SHERPA research consortium initiates seven clinical studies to validate AI-based assistive technologies for minimally invasive brain and cancer treatments




SHERPA research consortium initiates seven clinical studies to validate AI-based assistive technologies for minimally invasive brain and cancer treatments

March 3, 2026

• With a total budget of EUR 21.5 million, the four-year SHERPA research project is coordinated by Philips and co-funded by the EU Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) and industry partners
• The project focuses on developing automated workflows for minimally invasive neurovascular and tumor treatments – clinical procedures where staffing levels and specialized expertise are in short supply
• The clinical studies are being conducted at University Medical Center Utrecht, St Antonius Hospital, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hôpital Bicêtre AP-HP, and Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau
• On March 4 (16:30 – 17:30 CET), SHERPA will be featured at the European Congress of Radiology 2026 in a dedicated session

Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced that the Philips-coordinated SHERPA research consortium has initiated seven clinical studies to demonstrate the benefits of AI- and robotics-assisted workflows in minimally invasive treatments for brain aneurysms* and liver tumors. Staff shortages, coupled with the complex nature of the work, place significant pressure on interventional radiologists and interventional neuroradiologists who perform these procedures. The SHERPA consortium aims to validate AI-powered technologies in imaging, data visualization, procedure planning and guidance, clinical decision support, and patient pathway orchestration. These technologies are designed to automate repetitive, time-consuming tasks, support decision-making, and accelerate learning to ease the workload of interventional (neuro)radiologists.

The four-year research project is co-funded by the industry partners through in-kind contributions and additional resources, as well as by the European Union Innovative Health Initiative (IHI), and comprises 16 partners from seven European countries.

“Over the past year, the SHERPA project has brought together a talented team of researchers who have developed a technology framework designed to make workflow automation a reliable companion – a ‘sherpa’ – for interventional (neuro)radiologists as they navigate some of their most complex procedures,” said Bert van Meurs, Chief Business Leader, Image Guided Therapy, at Royal Philips. “By providing a template for the future adoption of AI-enabled assistive technologies and accelerating the associated learning curve, this framework will help address the increased demand for interventional (neuro)radiologists in Europe and beyond.”

“Demand for image-guided, minimally invasive procedures has outpaced the growth of the specialized workforce,” said Irene van der Schaaf, Professor Neurovascular Interventional Radiology, UMC Utrecht. “At the same time, procedures are becoming more complex and technology is advancing rapidly, making it harder for teams to keep pace. In interventional radiology, technology and human touch go hand in hand. Physicians must manage highly technical tasks – sometimes away from the patient – while continuing to provide personal care and reassurance. The SHERPA project aims to develop AI-enabled tools that simplify routine tasks, enhance patient care, and support the training of the next generation of interventional (neuro)radiologists.”

On March 4, 2026, from 16:30 to 17:30 CET, SHERPA will be featured at the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) 2026 in a dedicated session titled: “Assistive Technologies for Interventional Radiologists: Enhancing Decision-Making and Streamlining Workflow with Innovations and AI-Powered Solutions.” Click here to view the agenda and register to attend the session online.

Innovation through public-private partnership
The SHERPA public-private partnership consortium comprises five medical technology industry partners, five academic partners, and five research organization and medical association partners:

• Industry partners: Philips, Medtronic, Sim&Cure, Interventional Systems, Barco.
• Academic partners: University Medical Center Utrecht (The Netherlands), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (Germany), Hôpital Bicêtre AP-HP (France), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (Spain), St Antonius Hospital (The Netherlands).
• Research organization and medical association partners: European Institute for Biomedical Imaging Research – EIBIR, Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe – CIRSE, European Society of Minimally Invasive Neurological Therapy – ESMINT, Eindhoven University of Technology – TU/e (The Netherlands), Human-Factors-Consult – HFC (Germany).

