News
Opna Bio secures US$38m to develop new oncology therapeutics
The company aims to advance novel oncology discovery programme
The US clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Opna Bio has raised US$38m in funding to invest in new oncology therapeutics.
The round led by Longitude Capital and Northpond Ventures, with additional participation from Menlo Ventures will be used to develop novel fragile-X mental retardation protein (FMRP) inhibitors in oncology as well as a portfolio of clinical and preclinical oncology programmes acquired from Plexxikon Inc.
The company’s portfolio targets multiple drivers of cancer, having already multiple FDA-approved drugs to market.
“We are very excited about our rich drug candidate portfolio, which is focused on targeting immune suppression and other hallmarks of cancer,” said Dr Gideon Bollag, Opna Bio co-founder and CEO.
“As a new company, Opna offers that rare combination of a compelling novel drug target as well as a diverse pipeline of preclinical and clinical programs, some of which have shown combinatorial activity in our FMRP models.”
Patrick Enright, managing director of Longitude Capital, said: “We are thrilled to be a lead investor in Opna and to support this top-tier team of drug discovery and development experts who bring a strong track record of paradigm-changing cancer drug innovation and value creation,”
Opna’s launch coincides with the publication of a paper published in the journal Science from the Hanahan Laboratory EPFL about FMRP’s emerging role as an immuno-oncology target.
Dr Douglas Hanahan showed for the first time that knocking out or knocking down the FMRP gene in cancer cells enables the body to launch an immune response against tumours that are otherwise resistant to immune attack.
Opna says it has an exclusive license for technology associated with FMRP from EPFL.
Previous research has shown that FMRP expression is elevated in certain cancers, including pancreatic, colon, breast, prostate and lung cancer.
Some of these cancers are largely resistant to immune checkpoint therapy, potentially because of suppression of proinflammatory signals associated with elevated FMRP.
Data from the Hanahan Laboratory demonstrates that upregulated expression of FMRP in cancer cells suppresses the recruitment and capability of T cells to attack and kill tumours.
Consequently, blocking FMRP expression resulted in T cell activation leading to anti-tumour immunity.
The data also showed additional anti-tumour benefit when FMRP depletion was combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Menopause
Medichecks acquires My Menopause Centre to expand specialist hormone health services
Digital diagnostics company Medichecks has acquired specialist menopause health platform and clinic My Menopause Centre.
The deal is part of Medichecks’ move into clinical services and follows its earlier purchase of Leger Clinic, creating what the company describes as a hormone health offering for women and men across the UK.
Medichecks and My Menopause Centre will combine digital services with clinical governance. The acquisition aims to enhance Medichecks’ ability to deliver integrated testing, diagnosis and ongoing clinical support.
The combined group plans to grow its specialist hormone health services, supporting patients across the UK with clinical care throughout different stages of their hormone health journey.
Helen Marsden, co-founder of Medichecks, said: “At Medichecks, our mission is to make healthcare more accessible, evidence-based and patient-centred.
“Helen and Clare have built an outstanding, clinically credible platform that is transforming menopause care for women across the UK.
“Medichecks now owns two CQC Outstanding-rated clinics, the only clinics in their respective sectors to achieve this rating, and we are deeply committed to delivering safe, compassionate and patient-centric care.
“We’re proud to continue the founders’ legacy while supporting the next stage of growth, ensuring more women can access high-quality menopause care when they need it most.”
The CQC, or Care Quality Commission, is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
The acquisition supports Medichecks’ plans to make hormone healthcare more accessible by delivering integrated testing, diagnosis and ongoing clinical support for patients across the UK.
Helen Normoyle, co-founder and chief executive of My Menopause Centre, said: “We set out to build something resilient, clinically credible and scalable, not just fast.
“Our mission has always been to make menopause care compassionate, accessible and grounded in evidence. Medichecks shares that vision.
“Their digital platform, commitment to clinical excellence and patient-centred care make them the ideal partner to take My Menopause Centre into its next chapter.
“This milestone reflects not only a strong product, but a remarkable team and community.
“I’m deeply proud of what we’ve built and excited to see My Menopause Centre grow further under Medichecks’ leadership.”
Menopause
Menopause specialist Haver joins Midi Health
Menopause specialist Dr Mary Claire Haver has been appointed as the first chief agewell officer at virtual care clinic Midi Health.
In the role, Dr Haver will work with Midi’s clinical team to develop the AgeWell platform, described as a proactive health model that integrates perimenopause and menopausal care with metabolic health, bone density, brain health and cardiovascular risk assessment.
The platform aims to provide preventative care targeting what the company describes as the primary drivers of female mortality and disability: heart disease, bone loss and cognitive decline.
Joanna Strober, chief executive and co-founder of Midi Health, said: “Longevity care has historically ignored women’s biology, especially during the critical windows of midlife and menopause.
“At Midi Health, we are committed to extending healthspan, not just lifespan, and making that care accessible to millions of women as a core pillar of their health.
“By collaborating with Dr Haver, we are ensuring women continue to have access to care designed for their bodies, their hormones, and their real lives.”
Dr Haver is board-certified in obstetrics and gynaecology, a Menopause Society certified practitioner, a certified culinary medicine specialist and an adjunct associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at The University of Texas Medical Branch.
After a career in academic medicine, Dr Haver founded The Pause Life, described as a science and education-based resource for women navigating perimenopause and the menopause transition.
Through her books, unPaused podcast and digital platform, she has provided education on midlife health.
Dr Mary Claire Haver said: “I have spent my career advocating for women to receive the science-backed, no-nonsense guidance they deserve.
“I chose to partner with Midi Health because they are the only platform with the scale and medical rigour to deliver the kind of care women deserve, regardless of their zip codes.
“Together, we are setting a new standard for proactive, preventative care that meaningfully extends both lifespan and healthspan for women.”
Events
Kate Ryder headlines Women’s Health Week USA 2026 as full agenda goes live
Women’s Health Week USA 2026 has unveiled its first populated agenda, anchored by an opening keynote from Kate Ryder, Founder and CEO of Maven Clinic, and featuring a cross-sector lineup shaping the next phase of scale in women’s health.
You can view the full agenda here.
Taking place May 13–14, 2026, at the New York Academy of Medicine, Women’s Health Week USA brings together the full women’s health ecosystem to focus on one central question: what does it take to move women’s health from innovation to institutional scale?
Kate Ryder will open Day 1 with a keynote drawing on her experience building Maven Clinic into the world’s largest virtual clinic for women’s and family health.
Under her leadership, Maven has partnered with employers and health plans to deliver care across fertility, maternity, postpartum, paediatrics, and menopause at scale.
Her perspective sets the tone for a program centered on commercialisation, partnership, and sustainable growth.
Beyond the opening keynote, the newly released agenda reflects the sector’s growing maturity.
Across two days, the program features 70+ speakers, with representation from leading organizations including the FDA, Planned Parenthood, CVS Health Ventures, Samsung Next, NIH, WHO, and Maven Clinic.
Sessions span investment and deal flow, clinical innovation, regulation, data and technology, and market expansion, alongside dedicated pitch sessions and curated 1:1 matchmaking designed to turn insight into action.
The agenda has been built to facilitate meaningful connections across the ecosystem, with partnerships positioned as the primary driver of scale.
As women’s health continues to attract institutional capital and global attention, Women’s Health Week USA 2026 offers a clear snapshot of where the market is heading, and who is shaping it.
The full agenda is now live, with additional speakers and partners to be announced in the coming months.
View the full programme here.
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