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Environmental group urges action to reduce bacteria levels at local beaches

Environmental group urges action to reduce bacteria levels at local beaches

Yahoo06-08-2025
On a hot summer day, there is nothing like cooling off at a local beach.
But every year, more and more, high bacteria levels are forcing officials to close beaches.
'Sometimes it's so hot you want to get in the water, but you don't want to because of how much bacteria is in the water, you don't want to get sick,' said Amy Villanueva of East Boston
Environmental advocates say the problem is getting more common.
'Forty-seven Massachusetts beaches had enough bacteria to put swimmers at risk on a quarter or more of days tested last year,' Devon Bell of Environment Massachusetts said.
At East Boston's Constitution Beach, environmental advocates released a study revealing that bacteria pollution is impacting beaches from the North Shore to the tip of Provincetown.
The most common culprit is storm water runoff from over development and sewage overflows.
And that leaves swimmers frustrated.
'When this is the only beach, you have access to, it's like you have to wait to get into the water, it doesn't feel like it's getting any better,' said Alejandra Andino of East Boston.
Environment Massachusetts says it will take billions of federal dollars to take the action needed to reduce coastal bacterial levels.
They are urging federal and state lawmakers to fight efforts to reduce spending.
'Everybody deserves a safe clean beach. We want to make sure Americans and people here have that opportunity as enshrined in the Clean Water Act,' said John Rumpler, the Clean Water Director for Environment Massachusetts.
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Continued advancement of two clinical-stage assets, both with clinically demonstrated single-agent anti-tumor activity -- ACR-368 in a registrational-intent Phase 2 study in endometrial cancer and ACR-2316 in a Phase 1 study in AP3-predicted tumor types New paradigm for accelerated design and development of novel compounds, like ACR-2316, based on optimal intracellular pathway selectivity, uniquely enabled by AI-driven AP3 Generative Phosphoproteomics platform Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $147.6 million as of June 30, 2025, expected to fund operations into the second quarter of 2027 WATERTOWN, Mass., Aug. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Acrivon Therapeutics, Inc. 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'With ACR-368, we have seen deep and durable responses in patients with various types of aggressive endometrial cancer who had all progressed on prior chemotherapy and anti-PD1 therapy – a high unmet need population. Based on our clinical data, and the AP3-discovered insight that ultra low-dose gemcitabine sensitizes tumors to ACR-368 treatment, we believe there is an opportunity to further expand the patient population benefiting from ACR-368 by treating all-comer, biomarker-unselected 2nd line patients, who have all received prior chemotherapy and anti-PD-1, with ACR-368 and ultra low-dose gemcitabine. Our fully internally developed second clinical-stage asset, ACR-2316, which is being advanced in a Phase 1 trial, has demonstrated initial clinical activity during dose escalation in several solid tumor types, including an ongoing confirmed partial response in endometrial cancer, signaling the broad potential of this agent.' 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Research and development expenses were $16.2 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to $15.0 million for the same period in 2024. The difference was primarily due to increased personnel to support the continued execution of the clinical trials for ACR-368 and ACR-2316, as well as preclinical drug discovery advancement. General and administrative expenses were $6.5 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, which is materially consistent with $6.4 million for the same period in 2024. As of June 30, 2025, the company had cash, cash equivalents and investments of $147.6 million, which is expected to fund operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements into the second quarter of 2027. About Acrivon Therapeutics Acrivon is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing precision medicines utilizing its proprietary Generative Phosphoproteomics AP3 platform. The platform allows the company to interpret and quantify compound specific, drug-regulated pathway activity levels inside the intact cell in an unbiased manner, yielding terabytes of proprietary data and delivering rapid, actionable insights. The Generative Phosphoproteomics AP3 platform is comprised of a growing suite of powerful, internally-developed tools, including the AP3 Data Portal, converting