activity.

Akeso’s exploration of combination therapies with cadonilimab in the treatment of HCC offers a broad and effective approach to disease management. These combinations address both early and advanced stages of HCC and provide promising therapeutic options for a wide range of patients.

In addition to the international multicenter Phase II registrational study COMPASSION-36, patient enrollment for the Phase III clinical trial of cadonilimab as adjuvant therapy for high-risk recurrence following curative surgery for HCC has been completed. Furthermore, a Phase III registrational study of cadonilimab combined with lenvatinib and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for the treatment of intermediate to advanced unresectable HCC is currently ongoing.

Forward-Looking Statement of Akeso, Inc.

This announcement by Akeso, Inc. (9926.HK, “Akeso”) contains “forward-looking statements”. These statements reflect the current beliefs and expectations of Akeso’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These statements are not intended to form the basis of any investment decision or any decision to purchase securities of Akeso. There can be no assurance that the drug candidate(s) indicated in this announcement or Akeso’s other pipeline candidates will obtain the required regulatory approvals or achieve commercial success. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in P.R.China, the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; Akeso’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the Akeso’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

Akeso does not undertake any obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, except as required by law.

About Akeso
Akeso (HKEX: 9926.HK) is a leading biopharmaceutical company committed to the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of the world’s first or best-in-class innovative biological medicines. Founded in 2012, the company has created a unique integrated R&D innovation system with the comprehensive end-to-end drug development platform (ACE Platform) and bi-specific antibody drug development technology (Tetrabody) as the core, a GMP-compliant manufacturing system and a commercialization system with an advanced operation mode, and has gradually developed into a globally competitive biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative solutions. With fully integrated multi-functional platform, Akeso is internally working on a robust pipeline of over 50 innovative assets in the fields of cancer, autoimmune disease, inflammation, metabolic disease and other major diseases. Among them, 24 candidates have entered clinical trials (including 15 bispecific/multispecific antibodies and bispecific ADCs. Additionally, 7 new drugs are commercially available. Through efficient and breakthrough R&D innovation, Akeso always integrates superior global resources, develops the first-in-class and best-in-class new drugs, provides affordable therapeutic antibodies for patients worldwide, and continuously creates more commercial and social values to become a global leading biopharmaceutical enterprise.

For more information, please visit https://www.akesobio.com/en/about-us/corporate-profile/ and follow us on Linkedin.

Australian scientists who discovered how to “turn off” genes that make cancer cells grow are celebrating the next phase of development – with Pfizer’s first in class KAT6 inhibitor PF-07248144 now moving to the next stages of clinical investigation.

MELBOURNE, Australia, Sept. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Australian biotechnology investment and commercialisation incubator, Oncology One Pty Ltd, is pleased to report that PF-07248144, Pfizer Inc’s clinical drug candidate discovered from Oncology One’s out-licensed KAT6 inhibitor program, has now commenced a Phase 3 clinical trial, a key milestone.

Quick facts: PF-07248144 is a selective catalytic inhibitor of KAT6 (KAT6A/B), members of the histone lysine acetyltransferase family of enzymes that are involved in regulating gene expression. In certain cancers, KAT6A/B gene activity is dysregulated promoting cancer cell growth. PF-07248144 suppresses this abnormal gene activity and thereby supresses cancer growth. Previous clinical trials have shown promise for treating advanced or metastatic hormone receptor positive, HER2-negative breast cancer.

Pfizer’s KATSIS-1 trial, a Phase 3 clinical trial of PF-07248144 combined with fulvestrant, is now published on clinicaltrials.gov. Reference ID NCT 07062965, “A study to Learn About the Study Medicine called PF-07248144 in Combination with Fulvestrant in People with HR-Positive, HER2 Negative Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer Who Progressed After a Prior Line of Treatment”. The KATSIS-1 trial will have a broad international footprint, seeking to enrol up to 400 subjects across many trial sites including Australian hospitals and specialty breast cancer units.

Although early detection has dramatically improved the overall survival rate of breast cancer, it is estimated that 10,000 – 12,000 Australians are currently living with metastatic disease. The most common cancer type, HR+ HER2- metastatic breast cancer, is responsible for approximately 2, 500 deaths each year, or six Australians per day, indicting a clear need for better treatment of this disease.  This investigational drug provides new hope for people whose cancer has failed to respond to all previous lines of treatment.

The progress of PF-07248144 represents a major win for Oncology One and validation for the multiple research institutes, biotechnology companies and researchers who participated in the Cancer Therapeutics CRC (now Canthera Discovery) to translate this original Australian research into a promising investigational drug.

In 2009, the KAT6 project was licensed into the Cancer Therapeutics Cooperative Research Centre (CTx), Australia’s first cooperative drug discovery network funded by the Australian Federal Government and participating organisations. It was further developed by CTx and later licensed to Pfizer in 2018 by Oncology One (formerly CTxONE).