Addressing staff shortages and patient access by relieving the pressure on physicians
The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts a shortage of 600 thousand physicians in the European Union (EU) by 2030 [1]. Some of the most acute physician shortages are in interventional radiology, even in countries such as the UK that have advanced healthcare systems [2].

Among the many different procedures conducted by interventional (neuro)radiologists, treatments of brain aneurysms and liver tumors are some of the most complex and time consuming. Both rely on CT and/or MR imaging for diagnosis, real-time imaging for procedure guidance, and a high level of precision in the placement of therapeutic devices such as blood-clot inducing platinum coils to seal off a brain aneurysm or the percutaneous insertion of ablation needles to treat a liver tumor. As a result, these procedures require a very high level of operator expertise and training, which can limit patient access.

The SHERPA project aims to provide interventionists with AI-powered assistive technologies that automate repetitive tasks and support decision-making across the entire workflow. By doing so, they will accelerate learning curves and improve precision and safety in complex minimally invasive interventions such as brain aneurysm repair and liver tumor ablation.

During the first year of the project, the consortium successfully developed AI algorithms to help identify brain aneurysms that need treatment and algorithms to optimize patient selection and therapy planning for liver tumor ablation. They also developed robotic technology to improve procedure precision and reduce difficulty, and AI software to confirm treatment success. These have now been integrated into orchestrated end-to-end workflows for both types of procedure.

SHERPA project clinical studies
Over the next three years of the four-year SHERPA project, the consortium partners will conduct a series of clinical studies to refine these assistive technologies and assess the benefits in terms of the patient experience, workload optimization, interventionist satisfaction, and performance.

The five brain aneurysm studies will focus on AI-driven aneurysm detection, risk prediction, and precise treatment planning:

• RADAR: AI-based aneurysm detection based on CT and MR imaging.
• Aneurysm@risk: AI-based algorithm to predict aneurysm growth and rupture risk.
• ASSIST: AI-supported device selection and positioning guidance.
• INTERACT: Automatic collimation and projection angle suggestions to optimize imaging for procedural guidance.
• SAFO: Evaluation of a digital remote follow-up solution for brain aneurysm patients, enabling standardized monitoring, enhanced coordination, and seamless care across the patient pathway.

The liver and lung tumor studies will leverage advanced imaging and robotic-assisted biopsy technologies, respectively, to drive greater diagnostic precision and procedural efficiency.

• MISTRAL: Evaluation of new Cone Beam CT workflows to optimize imaging for percutaneous liver ablations.
• RHODES: Evaluation of robotic-assisted versus free-hand lung biopsies with a focus on operability and device efficiency.

Together, these studies will generate insights to support the acceptance and adoption of AI-based smart assistive technologies by the wider interventional radiology community.

The SHERPA website can be viewed at: https://sherpa-ihi.eu. Watch videos and interviews about SHERPA here. The CORDIS project page for SHERPA can be accessed here, and the IHI factsheet for SHERPA can be found here.

Notes and references
*        A brain aneurysm is a weak, bulging spot in a blood vessel in the brain, which can leak or rupture.
[1]     Zapata T, Muscat NA, Falkenbach M, and Wismar M. WHO Report – From Great Attrition to Great Attraction: Countering the Great Resignation of Health and Care Workers. Eurohealth, Vol.29, No.1, 2023. https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/488b01ab-a066-4558-a345-476570fe2802/content
[2]     The Royal College of Radiologists: Clinical radiology – UK workforce census 2020 report. https://www.rcr.ac.uk/media/3gjdr23o/clinical_radiology_census_report_2020.pdf

This project is supported by the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU) under grant agreement No 101194744. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program and life science industries represented by COCIR, EFPIA, Europa Bío, MedTech Europe and Vaccines Europe. SHERPA is Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Media Contact
Steve Klink
Philips Medical and Scientific Communications
Tel: +31 6 10888824
E-mail: steve.klink@philips.com

Joost Maltha
Philips Global External Relations
Tel: +31 6 10558116
E-mail: joost.maltha@philips.com

About Royal Philips
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people’s health and well-being through meaningful innovation. Philips’ patient- and people-centric innovation leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver personal health solutions for consumers and professional health solutions for healthcare providers and their patients in the hospital and the home.

Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, ultrasound, image-guided therapy, monitoring and enterprise informatics, as well as in personal health. Philips generated 2025 sales of EUR 18 billion and employs approximately 64,800 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

Attachments

• Members of the SHERPA project team
• Philips Azurion interventional oncology procedure
• SHERPA project logo

Quell Therapeutics Initiates CHILL Phase 1/2 Trial of Novel QEL-005 CAR-Treg Therapy in Refractory Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Sclerosis Following UK CTA Approval




Quell Therapeutics Initiates CHILL Phase 1/2 Trial of Novel QEL-005 CAR-Treg Therapy in Refractory Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Sclerosis Following UK CTA Approval

London, UK – 3 March, 2026 – Quell Therapeutics Ltd (“Quell”), today announced that it has initiated a Phase 1/2 basket clinical study evaluating its autologous CAR-Treg therapy, QEL-005, in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Sclerosis – the “CHILL” study. Advancement of the QEL-005 program into clinical development follows the recent approval by UK MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) of the company’s Clinical Trial Application (CTA).

CHILL is a multinational clinical study that will recruit up to 16 adult participants in the UK, Germany and Spain, with patient enrolment underway at leading clinical centres across the UK. Early clinical findings are expected during Q1 2027.

QEL‑005 is a novel product candidate built on Quell’s proprietary Phenotype Locked™ CAR‑Treg platform. It is designed to be selectively activated and exert immune suppression within inflamed tissues and the surrounding lymphoid structures, providing broad control of disease activity. By leveraging a Treg-optimized CD19‑directed CAR, QEL‑005 CAR-Tregs are activated in the presence of B cells and mediate immune regulation through bystander suppression, modulating pro‑inflammatory T cells, B cells, macrophages and stroma – a unique approach.

Results from pre-clinical studies, presented at American College of Rheumatology annual meeting (ACR Convergence 2025) in October 2025, demonstrated the immunomodulatory activity of QEL-005 across multiple immune cell lineages involved in complex autoimmune inflammation, including B cells, T cells and inflammatory macrophages. QEL-005’s broad mechanism of action clearly differentiates it from CAR‑T and other B‑cell–depletion therapies, offering a safer, better‑tolerated option with potential broader efficacy in more complex autoimmune diseases.

In addition, findings from Quell’s LIBERATE Phase 1/2 trial in liver transplantation (see separate announcement today) demonstrate the clinical safety, persistence, and functional stability of Quell’s Phenotype Locked™ CAR‑Treg cells for over one year, with evidence of trafficking and engraftment within target tissues in proximity to infiltrating immune cells and molecular drivers of inflammation.

Iain McGill, Chief Executive Officer of Quell, commented: “Initiating the CHILL study with QEL-005 following CTA approval marks an exciting milestone for Quell and our pre-clinical package adds to the growing evidence that Tregs can modulate multiple drivers of autoimmune inflammation, including T and B cells, macrophages and pro-inflammatory fibroblasts. With QEL‑005, our goal is to ‘CHILL, not KILL’ – taking a differentiated therapeutic approach that restores immune balance rather than relying solely on B cell depletion. This milestone reflects the outstanding dedication of our team and collaborators as we work to deliver durable, transformative therapies for people living with autoimmune diseases.”

Professor Christopher Buckley from the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology and Chief Investigator for the CHILL study, commented: “People with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Sclerosis dream of a cure for their disease. Until now treatments for Immune Mediated Inflammatory Diseases have relied on suppressing inflammation. Excitingly, CAR-T cells which kill pathogenic cells have now emerged as therapies that appear to help reset damaged tissues. However CAR T cells kill, they don’t regulate. We believe that using CAR-Tregs, that are natural tissue regulators, we will be able to achieve deep and durable disease control and achieve a cure. As Chief Investigator in this study I am delighted to be working with Quell and an amazing team of European Clinician Scientists in the CHILL study that aims for durable cures for our patients.”

