Mark Hagler to lead NovaBridge (Nasdaq: NBP) commercial strategy

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

NovaBridge Biosciences appointed Mark Hagler as President and Chief Commercial Officer, effective April 17, 2026, adding senior commercial leadership as its oncology and ophthalmology pipeline advances. Hagler has more than 25 years of biopharma experience, including leading a $1 billion-plus portfolio and over 600 staff at Sun Pharmaceutical Industries.

He previously held senior roles at Ipsen, Sanofi, Novartis and Abraxis BioScience, helping launch key oncology drugs such as Abraxane and Afinitor. His commercial and pre-commercial expertise is expected to support NovaBridge’s mid-stage programs, including the Claudin 18.2 x 4-1BB bispecific antibody givastomig and the dual VEGF-A x ANG-2 inhibitor VIS-101, as they move toward pivotal and Phase 2b studies.

Key Figures

Effective date of appointment: April 17, 2026 Industry experience: More than 25 years Portfolio size led at Sun: $1B+ portfolio +4 more

7 metrics

Effective date of appointment April 17, 2026 Start date as President and Chief Commercial Officer

Industry experience More than 25 years Hagler’s biopharmaceutical industry experience

Portfolio size led at Sun $1B+ portfolio Commercial portfolio overseen as Chief Commercial Officer at Sun

Team size led at Sun 600+ professionals Organization Hagler managed at Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited

VIS-101 next study timing H2 2026 Expected start of dose-determining Phase 2b study for VIS-101

Givastomig development stage Randomized Phase 2 Global randomized Phase 2 study in Claudin 18.2-positive gastric cancer

VIS-101 completed study stage Phase 2a Randomized, dose-ranging Phase 2a study in wet AMD

Key Terms

bispecific antibody, first-in-class, Phase 2, wet age-related macular degeneration, +2 more

6 terms

bispecific antibody medical

"givastomig, a potential first-in-class Claudin 18.2 x 4-1BB bispecific antibody for first line (1L) gastric cancer"

A bispecific antibody is a specially designed protein that can attach to two different targets at the same time. Think of it as a custom-made connector that brings two things together—such as a disease cell and an immune system component—helping the body fight illnesses more effectively. For investors, understanding bispecific antibodies is important because they represent innovative therapies that could lead to new treatments and potentially lucrative market opportunities.

first-in-class medical

"givastomig, a potential first-in-class Claudin 18.2 x 4-1BB bispecific antibody for first line (1L) gastric cancer"

Phase 2 medical

"The product candidate is being evaluated in a global, randomized Phase 2 study"

Phase 2 is the mid-stage clinical trial where a new drug or treatment is tested in a larger group of patients to see if it works and to keep checking safety after initial human testing. Think of it as a field test that proves whether a product actually delivers its promised benefit. Investors watch Phase 2 closely because its results strongly influence a medicine’s chances of reaching the market, the size of its potential sales, and the company’s valuation.

wet age-related macular degeneration medical

"VIS-101 has completed a randomized, dose-ranging Phase 2a study for wet AMD"

A severe eye condition in which abnormal, fragile blood vessels grow beneath the macula — the small central part of the retina responsible for sharp, detailed vision — and leak fluid or blood, causing rapid loss of central sight. Investors care because the condition drives demand for high-cost therapies, medical devices and ongoing care; successful treatments can create sizable markets, affect healthcare spending and influence regulatory and reimbursement decisions, much like fixing a leaking camera lens restores image quality and value.

Biologics License Application regulatory

"may or may not support further development or New Drug Application/Biologics License Application (NDA/BLA) approval"

A biologics license application is a formal request submitted to regulatory authorities seeking approval to market a new biological medicine, such as vaccines or treatments made from living organisms. It is a comprehensive review process that evaluates the safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality of the product. For investors, receiving approval signals that a biological therapy can be sold to the public, potentially leading to revenue growth and market success.

Accelerated Approval Pathway regulatory

"eligibility for or achievement of the FDA’s Accelerated Approval Pathway"

The accelerated approval pathway is a process that allows new medicines to be approved more quickly based on early evidence that they may be effective, rather than waiting for full proof. This can help patients access promising treatments faster, but it also means ongoing studies are needed to confirm the benefits. For investors, it highlights potential faster market entry and earlier revenue opportunities, along with some uncertainty about long-term outcomes.

