Half-year updates dominated the health and bio space, with growth stories at both ends of the market cap scale. Cambridge Cognition and AOTI each reported double-digit revenue gains, Tristel diversified into recurring software revenue, and AstraZeneca delivered a mixed clinical bag alongside a profit beat, while Faron Pharmaceuticals added encouraging early data in blood cancer.
Cambridge Cognition grows revenue 16% in H1
Cambridge Cognition Holdings (LSE:COG) reported first-half revenue growth of 16%, with chief executive Rob Baker describing the period as one of "strengthening our core business" while the group pushes further into healthcare and wellness markets. The shares were little changed at 32.26p, down 0.74%, as the market digested the update.
AOTI flags transformative Medicare decision ahead
AOTI (LSE:AOTI) lifted first-half revenue by 10% and pointed to a pending Medicare coverage decision that management believes will materially expand its addressable market in the US. The wound care technology group's shares jumped 11.429% to 97.5p as investors weighed the scale of the opportunity flagged by Dr. Mike Griffiths and the team.
Tristel opens new revenue line with 3T platform
Tristel (LSE:TSTL) launched a paid tier for its 3T compliance platform, creating a new recurring revenue stream that sits alongside its established infection prevention product range. Despite the strategic move, shares in the group led by Matt Fulford fell 8.889% to 410.0p.
AstraZeneca's Sone-Ve clears survival bar in gastric cancer
AstraZeneca (LSE:AZN)'s CLARITY-Gastric01 Phase III trial showed sonesitatug vedotin significantly improved overall survival in previously treated Claudin 18.2-positive gastric cancers, marking the first such result for an antibody drug conjugate targeting this protein. Shares in the pharma major, led by Pascal Soriot, climbed 2.447% to 12980.0p.
Ultomiris falls short in transplant complication study
AstraZeneca's Phase III ALXN1210-TMA-313 trial failed to demonstrate a statistically significant event-free survival benefit for Ultomiris versus placebo in adults and adolescents with a rare post-transplant complication. A companion paediatric study nonetheless supports regulatory filings, tempering the setback for the rare disease franchise.
Oncology growth offsets Farxiga patent loss
AstraZeneca grew first-half revenue 6% at constant exchange rates, with gains in oncology and rare disease more than offsetting the loss of Farxiga's US patent protection. The company reconfirmed its 2026 guidance, with executives including Rui-Hua Xu, Susan Galbraith, Marc Dunoyer and Vincent Ho pointing to broad-based pipeline momentum behind the improved profit performance.
Faron's bexmarilimab shows promise in blood cancer
Faron Pharmaceuticals reported encouraging survival data from its blood cancer trial of bexmarilimab. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Petri Bono said the results "further support the potential of bexmarilimab in frontline TP53 wild-type and mutated HR-MDS patients, where significant unmet medical need remains."
