Aligos Therapeutics Appoints Kieron Wesson as Vice President, Head of Chemistry Manufacturing Controls (CMC)

• Reduced Financial Losses: Aligos Therapeutics reported a net loss of $19.9 million for Q4 2025, translating to a basic and diluted net loss per share of $(1.91), a significant improvement from the $82.2 million loss and $(13.08) per share in Q4 2024, indicating progress in cost management and operational efficiency.
• Pipeline Advancements: The company’s drug pipeline includes Pevifoscorvir sodium, ALG-055009, ALG-097558, and ALG-170675, all advancing through clinical and preclinical stages, particularly with Pevifoscorvir sodium in the B-SUPREME study expected to yield key data in 2027, potentially offering new hope for chronic hepatitis B treatment.
• Promising Drug Research: ALG-055009 demonstrated up to 39-40% weight loss in animal studies when combined with weight loss drugs, suggesting it could enhance existing treatment effects, and the company is exploring partnership opportunities for further development, indicating potential market value.
• Strong Financial Position: As of December 31, 2025, Aligos had $77.8 million in cash and equivalents, expected to fund operations into Q3 2026, reflecting financial stability for ongoing R&D and market expansion efforts.

• Incentive Program Launch: Aligos Therapeutics granted 14,100 non-qualified stock options to new employees on December 9, 2025, aimed at attracting high-quality talent and strengthening the team to drive the company's R&D progress in liver and viral diseases.
• Equity Incentive Structure: The stock options have an exercise price equal to the closing price on the grant date and will vest over four years, with 25% vesting on the first anniversary and the remainder vesting monthly, ensuring long-term employee retention and enhancing company stability.
• Compliance Assurance: This stock option grant complies with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4), ensuring the company adheres to relevant regulations while attracting new employees, thereby reducing compliance risks and enhancing corporate image.
• Strategic Talent Acquisition: By implementing this incentive measure, Aligos not only attracts new talent but also accelerates its innovation process in liver and viral disease treatments through enhanced team expertise, further improving its market competitiveness.

• HBV Treatment Potential: Aligos showcased positive data from a 96-week study of 300mg pevifoscorvir sodium monotherapy at HEP-DART 2025, indicating its potential as a first-line therapy for chronic hepatitis B, thereby reinforcing the company's leadership in the liver disease sector.
• Significant Weight Loss Effects: New data reveals that the combination of ALG-055009 with semaglutide can achieve up to 40% weight loss, significantly enhancing efficacy compared to monotherapy, highlighting its potential value in treating obesity and metabolic diseases.
• Clinical Research Advancements: In diet-induced obese mice, the combination of ALG-055009 with incretin receptor agonists demonstrated synergistic effects, further validating its importance in future combination therapies and potentially increasing the company's market share in the cardiometabolic space.
• Commitment to Continuous Innovation: Aligos has made promising advancements in early-stage HBV and HDV research, showcasing its ongoing commitment to developing next-generation therapies in liver and viral diseases, which enhances investor confidence in its future growth potential.

• Stock Options Granted: Aligos Therapeutics announced the grant of non-qualified stock options for 27,400 shares to newly hired employees as part of their 2024 Inducement Plan, effective October 15, 2025.

• Vesting Schedule: The stock options will vest over four years, with 25% vesting on the first anniversary and the remainder vesting monthly, contingent on continued employment.

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Sanofi's FDA Approval of Wayrilz

• Approval Details: Sanofi's Wayrilz (rilzabrutinib), a novel BTK inhibitor, has received FDA approval for treating persistent or chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in adults who have not responded adequately to previous treatments. This marks Wayrilz as the first BTK inhibitor approved for ITP in the U.S.
• Clinical Study Results: The approval was based on the phase III LUNA 3 study, which demonstrated that Wayrilz significantly improved sustained platelet counts and alleviated other ITP symptoms, achieving both primary and secondary endpoints.
• Mechanism of Action: Wayrilz operates by modulating various immune pathways, addressing the root causes of ITP, and is considered potentially safer than existing treatments due to its selective BTK approach.

Patient Support and Global Expansion

• Patient Support Program: Patients prescribed Wayrilz will benefit from Sanofi’s HemAssist program, which offers comprehensive support for treatments related to rare blood disorders.
• International Review: Wayrilz is currently under review in the EU and China for ITP treatment and has already been approved in the UAE for the same condition.

Broader Development Pipeline

• Additional Indications: Beyond ITP, Wayrilz is being investigated for other rare diseases, including IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD), for which it has received orphan drug designation from both the FDA and EMA.
• Other Conditions: The drug has also been designated for warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (wAIHA) and sickle cell disease (SCD), with ongoing studies for wAIHA and plans for future development for SCD.

Sanofi's Market Performance

• Stock Performance: Sanofi's shares have increased by 2.6% this year, contrasting with a 0.6% decline in the broader industry.
• Zacks Rank: Sanofi holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold), while competitors like Akero Therapeutics, Adaptive Biotechnologies, and Aligos Therapeutics have better rankings, indicating a more favorable outlook.

Competitor Analysis

• Akero Therapeutics: The company has seen a 67.9% stock increase year-to-date, with narrowed loss per share estimates for 2025 and 2026.
• Adaptive Biotechnologies: This firm has experienced a remarkable 119.5% stock surge year-to-date, with consistent earnings beats and improved loss estimates.
• Aligos Therapeutics: In contrast, Aligos has faced a 73.7% decline in stock value this year, with mixed earnings results and negative surprises.

Investment Insights

• Future Stock Recommendations: Zacks Investment Research has identified five stocks with high potential for significant gains, including a satellite-based communications firm expected to thrive in the burgeoning trillion-dollar space industry.