Professor Georg Schett, Principal Investigator for the University Hospital Erlangen CHILL site, commented: “Providing a stable regulatory immune cell environment at sites of inflammation is a mesmerizing therapeutic concept for chronic inflammatory diseases. The idea of activating T regulatory cells in a site-directed way, in B-cell rich lymphatic tissues and sites of inflammation, may provide peripheral immune tolerance and intercept autoimmune disease.”

-ENDS-

About Complex Autoimmune Inflammatory Diseases

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) are autoimmune diseases where a complex interplay of tissue and activated immune cells drives a chronic loop of inflammation resulting in significant tissue damage. B cell depletion approaches highlight the contribution of B cells in such diseases but are limited to targeting a single immune cell type and carry safety and tolerability risks in certain patient populations. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are key mediators of immune and tissue homeostasis across multiple immune cell populations (T-cells, B-cells, APCs, Macrophages and proinflammatory stroma) with an essential role in restraining autoimmunity. Tregs employ a wide array of mechanisms to mediate this effect and therefore can exert control over multiple immune pathways across a broad range of tissues and cell types.

About Quell Therapeutics

Quell Therapeutics is the world leader in developing engineered T-regulatory (Treg) cell therapies that aims to harness, direct and optimize their immune suppressive properties to address serious medical conditions driven by the immune system.

The Company is leveraging its pioneering Foxp3 Phenotype Lock™ technology, unique multi-modular platform and integrated manufacturing capabilities to design and develop a pipeline of highly engineered Treg cell therapies with greater potential for persistence, potency and stability than earlier generations of Treg cell therapy approaches.

Quell’s lead asset QEL-005, a pipeline-in-a-product for complex autoimmune diseases will be initiating clinical development in the Phase 1/2 CHILL clinical trial in H1 2026 www.chillstudy.life. In addition, Quell is advancing two programs in partnership with AstraZeneca: QEL-002 for Type 1 Diabetes and QEL-003 for Inflammatory Bowel Disease. www.quell-tx.com.

Contacts

Quell Therapeutics
IR@quell-tx.com

Media: Mark Swallow, Sandi Greenwood, Erica Hollingsworth
MEDiSTRAVA
Quell-Tx@Medistrava.com

Quell Therapeutics Demonstrates Safety, Phenotypic Stability, Durability and Early Efficacy with Phenotype‑Locked™ CAR‑Tregs in LIBERATE Phase 1/2 Liver Transplant Study




Quell Therapeutics Demonstrates Safety, Phenotypic Stability, Durability and Early Efficacy with Phenotype‑Locked™ CAR‑Tregs in LIBERATE Phase 1/2 Liver Transplant Study

London, UK – 3 March, 2026 – Quell Therapeutics Ltd (“Quell”), a leader in developing engineered T-regulatory (Treg) cell therapies for serious medical conditions driven by the immune system, today shared interim top-line data from its LIBERATE Phase 1/2 trial and provided an update on its broader clinical strategy – building on the validating insights from LIBERATE, Quell is now initiating the QEL-005 CHILL clinical trial in complex autoimmunity (see separate announcement today).

The LIBERATE trial investigates the ability of QEL-001, a phenotype-locked anti-HLA-A2 CAR-Treg autologous cell therapy candidate, to facilitate weaning of standard-of-care immunosuppression (IS) in patients who have undergone liver transplantation.

Interim data from LIBERATE suggests evidence of QEL-001 safety and clinical activity enabling IS minimization:

• 9 patients dosed to date with QEL-001: 3 safety cohort patients and 6 expansion cohort patients, with no serious adverse events (SAEs), no dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) or drug-related adverse events (AEs) in the study period.
• Initial results of immunosuppression weaning (n=5 expansion cohort patients), indicates the potential of CAR-Tregs to enable very low levels of non-CNI based immunosuppression:
  • All patients started the study on dual therapy; tacrolimus, a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI), and everolimus, an mTOR inhibitor.
  • CNI-free immunosuppression was achieved in all weaned patients – with no evidence of rejection after tacrolimus withdrawal and all patients were stable for at least 6 months off tacrolimus.
  • All weaned patients were able to reduce everolimus monotherapy to very low doses (<5ng/mL trough level).
  • Progressive weaning to sub-therapeutic levels of everolimus (<3ng/mL trough level) was successful in 1 patient whilst 3 patients experienced mild-moderate rejection episodes when everolimus was removed or reduced below 3ng/mL at 8-9 months post QEL-001 dose. All rejection episodes resolved with re-introduction of immunosuppression.

Quell Phenotype-Locked™ CAR-Tregs – A stable, suppressive, and durable therapeutic approach:

• QEL-001 Phenotype-Locked™ CAR-Tregs remained detectable in the circulation for over 1 year post-dose, maintaining a stable, highly suppressive Treg phenotype characterized by expression of key functional markers (Foxp3, CTLA4, Helios).
• QEL-001 demonstrated durable engraftment (over 1 year), with Ki67 expression – consistent with maintained proliferative potential.
• Quell CAR-Tregs engrafted in the liver tissue where HLA-A2 is expressed with 10-20% enrichment of the Treg pool vs. <1% in the circulation.
• Quell CAR-Treg engraftment within the liver was focused on the periportal areas and is directly proportional to the baseline level of liver inflammation at the time of infusion.

Quell plans to provide further clinical and translational data from the LIBERATE study at key international medical congresses in 2026 and via peer-reviewed publication (in preparation).

Dr. Luke Devey, Chief Medical Officer at Quell, said: “The interim LIBERATE data demonstrate that QEL-001 has been well tolerated to date, with supportive translational evidence of durable in vivo persistence, trafficking to the transplanted liver, and suppressive Treg phenotype. These early data suggest that whilst QEL-001 may not enable full operational tolerance in solid organ transplantation, it may enable minimization of immunosuppression to CNI‑free, low‑dose mTOR monotherapy in liver transplant recipients. We sincerely thank all patients who have participated in LIBERATE, whose partnership we are deeply grateful for, and whose commitment is providing critical data that may pave the way for future Treg treatments.”

Dr. Alberto Sanchez-Fueyo, Chief Investigator of the LIBERATE trial, commented: “LIBERATE has shown what Quell’s Tregs can achieve: long-term durability, trafficking, and engraftment to where needed, while maintaining stability and suppressive capacity. The potential of CAR-Tregs to safely wean liver transplant patients off CNIs and reduce the immunosuppressive burden to very low doses of everolimus after a single infusion is extremely promising for patients.”

Based on the interim clinical and translational findings from LIBERATE, which validate Quell’s CAR-Treg platform, Quell has decided to explore partnership opportunities to further progress the QEL-001 program and will prioritize its capital allocation and near-term focus on the QEL-005 CHILL clinical program. QEL-005 is a novel CD19-targeting CAR-Treg designed to address a potentially larger commercial opportunity in multiple complex autoimmune diseases and provides the fastest path to further clinical data. Quell has initiated the CHILL Phase 1/2 trial to explore QEL-005 in refractory rheumatoid arthritis and systemic sclerosis (see separate announcement today) with early clinical data expected during Q1 2027.

-ENDS-

About QEL-001 and the LIBERATE Trial

The LIBERATE trial investigates QEL-001 CAR-Treg therapy in HLA-A2 mismatched liver transplant patients to induce operational tolerance and decrease the side-effects of immunosuppression. QEL-001 is a first-in-class, antigen-specific CAR-Treg cell therapy, designed using Quell’s unique multi-modular engineered Treg platform. QEL-001 comprises three proprietary modules: a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) for tissue targeting, the Foxp3 Phenotype Lock™ module, and a safety switch. The QEL-001 CAR is specific for HLA-A2, which localizes its activity to the site of the transplanted organ in HLA-A2 mismatched liver transplant patients (i.e. HLA-A2 negative recipients who received an HLA-A2 positive donor liver). QEL-001 was dosed as a single IV infusion following lymphocyte depletion with low-dose anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) in the expansion cohort.

About Quell Therapeutics

Quell Therapeutics is the world leader in developing engineered T-regulatory (Treg) cell therapies that aims to harness, direct and optimize their immune suppressive properties to address serious medical conditions driven by the immune system.

The Company is leveraging its pioneering Foxp3 Phenotype Lock™ technology, unique multi-modular platform and integrated manufacturing capabilities to design and develop a pipeline of highly engineered Treg cell therapies with greater potential for persistence, potency and stability than earlier generations of Treg cell therapy approaches.

Quell’s lead asset QEL-005, a pipeline-in-a-product for complex autoimmune diseases will be initiating clinical development in the Phase 1/2 CHILL clinical trial in H1 2026 www.chillstudy.life. In addition, Quell is advancing two programs in partnership with AstraZeneca: QEL-002 for Type 1 Diabetes and QEL-003 for Inflammatory Bowel Disease. www.quell-tx.com.

Contacts

Quell Therapeutics
IR@quell-tx.com

Media: Mark Swallow, Sandi Greenwood, Erica Hollingsworth
MEDiSTRAVA
Quell-Tx@Medistrava.com

Resmed’s Global Sleep Survey Reveals Sleep is One of the Top Health Priorities, but Quality Rest Remains Out of Reach




Resmed’s Global Sleep Survey Reveals Sleep is One of the Top Health Priorities, but Quality Rest Remains Out of Reach

Insights from 30,000 people across 13 countries show global sleep health awareness is growing, yet an action gap remains 

• 53% of people surveyed rank sleep as the most important behavior for a long, healthy life, ahead of diet and exercise.
• Over half of respondents get quality sleep on only four nights a week or less.
• While 66% of people surveyed say they would seek medical help for ongoing sleep issues, just 23% actually do.

SAN DIEGO, March 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Resmed (NYSE: RMD, ASX: RMD), the leading health technology company focused on sleep, breathing and care delivered in the home, today unveiled the findings from its sixth annual Global Sleep Survey.

Drawing insights from 30,000 people across 13 countries, the survey reveals a widening gap between recognition of sleep’s importance and action to improve sleep health. While over half (53%) of respondents rank sleep as the most important contributor to long-term health compared to diet and exercise, many are not taking meaningful steps to improve their sleep quality.

Sleep is increasingly recognized as a key pillar of long-term health¹, with 84% of respondents worldwide understanding that consistent, quality sleep can help extend a healthy lifespan. However, awareness has not translated into consistent results. The majority of respondents (53%) report getting a good night’s sleep only four nights a week or fewer, highlighting the persistent gap between knowing sleep is critical and being able to prioritize it as part of a healthy lifestyle.

As sleep awareness grows, so does the opportunity to turn intent into action.

• Increased Wearable Use Raises Sleep Awareness Higher Than Ever: Wearable use for sleep tracking has surged among respondents, increasing from 16% in 2025² to 53% in 2026. Smartwatches lead the way, with 58% of respondents globally using them to track their sleep. Among wearable users, 62% say they would seek medical advice if their device flagged a potential risk.
• Following Through on Healthcare Provider Conversations Remains a Challenge: While 66% of respondents say they would consult a healthcare provider for persistent sleep issues, only 23% have done so. Fewer than half (46%) of survey respondents say a healthcare provider has asked about sleep during a routine visit.

The findings suggest a clear opportunity to improve education, screening and diagnosis so more people can identify sleep issues earlier and access pathways to care.

How Daily Life Disrupts Sleep

The survey also highlights the everyday pressures shaping sleep patterns worldwide.