Form 6-K: How Foreign Companies Report to the SEC →

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 6-K

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER

PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 UNDER

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the month of April 2026

Commission File Number: 001-39173

NovaBridge Biosciences

2440 Research Boulevard, Suite 400

Rockville, MD 20850

(Address of principal executive offices)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F ☒                Form 40-F ☐

Appointment of Mr. Mark Hagler as President and Chief Commercial Officer

On April 22, 2026, the Company announced the appointment of Mr. Mark Hagler as President and Chief Commercial Officer, effective April 17, 2026. Mr. Hagler brings more than 25 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, with significant expertise in commercial strategy, pre-commercial readiness, and organizational development across oncology, ophthalmology and other specialty therapeutic areas. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Hagler served as Chief Commercial Officer of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, where he led a portfolio exceeding $1 billion and an organization of more than 600 professionals, with responsibility for strategy, performance and growth. Earlier in his career, Mr. Hagler held senior leadership roles at Ipsen S.A., Sanofi, Novartis AG, and Abraxis BioScience, Inc., where he contributed to the global launch and lifecycle strategy of oncology therapies. His experience spans clinical development strategy, pipeline prioritization, business development, pricing and market access, and cross-functional leadership.

Mr. Hagler holds an M.B.A. in Corporate Finance from Johns Hopkins University and is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy.

In connection with his appointment, Mr. Hagler will be entitled to compensation and benefits consistent with those provided to similarly situated executive officers of the Company. Any material terms of his compensation arrangements will be disclosed in accordance with applicable SEC requirements.

There are no family relationships between Mr. Hagler and any director or executive officer of the Company, and there are no transactions between Mr. Hagler and the Company that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

A copy of the Company's press release announcing Mr. Hagler's appointment is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 to this Report on Form 6-K.

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press Release - NovaBridge Appoints Mark Hagler as President and Chief Commercial Officer to Advance Commercial Strategy and Maximize Pipeline Value

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

	NovaBridge Biosciences
	By	:	/s/ Xi-Yong Fu
	Name	:	Xi-Yong (Sean) Fu
	Title	:	Chief Executive Officer

Date: April 22, 2026

Exhibit 99.1

NovaBridge Appoints Mark Hagler as President and Chief Commercial Officer to Advance Commercial Strategy and Maximize Pipeline Value

•Seasoned Biopharma leader bringing deep commercial experience to shape and inform corporate strategy, clinical trial design and business development discussions

•Strong industry reputation and commercial track record in high-value pharmaceutical markets including oncology and ophthalmology

•Strengthens NovaBridge’s leadership team as the Company advances givastomig, a potential first-in-class Claudin 18.2 x 4-1BB bispecific antibody for first line (1L) gastric cancer, toward registrational pivotal studies and continues to advance VIS-101, purpose-designed, potential best-in-class, dual VEGF-A x ANG-2 inhibitor for wet AMD

ROCKVILLE, MD, April 22, 2026 – NovaBridge Biosciences (Nasdaq: NBP) (“NovaBridge” or the “Company”), a global biotechnology platform company committed to accelerating access to innovative medicines that address significant unmet needs, today announced the appointment of Mark Hagler as President and Chief Commercial Officer. Mr. Hagler brings deep commercial expertise to shape and inform corporate strategy, clinical trial design and business development discussion. He brings a strong industry reputation and track record in high-value pharmaceutical markets including oncology and ophthalmology. Mr. Hagler built the commercial strategy for Abraxane® in new indications and led the global launch of a core Afinitor® indication.

“Welcoming Mark adds meaningful commercial and operational leadership experience to NovaBridge. This year, NovaBridge has demonstrated strong momentum, with compelling clinical data from our two mid-stage, potential best-in-class/first-in-class programs, givastomig and VIS-101. As we progress towards pivotal studies, Mark’s perspective will be instrumental in defining our path forward to maximize the value of our pipeline for shareholders and patients,” said Fu Wei, Executive Chairman of the Board of NovaBridge.