multimodal data into structured data for generative AI analyses, the AP3 Kinase Substrate Relationship Predictor and the AP3 Interactome. These distinctive capabilities enable the company to go beyond the limitations of traditional drug discovery, as well as current AI-based target-centric drug discovery, and rapidly design highly differentiated compounds with desirable pathway effects through intracellular protein network analyses and advance these agents into the clinic for streamlined development. Acrivon is currently advancing its lead program, ACR-368 (also known as prexasertib), a selective small molecule inhibitor targeting CHK1 and CHK2 in a potentially registrational Phase 2 trial for endometrial cancer. The company has received Fast Track designation from the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, for the investigation of ACR-368 as a monotherapy based on OncoSignature-predicted sensitivity in patients with endometrial cancer. The FDA has granted a Breakthrough Device designation for the ACR-368 OncoSignature assay for the identification of patients with endometrial cancer who may benefit from ACR-368 treatment. In addition to ACR-368, Acrivon is also leveraging its proprietary Generative Phosphoproteomics AP3 platform for developing its co-crystallography-driven, internally discovered pipeline programs. These include ACR-2316, the company's second clinical stage asset, a novel, potent, selective WEE1/PKMYT1 inhibitor designed for superior single-agent activity through strong activation of not only CDK1 and CDK2, but also of PLK1 to drive pro-apoptotic cell death, as observed in preclinical studies against benchmark inhibitors. The Phase 1 trial of ACR-2316 is advancing with enrollment in the first three dose-escalation cohorts completed. Drug target engagement was observed at DL1 and 2 using the company's clinical mass-spectrometry-based AP3 profiling, with evidence of approximate dose proportionality based on plasma pharmacokinetic analyses, and initial clinical activity with tumor shrinkage observed at DL3. In addition, the company is advancing a preclinical program directed against an undisclosed cell cycle regulatory target. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain disclosures that contain 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 about us and our industry that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including statements regarding our future results of operations or financial condition, preclinical and clinical results, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as 'anticipate,' 'believe,' 'contemplate,' 'continue,' 'could,' 'estimate,' 'expect,' 'intend,' 'may,' 'plan,' 'potential,' 'predict,' 'project,' 'should,' 'target,' 'will,' or 'would' or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on Acrivon's current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties that are described more fully in the section titled 'Risk Factors' in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of this date, and Acrivon undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law. Investor and Media Contacts: Adam D. Levy, Ph.D., Alexandra Santos asantos@ Acrivon Therapeutics, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss (unaudited, in thousands, except share and per share data) Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, 2025 2024 2025 2024 Operating expenses: Research and development $ 16,182 $ 15,025 $ 31,596 $ 26,498 General and administrative 6,467 6,412 12,715 12,607 Total operating expenses 22,649 21,437 44,311 39,105 Loss from operations (22,649 ) (21,437 ) (44,311 ) (39,105 ) Other income (expense), net: Interest income 1,730 2,694 3,726 4,140 Other expense, net (87 ) (55 ) (101 ) (319 ) Total other income, net 1,643 2,639 3,625 3,821 Net loss $ (21,006 ) $ (18,798 ) $ (40,686 ) $ (35,284 ) Net loss per share - basic and diluted $ (0.55 ) $ (0.52 ) $ (1.06 ) $ (1.20 ) Weighted-average common stock outstanding - basic and diluted 38,461,619 36,132,616 38,406,339 29,361,710 Comprehensive loss: Net loss $ (21,006 ) $ (18,798 ) $ (40,686 ) $ (35,284 ) Other comprehensive income (loss): Unrealized (loss) gain on available-for-sale investments, net of tax (177 ) 51 (341 ) 64 Comprehensive loss $ (21,183 ) $ (18,747 ) $ (41,027 ) $ (35,220 ) Acrivon Therapeutics, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited, in thousands) June 30, December 31, 2025 2024 Assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 41,895 $ 39,818 Investments 105,727 144,751 Other assets 10,961 12,019 Total assets $ 158,583 $ 196,588 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Liabilities $ 15,546 $ 19,802 Stockholders' Equity 143,037 176,786 Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $ 158,583 $ 196,588 Sign in to access your portfolio

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