• Closing the Sleep Gap for Women: Nearly half of women surveyed (48%) struggle to fall asleep, up from 38% in 2025.² For 42% of women surveyed, stress and anxiety are key barriers to consistent, quality sleep compared with over one third (36%) of men surveyed. Family responsibilities widen the gender gap further, negatively affecting sleep for 39% of women versus 33% of men.
• Recognizing Sleep as a Mental Health Essential: Insufficient sleep is linked to higher risk of anxiety and depression across age groups.³ This is reflected in our survey, which shows after a poor night’s sleep, more than a third of respondents report higher levels of irritability (36%) and stress (33%). Feelings of depression also increased for a quarter of respondents globally (25%).
• Making Sleep a Workplace Priority: More than half of respondents (58%) agree that heavy workloads negatively affect their sleep. 70% of respondents report taking a “snooze day” — calling in sick after a poor night’s sleep. At the same time, 59% say flexible working arrangements help them better manage their sleep. 
• Improving Sleep in Shared Spaces: Sleeping together is associated with stronger intimacy, with 53% of respondents reporting a positive impact on their sex life compared to 23% of those who sleep apart. However, disruption is common: 39% of respondents say their partner interrupts their sleep at least weekly, and 80% experience some level of partner-related sleep disruption.

“People are increasingly recognizing sleep as a cornerstone to long-term health, which is encouraging,” said Dr. Carlos Nunez, Chief Medical Officer at Resmed. “But recognition alone is not enough. We need to help people move from awareness to action by addressing everyday barriers and improving access to screening, support and care.”

Are you getting enough sleep? Read the full 2026 Resmed Global Sleep Survey report to learn more about the trends impacting the way we sleep. To assess your sleep health, take our online sleep assessment.

Survey Methodology
Resmed commissioned an independent survey of 30,000 individuals across 13 markets: the United States (5,000), China (5,000), India (5,000), United Kingdom (2,000), Germany (2,000), France (2,000), Australia (1,500), Japan (1,500), Korea (1,500), Brazil (1,500), Poland (1,000), Singapore (1,000), and Mexico (1,000). The survey was developed in partnership with The Sleep Health Foundation (Australia) and The Sleep Charity (UK), leveraging their expertise to help identify and refine key focus areas. Samples within each country were representative of national gender and age distributions. The survey was fielded by Cint from 11 December 2025 to 14 January 2026.

About Resmed
Resmed (NYSE: RMD, ASX: RMD) creates life-changing health technologies that people love. We’re relentlessly committed to pioneering innovative technology to empower millions of people in 140 countries to live happier, healthier lives. Our AI-powered digital health solutions, cloud-connected devices and intelligent software make home healthcare more personalized, accessible and effective. Ultimately, Resmed envisions a world where every person can achieve their full potential through better sleep and breathing, with care delivered in their own home. Learn more about how we’re redefining sleep health at Resmed.com and follow @Resmed.

^{_______________________________
1} Resmed Global Sleep Survey 2026. Available at: sleepsurvey.resmed.com (Accessed March 2026) 
² Resmed Global Sleep Survey 2025. Available at: sleepsurvey.resmed.com (Accessed February 2026)
³ Li Y, et al. Sleep Med Rev. 2019;42:69–89

Montis Biosciences Advances First-in-Class Dual-Action C1q Antibody with Strong Preclinical Proof-of-Concept in Neuroinflammatory Diseases




Montis Biosciences Advances First-in-Class Dual-Action C1q Antibody with Strong Preclinical Proof-of-Concept in Neuroinflammatory Diseases

• Lead antibody MB0109 targets C1q and uniquely inhibits both classical complement cascade and C1q-mediated macrophage/microglial activation — two key drivers of neuroinflammation
• MB0109 demonstrated statistically significant disease-modifying activity in relevant in vivo models of demyelinating autoimmune diseases (EAN and EAE)
• Non-human primate PK/tox study showed favorable pharmacokinetics and excellent safety profile
• IND-enabling studies planned to start mid 2026; Phase 1 clinical trial targeted for mid-2027
• Dr. Federico Grossi appointed as clinical advisor and acting CMO to oversee clinical development

Leuven, Belgium – March 3, 2026 (08:30 CET) — Montis Biosciences, a privately held biotechnology company developing first-in-class C1q-targeting antibodies to treat neuroinflammatory diseases, today announced its lead program, MB0109, has demonstrated strong efficacy data in relevant in vitro and in vivo models of neuro-autoimmune diseases, and excellent safety and PK results in non-human primate (NHP) PK/toxicity studies.

Together, this preclinical data package supports further development of MB0109 as a differentiated therapeutic strategy for a broad range of complement- and macrophage-driven neuroinflammatory diseases. Montis is initially focused on establishing clinical proof of concept in demyelinating autoimmune neuropathies such as Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) and Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), which offer efficient clinical and regulatory development pathways. Additional potential indications include high-C1q subsets of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Vascular Dementia.

C1q is the initiating component of the classical complement pathway and plays a critical role in activating macrophages and microglia through receptor-mediated signaling. Dysregulated C1q activity drives both complement- and macrophage/microglia-mediated neuronal damage.

MB0109 is the first antibody known to inhibit both macrophage/microglia and classical complement activation, endowing it with a highly differentiated first-in-class dual mode of action. MB0109 uniquely binds to specific epitopes on the tail region of C1q, thereby blocking receptor-mediated activation of macrophages and microglia, while locking C1q in a conformation that inhibits classical complement activation. By modulating both pathways simultaneously, MB0109 uniquely addresses two key neuroinflammatory disease hallmarks. This differentiates the compound from existing complement therapeutics, known to exclusively focus on blocking complement activation.

“These studies confirm that MB0109 has the potential to offer meaningful relief to patients suffering from these devastating diseases as we pioneer the first ‘beyond complement’ class of therapeutics,” said Gil Beyen, Chief Executive Officer of Montis Biosciences. “MB0109 is truly a novel approach to modulating C1q and has broad potential for the treatment of complement- and macrophage-driven neuroinflammatory diseases. Its distinctive ability to inhibit both key disease drivers allows us to address what we believe to be the main drivers of these demyelinating disorders.”

Preclinical data from relevant in vitro studies and multiple in vivo studies involving both the experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) and the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) models highlight MB0109’s strong efficacy. These widely used preclinical models are highly relevant for neuroinflammatory indications, including GBS, CIDP and multiple sclerosis.

Top-line data from the NHP assessment of MB0109 show a favorable pharmacokinetics profile and excellent tolerability, based on a dose-escalation study of up to 200 mg/kg.

Montis is submitting the data for presentations at upcoming scientific conferences and for publication in peer-reviewed journals. The start of a Phase 1 clinical trial is targeted by mid 2027.

To initiate and supervise the company’s clinical development, Montis was proud to appoint Dr. Federico Grossi, MD, PhD, as clinical & medical advisor and acting Chief Medical Officer. Federico brings extensive translational and clinical development expertise from his tenure as head of clinical development and CMO at Apellis Pharmaceuticals, where he led multiple complement-targeting programs from discovery through to late-stage development and commercialization.

Montis Biosciences (www.montisbio.com) is developing first-in-class C1q-targeting antibodies for the treatment of neuroinflammatory diseases. Montis’ lead program, MB0109, delivers a unique dual mechanism, potently blocking C1q-driven macrophage/microglial activation and simultaneously inhibiting classical complement activation (CCA). This highly differentiated antibody has generated strong in vitro and in vivo proof-of-concept data in support of its development to treat neuro-autoimmune indications. Montis is backed by a high-quality investor syndicate, including DROIA Ventures, Pfizer Ventures, ALSA Ventures and Polaris Innovation Fund.

For more information please contact:

Attachment

• 20260303 Montis PR preclinical (final)