Oncology One Chair of Scientific Advisory Board, Professor Ian Street, said: “In the early 2000s at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI), Anne Voss and Tim Thomas made foundational discoveries about KAT6A, a protein that is important for controlling gene expression during development and growth of some blood cancers.  Many CTx research and industry partners – Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, SYNthesis Med Chem, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, WEHI, CSIRO, Griffith University, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, and the Children’s Cancer Institute, along with Pfizer, have worked together to develop a new drug that targets KAT6. This is a deeply inspiring story of collaboration in Australia’s medical research sector.”

If successful, PF-07248144 is on track to become a therapeutic in a completely new class of drugs, which essentially turns off cancer cells and stops them from multiplying.

Professor Ian Street, said: “I would like to congratulate the visionary and talented Australian scientists and clinicians who contributed to the discovery and development of PF-07248144  – and of course, share our sincere gratitude to Pfizer for backing this potential cancer therapeutic so quickly into a Phase 3 Clinical Trial.”

To learn more about investment or partnership opportunities with Oncology One, visit oncologyone.com.au.

About Oncology One

Oncology One Pty Ltd is a cancer research and drug development company. We work with partners to identify suitable programs and build value in high potential drug discovery projects. Oncology One has one out-licensed program and is a private company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. For more information visit oncologyone.com.au. 

Highlights:

• Up to 235% increase in real-world adherence compared to published norms (20–40%), across ~850 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma patients.
• >60% patients achieved an average two-week baseline adherence with ~4 in 10 patients reaching the critical threshold of >80% adherence, a level associated with 50% fewer exacerbations and lower hospitalisations.
• Sustained engagement of 12+ months with 54% persistence even in high-risk, elderly patients, far above typical digital health benchmarks (30–45%).
• Clinically meaningful reductions in admissions, readmissions, and overall care costs, directly aligned with payer and health system value-based care priorities.
• Clear multi-billion-dollar commercial opportunity, positioning Adherium’s Hailie® Smartinhaler® as a scalable, defensible platform for U.S. and global expansion.

MELBOURNE, Australia, Sept. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Adherium Limited (ASX: ADR), a global leader in connected respiratory health solutions, has today announced preliminary results from the groundbreaking iCARE study, a real-world study conducted in partnership Intermountain Health, a leading nonprofit US health provider, and CareCentra, an AI-driven prevention-as-a-service remote monitoring platform.

The iCARE study (‘the Study’) has resulted in significant positive clinical outcomes, including record adherence rates and consistent patient engagement for patients with COPD and asthma. The Study included the supply of 4,000 Halie® Smartinhalers®, supporting up to 2,500 COPD and asthma patients across five Intermountain Health facilities over two years.

Adherium Chief Executive Officer, Dawn Bitz, said: “By generating actionable patient data, including biometrics from Adherium’s Smartinhaler technology, the iCARE study demonstrates breakthrough adherence, unprecedented patient persistence, reduced hospitalisations, and significant potential cost savings. This data lays strong foundations for a scalable, value-based care model with global commercial relevance. We are now on track to close one of the largest historical gaps in respiratory management, unlocking value for patients, providers, payers, and investors alike.”

Analysis of the ~850 Intermountain Health patients enrolled in the Study revealed compelling clinical results. Adherence was evaluated in a subset of patients with connected controller inhalers and at least 30 days of inhalation data. Across this group, patients used their inhalers on average nearly two-thirds of the time, far higher than the roughly one-in-five times typically reported in these populations, marking one of the strongest independent, real-world adherence outcomes recorded in chronic respiratory care. Average two-week baseline adherence was 62%, with ~4 in 10 patients reaching the critical threshold of greater than 80% adherence, a level long associated with nearly 50% fewer respiratory attacks.

Separately, analysis of nearly 700 patients demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements across multiple dimensions of respiratory care including reductions in inpatient admissions, 30-day readmissions, average length of stay and lower reliance on rescue medications; resulting in decreases in overall cost of care.

The iCARE study also demonstrated strong persistence (“stickiness”) of the CareCentra remote monitoring platform, with more than half active users staying engaged for over a year, far outpacing expectations typically reported in behaviour -change program. Engagement was the highest in elderly, high-risk patients, including those with depression, proving that technology-enabled support can make a lasting difference even for the hardest to reach patients, and those least likely to adopt or sustain digital health interventions. These patients also represent the highest-cost segment of the healthcare system, requiring the most hospitalisations and readmissions. 

Adherium Chief Executive Officer, Dawn Bitz, said: “These interim results prove that digital health can deliver both measurable patient impact and health system value at scale. By combining innovative connected inhaler technology with CareCentra’s AI-driven behavioural engagement, we are not only improving adherence but also validating a sustainable, value-based care model.

“At the same time, outpatient encounters are increasing, reflecting earlier, proactive interventions that prevent costly crisis-level exacerbations. Together, these shifts demonstrate iCARE’s potential to fundamentally bend the cost curve in respiratory disease management—an outcome highly aligned with payer priorities in both U.S. and Australian markets.”