“Joining NovaBridge at this pivotal time is incredibly exciting. I look forward to partnering with my colleagues as we advance givastomig and VIS-101 to pivotal studies. The pipeline is supported by compelling proof-of-concept data, and has the potential to deliver meaningful commercial value. My focus will be on collaboration across the organization to shape our commercial approach and strengthen pre-commercial readiness to realize the full potential of our programs,” said Mr. Hagler.

About Mark Hagler

Mark Hagler is a biotechnology commercial executive with more than 25 years of experience building, scaling, and transforming biopharmaceutical and specialty pharmaceutical businesses. He brings distinctive expertise in driving accelerated growth, commercial readiness, and organizational development for companies in oncology, immunology, ophthalmology, and rare disease markets.

Before joining NovaBridge, Mr. Hagler served as Chief Commercial Officer for Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries Limited (Sun), where he led a $1B+ portfolio and organization of 600+ professionals, with accountability for strategy, performance and growth. Under his leadership, Sun’s U.S. Oncology business scaled from inception to profitability. In addition, Mr. Hagler led the transformation of the Ophthalmology division, establishing robust operational standards and delivering positive cash flow. He also executed strategic acquisitions that added value to the company’s pipeline and expanded its market reach.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Hagler held senior leadership roles at Ipsen S.A., Sanofi, Novartis AG, and Abraxis BioScience, Inc., where he shaped the global launch and lifecycle strategies for oncology therapies including Afinitor® and Abraxane®, driving meaningful clinical adoption and long-term commercial value. Mr. Hagler’s experience spans IND-to-commercialization drug development, pipeline prioritization, business development, pricing and market access strategy, cross-functional organizational leadership, and field model optimization for high-science markets.

Mr. Hagler is a named inventor on three U.S. design patents for medical technology innovations. He holds an MBA in Corporate Finance from Johns Hopkins University and is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy.

About NovaBridge

NovaBridge is a global biotechnology platform company committed to accelerating access to innovative medicines. The Company combines deep business development expertise with agile translational clinical development to identify, accelerate, and advance breakthrough assets. By bridging science, strategy, and execution, NovaBridge enables transformative therapies to progress rapidly from discovery toward patients in need.

The Company’s differentiated pipeline is led by givastomig, a potential first-in-class and best-in-class, Claudin 18.2 X 4-1BB bispecific antibody, and VIS-101, purpose-designed, potential best-in-class, dual VEGF-A X ANG-2 inhibitor.

Givastomig conditionally activates T cells via the 4-1BB signaling pathway in the tumor microenvironment where Claudin 18.2 is expressed. Givastomig is being developed to treat Claudin 18.2-positive gastric cancer and other gastrointestinal malignancies. The product candidate is being evaluated in a global, randomized Phase 2 study, following the recent announcement of positive topline results from a Phase 1b, multi-center, open label study in first line gastric cancer. The Company is also collaborating with its partner, ABL Bio, for the development of ragistomig, a bispecific antibody integrating PD-L1 as a tumor engager and 4-1BB as a conditional T cell activator, in solid tumors. Additionally, NovaBridge owns worldwide rights outside of China to uliledlimab, an anti-CD73 antibody that targets adenosine-driven immunosuppression in cancer.

VIS-101 targets VEGF-A and ANG-2 to provide more rapid, robust and durable treatment responses for patients with retinal vascular diseases including wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, and retinal vein occlusion. VIS-101 has completed a randomized, dose-ranging Phase 2a study for wet AMD and expects to initiate a dose-determining Phase 2b study in H2 2026. NovaBridge is the majority shareholder of Visara, Inc., and Visara controls global rights to VIS-101, outside of Greater China and certain countries in Asia.

For more information, please visit www.novabridge.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Forward Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will”, “expects”, “believes”, “designed to”, “anticipates”, “future”, “intends”, “plans”, “potential”, “estimates”, “confident”, and similar terms or the negative thereof. NovaBridge may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding: the expected impact of the new President and Chief Commercial Officer appointment; the Company’s expectations regarding the strategy, clinical development, plans, results, safety and efficacy for givastomig, VIS-101 and its other drug candidates; the strategic and clinical development of NovaBridge’s drug candidates, including givastomig, VIS-101, ragistomig, and uliledlimab; anticipated clinical milestones and results, and related timing. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in these forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the following: the Company’s ability to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of its drug candidates; the clinical results for its drug candidates, which may or may not support further development or New Drug Application/Biologics License Application (NDA/BLA) approval or eligibility for or achievement of the FDA’s Accelerated Approval Pathway; the content and timing of decisions made by the relevant

regulatory authorities, including the FDA, regarding regulatory approval of the Company’s drug candidates; the Company’s ability to achieve commercial success for its drug candidates, if approved; the Company’s ability to obtain and maintain protection of intellectual property for its technology and drugs; the Company’s reliance on third parties to conduct drug development, manufacturing and other services; the Company’s limited operating history and the Company’s ability to obtain additional funding for operations and to complete the development and commercialization of its drug candidates; the impact of macroeconomic conditions, including inflation, tariffs, volatile interest rates, regulatory uncertainty, potential government shutdowns, volatility in the capital markets, and regional and other global events, including ongoing armed conflicts in different regions of the world; and those risks more fully discussed in the “Risk Factors” section in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on April 7, 2026 as well as the discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in the Company’s subsequent filings with the SEC. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

Trademarks, Trade Names And Service Marks

We own or have rights to trademarks or trade names that we use in conjunction with the operation of our business and that appear in this press release. This press release also contains references to trademarks and trade names belonging to other entities. All rights to trademarks, copyrights and other intellectual property listed herein belong to their respective owners and our use or display thereof does not imply an affiliation with, or endorsement by, any other entities.

NovaBridge Investor & Media Contacts

PJ Kelleher

LifeSci Advisors

+1-617-430-7579

pkelleher@lifesciadvisors.com

NovaBridge Biosciences

+1-240-745-6330

IR@novabridge.com

FAQ

What leadership change did NovaBridge Biosciences (NBP) announce?

NovaBridge appointed Mark Hagler as President and Chief Commercial Officer, effective April 17, 2026. He brings over 25 years of biopharma commercial experience, strengthening leadership as the company advances mid-stage oncology and ophthalmology programs toward pivotal and dose-determining studies.

What is Mark Hagler’s background before joining NovaBridge (NBP)?

Mark Hagler previously served as Chief Commercial Officer at Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, overseeing a $1B+ portfolio and 600+ staff. He also held senior roles at Ipsen, Sanofi, Novartis and Abraxis BioScience, shaping global oncology launches including Abraxane and Afinitor lifecycle strategies.

Which key drug candidates are highlighted in NovaBridge Biosciences’ (NBP) pipeline?

NovaBridge highlights givastomig, a Claudin 18.2 x 4-1BB bispecific antibody in gastric cancer, and VIS-101, a dual VEGF-A x ANG-2 inhibitor for retinal diseases. Givastomig is in a randomized Phase 2 study, while VIS-101 completed Phase 2a in wet AMD and targets Phase 2b in H2 2026.

How does NovaBridge (NBP) describe the potential of givastomig for gastric cancer?

NovaBridge describes givastomig as a potential first-in-class and best-in-class Claudin 18.2 x 4-1BB bispecific antibody. It conditionally activates T cells in Claudin 18.2-expressing tumors and is being developed for first-line gastric cancer, supported by positive Phase 1b topline results and an ongoing global randomized Phase 2 trial.

What retinal indications is VIS-101 targeting for NovaBridge Biosciences (NBP)?

VIS-101 targets retinal vascular diseases including wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema and retinal vein occlusion. The dual VEGF-A x ANG-2 inhibitor completed a randomized, dose-ranging Phase 2a study in wet AMD, with a dose-determining Phase 2b study expected to start in H2 2026.

What forward-looking risks does NovaBridge (NBP) caution about in this update?

NovaBridge notes that development and commercialization depend on demonstrating safety and efficacy, regulatory decisions, intellectual property protection and access to funding. It also cites macroeconomic factors like inflation, interest rate volatility and geopolitical conflicts as potential risks affecting future outcomes.

Filing Exhibits & Attachments

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Press Releases

• EX-99.1 EX-99.1 36.6 KB