GLOBAL BUSINESS: Novartis Pluvicto approval; Emerald production rises

31. Jul 2026

(AWP Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by global companies, issued on Friday and not separately reported by Alliance News:

----------

Novartis AG - Basel, Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company - US Food and Drug Administration approves Pluvicto in combination with an androgen receptor pathway inhibitor for patients with prostate-specific membrane antigen-positive metastatic androgen pathway modulation-naive/sensitive prostate cancer, commonly known as metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. Approval is based on the Phase III PSMAddition trial, which showed Pluvicto reduced the risk of progression or death by 28% when combined with standard of care compared to SoC alone. At a subsequent updated analysis, the Pluvicto combination further reduced the risk of progression or death by 33% with a positive overall survival trend favoring Pluvicto plus SoC. "Pluvicto can now be used across all stages of PSMA-positive metastatic prostate cancer, nearly doubling the eligible patient population. The approval builds on its established use in metastatic androgen pathway modulation-resistant prostate cancer," company says.

----------

Ora Banda Mining Ltd - West Australian gold producer - Says drilling at the Little Gem Prospect has "significantly expanded the newly discovered

Sapphire lode over more than 2.6km of strike, whilst additional high-grade intercepts have been returned on the Gem lodes." Signifiant intercepts include 5.0 metres at 18.1 grams per ton including 1.0 metres at 84.8 g/t Sapphire lode. Managing director Luke Creagh says: "We continue to be excited by the ongoing exploration success across the Little Gem prospect, with the discovery and subsequent expansion of the system along the Sapphire lodes supporting its potential to host substantial, high grade gold mineralisation. Exploration activity continues to progress at pace across Little Gem, with the team on track to deliver a maiden Mineral Resource estimate later this calendar year."

----------

BNP Paribas SA - Paris-based bank - Subsidiary Arval completes acquisition of Athlon, formerly a subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz Group. Arval now has a combined fleet of 2.3 million vehicles. The expected return on invested capital from the transaction would reach 18%, representing a positive contribution to the group's net income group share close to EUR200 million in the third year. The estimated CET1 impact of close to minus 13 basis points is already included in the group's capital trajectory. "This transaction is part of BNP Paribas' strategy to develop its profitable platforms in growth markets and to enhance the group's profitability profile through targeted growth levers. The Group will outline Arval/Athlon's trajectory at a dedicated Deep Dive in the first half of 2027," company says.

----------

Saipem Spa - Milan, Italy-based oilfield services company - Enters into a new EUR1 billion revolving credit facility with a pool of thirteen leading financial institutions. The facility has a tenor of five years, extendable for a further period of either one or two years at the option of the lenders. The effectiveness of the new credit facility is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent, including completion of the proposed merger between Saipem and Subsea7. The new credit facility will replace the EUR600 million revolving credit facility entered into by Saipem on February 10, 2025, and confirms Saipem's strong partnership with national and international financial institutions. Also on Friday, says it has passed the US Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Act waiting period for its merger with Subsea 7.

----------

Johnson & Johnson - New Brunswick, New Jersey-based pharmaceutical company - US Food and Drug Administration grants priority review to the supplemental biologics license application for subcutaneous amivantamab and hyaluronidase-lpuj for adults with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. "If approved, it would provide a new treatment for patients whose disease has progressed following platinum-based chemotherapy and a PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor," company says. Global therapeutic area head, Oncology, Yusri Elsayed says: "One of the hardest things about advanced head and neck cancer is that it can impact our most basic functions, like the ability to speak, eat, and even breathe easily, profoundly affecting patients' daily lives. For those whose disease progresses despite prior treatment, that burden is compounded by limited treatment options and poor outcomes. Building on the established role of subcutaneous amivantamab in lung cancer, this milestone underscores its continued potential across multiple tumor types and reflects our commitment to bringing innovative treatment options to patients with cancers driven by EGFR and MET pathways."

----------

Emerald Resources NL - energy exploration subsidiary of Chinese state-owned company Sinochem - Reports June quarter gold production of 27.1 thousand ounces at Okvau Gold Mine, Cambodia, up from 26.3 thousand ounces a quarter prior. June quarter all-in sustaining cost is USD818 per ounce, down from USD897 per ounce a quarter ago. Guides for 2027 production of 100-115 thousand ounces with AISC of USD980 per ounce to USD1,080 per ounce.

----------

By Aidan Lane, Alliance News reporter

Comments and questions to newsroom [at] alliancenews.com