Intermountain Health Research Director for Respiratory Care Clinical Services, Kim Bennion, said: “For patients living with chronic respiratory disease, what happens between clinic visits often determines whether their condition stabilises or escalates. Through the iCARE program with continuous respiratory monitoring and nudging technology, we are giving our patients the tools and support to stay on therapy, avoid hospitalisations, and maintain a higher quality of life. These early results affirm the power of technology-enabled care to extend our reach beyond the hospital and clinic walls.”

The Study also presents opportunities for deeper analysis by condition type (COPD vs. asthma), patient severity (e.g., prior hospitalisations, GINA or GOLD classifications), environmental and weather-related factors, and socioeconomic influences on participation and outcomes, said Bennion.

A statistically more comprehensive dataset with detailed breakdowns will be released later but these results already serve as a leading indicator of iCARE’s ability to sustain engagement over time, and to deliver enduring value for patients, payers, and health systems.

Commerical Significance

• Adherium considers these preliminary results to be material under Listing Rule 3.1 because they demonstrate the scalability of the Hailie® platform in a leading U.S. health system, providing clinical validation that supports commercial expansion opportunities and payer engagement.
• These results are preliminary in nature and further data and analysis will be required before final conclusions can be drawn. Accordingly, while the findings are encouraging, they should not be taken as guarantees of future outcomes.
• Whilst the Study is currently being delivered in a research framework, these positive results position Adherium for new contracts, expanded sales and reimbursement.
• The iCARE study is the largest real-world respiratory monitoring care program for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma patients. The Study included the supply of 4,000 Hailie® sensors, supporting up to 2,500 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma patients, across five Intermountain facilities over a two-year period, underscoring both the scale of the program and the commercial adoption of Adherium’s technology.

Background

• Pressing global challenge: Asthma and COPD affect 40M in the U.S. and over 700M worldwide, with poor adherence the biggest barrier to better outcomes.
• Closing the adherence gap: Real-world adherence is often just 20–40%. In iCARE, adherence improved by up to 235%.
• Gold standard achieved: One third of patients-maintained adherence levels of > 80% during the entirety of the study, compared to single-digit rates in earlier studies.
• Scale and persistence: Nearly 1,000 patients, with two-thirds of doses taken as prescribed and more than 9 in 10 remain active after a year. Results unmatched by other digital health programs.
• Engaging the hardest to reach: Over half of patients remained engaged for a year, with the strongest persistence among elderly, high-risk patients including those aged 70 to 80.
• Engine of iCARE: Powered by Adherium’s Hailie® Smartinhaler® technology, which captures use, identifies technique errors, and enables real-time intervention, turning data into action for patients and providers.
• System-level impact: Early results show fewer hospital admissions, fewer readmissions, shorter stays, and less reliance on rescue medications, translating to better patient lives and lower system costs.
• Economic relevance: COPD drives over $31B in U.S. healthcare costs annually. Adherium’s technology directly addresses payer and provider priorities in value-based care.
• Investor significance: Adherium is the data engine behind iCARE and owns the insight pipeline, positioning the company for a multi-billion-dollar global opportunity.

Forward-Looking Statements: This announcement may contain forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, assumptions and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Adherium undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements except as required by law.

Learn more at adherium.com

This ASX announcement was approved and authorised for release by the Board of Adherium.

Investor Enquiries
Adherium Limited
investors@adherium.com

About Adherium (ASX:ADR)

Adherium is a provider of integrated digital health solutions and a worldwide leader in connected respiratory medical devices, with more than 180,000 sold globally. Adherium’s Hailie® platform solution provides clinicians, healthcare providers and patients access to remotely monitor medication usage parameters and adherence, supporting reimbursement for qualifying patient management. The Hailie® solution includes a suite of integration tools to enable the capture and sharing of health data via mobile and desktop apps, Software Development Kit (SDK) and Application Programming Interface (API) integration tools, and Adherium’s own broad range of sensors connected to respiratory medications. Adherium’s Hailie® solution is designed to provide visibility to healthcare providers of medication use history to better understand patterns in patient respiratory disease. Learn more at adherium.com

About CareCentra, Inc

CareCentra, Inc. is a patient behavior-shaping company based in the U.S. that enables value-based care through an AI-driven, prevention-as-a-service remote monitoring platform. The CareCentra platform for continuous connected care

leverages advanced decision science, nudge theory, behavior science and personal technologies to enable remote monitoring and coordinate care for patients across the entire spectrum of chronic and acute conditions. CareCentra’s AI-driven platform was proven to better patient outcomes and lower healthcare costs in

Randomized Clinical Trials and is now used at several U.S. health systems to reduce admission/readmission while increasing patient engagement and improving care plan adherence.

About Intermountain Health

Headquartered in Utah with locations in six Western states, Intermountain Health is a nonprofit health system comprising 34 hospitals, approximately 385 clinics, and medical groups with some 3,900 employed physicians and advanced care providers, as well as a health plan division called SelectHealth—serving more than one million members. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized for transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs.