This week saw some activity in the small-cap market, with exciting developments in the biotech, energy and litigation finance sectors. Here’s a snapshot of the stocks making headlines.

Innovic (ASX:IIQ) Leap forward in the fight against cancer: INOVIQ quickly gained attention for its groundbreaking proof-of-concept research in breast cancer treatment. The company reported that exosomes derived from genetically engineered natural killer cells can effectively deliver anticancer drugs directly to particularly aggressive triple-negative breast cancer cells while sparing healthy cells. At the highest doses, the therapy killed more than 30% of target cells, suggesting potential for significant improvements as treatments are developed.

Apa (ASX:APA) build a tamboran (ASX:TBN) Pipeline: Energy infrastructure giant APA Group has won a contract with Tamboran Resources to build a 37km gas pipeline. The Sturt Plateau Pipeline will connect Tamboran’s Shenandoah South Pilot Project to the Amadeus Gas Pipeline, with APA owning and operating the infrastructure. Construction is expected to begin in 2025 and operations are expected to begin in 2026, paving the way for increased gas transportation in the region.

Omni Bridgeway (ASX:OBL) Secures $310 million deal with Ares: Litigation funder Omni Bridgeway makes a significant financial move by partnering with Ares Management to create a $600 million continuing fund, Fund 9. I did it. Ares will acquire a 70% stake for $310 million, allowing Omni to pay down $250 million in debt, reduce interest costs by $30 million annually, and improve liquidity by $60 million. . Omni will maintain a 30% stake, continue to act as the fund’s investment advisor and earn management fees.

Clarity Pharmaceuticals (ASX:CU6) ‘Pan-cancer’ therapy for the eye: Clarity Pharmaceuticals introduces SAR, a new radiopharmaceutical designed to diagnose and treat multiple cancers by targeting fibroblast activation protein (FAP) -Announced bisFAP. This protein is present in many types of cancer but absent from healthy tissue, offering the potential for a “pan-cancer” approach. Shares rose 16.49% to $5.37 on news that a Phase 1 trial is scheduled for late 2025.

mesoblast (ASX:MSB) Ryoncil Receives FDA Approval: Finally, Mesoblast celebrates an important victory as its treatment Ryoncil receives FDA approval. The treatment, the first to be approved in the United States for children with graft-versus-host disease who have not responded to other treatments, showed improvement in 70% of trial participants.