The Daily

Patlytics, which builds AI workflow tools to speed up patent drafting, infringement detection, and invalidity analyses, closed a $40 million funding round Tuesday—the latest sign of strong investor appetite in legal tech. CEO Paul Lee says the company's patent-centric focus distinguishes it from general-purpose legal AI platforms. Major law firms are increasingly scrutinizing manufacturing economics alongside biodistribution data, reflecting a shift toward platforms that balance clinical performance with cost of goods.

Anthropic introduced Project Glasswing, a global AI cybersecurity initiative backed by Apple, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google, NVIDIA, and others. Participants will access Claude Mythos Preview, a frontier model trained to find and exploit software vulnerabilities for defensive purposes. Anthropic says Mythos has already identified thousands of high-severity vulnerabilities across every major operating system and web browser.

Littler Mendelson appointed Stephanie Goutos as chief artificial intelligence officer this week, tasking her with steering adoption of the firm's internally developed AI tool. Meanwhile, Sullivan & Cromwell secured $1 trillion in deals thanks to strategic lateral hires and a focus on data center transactions, cementing its dominant position in the AI market.

Gilead Sciences struck a deal to acquire Germany-based Tubulis for $3.15 billion upfront and up to $1.85 billion in milestones, securing an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) racing toward pivotal trials. Tubulis' lead candidate, TUB-040—a NaPi2b-directed topoisomerase-I inhibitor ADC—reported a 59% overall response rate in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer last year. Gilead plans to run Tubulis as a dedicated ADC research hub in Munich, extending a deal spree that includes $7.8B for Arcellx and $1.67B for Ouro Medicines. CEO Daniel O'Day told J.P. Morgan in January that Gilead is approaching dealmaking from "a position of strength."

South Korea's ABION announced preclinical data at AACR 2026 showing its next-generation immuno-oncology candidate ABN202 demonstrated superior anti-cancer mechanisms compared to approved TROP2-targeting ADCs. ABN202, built on ABION's proprietary iRAC (Interferon-β Antibody Conjugate) platform, overcame resistance to existing ADCs and showed stronger efficacy than ADCs combined with anti-PD-1 inhibitors. Notably, it induced sustained systemic CD8+ T-cell responses, suggesting potential for durable immunity. ABION is accelerating toward IND submission in H1 2027.

The first two patients have joined an international CAR-T cell therapy trial for children and young people with solid tumors, led by the Cancer Grand Challenges NexTGen team. Up to 60 patients across the UK and US will receive personalized therapies targeting rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, or desmoplastic small round cell tumors—the largest trial of its kind. CAR-T has transformed blood cancer outcomes but faces challenges in solid tumors. The trial aims to develop more effective treatments with fewer long-term side effects. The first enrolled patient is in their early 20s.

At Advanced Therapies UK 2026, industry leaders highlighted two transformative shifts in cell and gene therapy (CGT): in vivo delivery platforms capable of genetic engineering directly in patients, and biomaterials enabling CNS and solid tumor targeting. Lara Campana (Resolution Therapeutics) emphasized that manufacturability remains the critical near-term bottleneck, with automation and digitalization offering rapid gains. Dr. Sam Barker (ViaNautis) noted that non-viral, polymer-based platforms with modular tissue targeting are opening indications viral vectors can't reach—particularly inflammation, CNS, and lung disease. Looking ahead, experts predict programmable, redosable genetic medicines for common diseases.

A study published in Nature reveals that teclistamab—a bispecific antibody targeting BCMA—interferes with anti-BCMA CAR-T cell detection by flow cytometry, complicating clinical monitoring. The findings emphasize the need for careful assay design when combining bispecific antibodies with CAR-T therapies, as overlapping target engagement can mask therapeutic efficacy or persistence. Duration of interference and clinical implications remain under investigation.

Minnesota clinched a playoff berth for the fifth consecutive season with Tuesday's 124–104 win over Indiana and Phoenix's loss, while Houston extended its winning streak to seven games with a 119–105 victory over the Suns. Kevin Durant scored 24 points and hit five triples in his return to Phoenix. Elsewhere, Jaylen Brown became the eighth player in Celtics history to score 2,000+ points in a season, finishing with 35 points and nine rebounds in Boston's 113–102 win over Charlotte. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder past the Lakers 123–87 with 25 points and eight assists, marking OKC's sixth straight win.

Dale Chihuly's 1968 Fulbright Fellowship to Venice transformed American studio glass from rudimentary craft to world-class art. Chihuly's installations at Venice's Squero di San Trovaso and beyond have cemented the city as a pilgrimage site for glass art enthusiasts. Venice hosts Milan's Paris Internationale art fair later this month (April 2026), further bolstering the region's contemporary art credentials. The Venice Biennale opens May 9 and runs through November 22, 2026.

Italian Arte Povera pioneer Michelangelo Pistoletto launched "Three Mirrors," a public art project promoting "preventive peace," on digital billboards across nine cities worldwide via digital art platform Circa. The ambitious campaign underscores Italy's continued influence in global contemporary art, coinciding with Venice's preparations for the Biennale opening in May.

The first international CAR-T cell therapy trial for children with hard-to-treat solid tumors has enrolled its first two patients, marking a major milestone in pediatric oncology. Led by the Cancer Grand Challenges NexTGen team, the trial will enroll up to 60 children and young people across the UK and US with rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, or desmoplastic small round cell tumors. CAR-T therapy has been transformative for pediatric leukemia and lymphoma but faces challenges in solid tumors. The hope is that these investigational therapies will prove more effective with fewer long-term side effects than current standards of care, which can cause infertility and learning difficulties.

Ostern am Remise Transport Museum (1030): 4.–5. April – Eiersuche, historische Straßenbahnfahrten, Familienprogramm. Ostermärkte: Am Hof, Altwiener (bis 6. April), Schönbrunn (bis 19. April). Ausstellungen 2026: Viena Latina, The Danube Island (Wien Museum). Ein volles Wochenende für Familien und Kulturinteressierte, bevor die Osterferien enden.