Operator

Good day, and welcome to the Hansa Biopharma Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Financial Results Conference Call. [Operator Instructions]. Please note that this event is being recorded.

I would now like to turn the conference over to Hansa Biopharma’s CEO, Renee Aguiar-Lucander. Please go ahead.

Renee Aguiar-Lucander
Chief Executive Officer

Thank you. Good afternoon, and good morning. Welcome to the Hansa Biopharma conference call to review Q4 and the results for the full-year of 2025. I’m Renee Aguiar-Lucander, CEO of Hansa Biopharma. Joining me today is Evan Ballantyne, Chief Financial Officer; Richard Philipson, Chief Medical Officer; and Maria Tornsen, Chief Operating Officer and President, U.S.

Please turn to Slide 2. Please allow me to draw your attention to the fact we’ll be making forward-looking statements during this presentation, and you should therefore apply appropriate caution. Please turn to Slide 3 and today’s agenda.

Let’s move on to Page 4, please. In terms of key achievements in Q4, Q4 saw strong growth over the same quarter last year, with product revenue growth of almost 140% and total revenue growth of 135%. Total revenues for the year amounted to SEK 222.3 million or about $25 million, a growth of 46% compared to total revenues in 2024. In Q4, we successfully also closed an equity round of SEK 671.5 million or about USD 71 million, which will fund operations into 2027.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) late Tuesday night issued a sweeping and sudden emergency order halting all air traffic at El Paso International Airport (ELP) for a period of 10 days, citing “special security reasons” that have left travelers stranded and local officials scrambling for answers.

The temporary flight restriction (TFR), which went into effect at 11:30 p.m. MST on Feb. 10, 2026, effectively severs the air link to one of the largest cities on the U.S.-Mexico border. The FAA’s notice to air missions (NOTAM) classifies the 10-mile radius around the airport as “National Defense Airspace,” warning pilots that the federal government may use “deadly force” against aircraft that violate the restriction.

An Abrupt and Unexplained Closure

Unlike typical airport closures for weather or scheduled maintenance, this shutdown was issued with less than three hours’ notice. Radio communications from the ELP control tower captured the moment dumbfounded pilots were informed they would be unable to depart.

“Apparently, we just got informed about 30 minutes to an hour ago,” an air traffic controller told a Southwest Airlines pilot late Tuesday.

The restriction extends from the surface up to 18,000 feet, covering not only El Paso International but also surrounding general aviation corridors and parts of Santa Teresa, New Mexico. While the order excludes Mexican airspace, it effectively shuts down commercial, cargo, and private aviation for the 23rd largest city in the United States through Feb. 20, 2026.

Mounting Questions Over “Special Security”

The FAA has declined to elaborate on the nature of the “special security reasons.” The lack of transparency has fueled intense speculation among aviation experts and local leaders.

“I have never heard of an American airspace being shut down for 10 days absent a major emergency,” said Texas State Rep. Vincent Perez. “To do this on such short notice without a clear explanation to the public is extraordinary.”

The closure comes during a period of heightened tension along the border, though federal authorities have not linked the grounding to any specific threat or law enforcement operation. Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-El Paso) confirmed Wednesday morning that her office is in urgent communication with the Department of Transportation, seeking a justification for the massive regional disruption.

Chaos for Travelers and Commerce

The timing of the shutdown is particularly painful for the region’s economy. El Paso International serves nearly 4 million passengers annually and is a vital hub for Southwest, American, and United Airlines.

• Commercial Impact: More than 1,200 flights are expected to be canceled or diverted over the 10-day window.
• Alternative Routes: Travelers are being urged to seek transport through Albuquerque, New Mexico (270 miles away), or Tucson, Arizona (320 miles away).
• Cargo & Military: The shutdown also affects critical cargo shipments and logistics for neighboring Fort Bliss, one of the U.S. Army’s largest installations.

Conflicting Information and “Runway” Myths

Despite rumors and some initial reports suggesting the closure was for a $42 million runway reconstruction project, airport records and the FAA’s own “National Defense” classification contradict this. The primary commercial runway at ELP is 8R-26L, while the smaller 8L-26R runway—which some had claimed was the cause of the closure—has not been authorized for major commercial jet carriers for several years.

Furthermore, the official cited in some reports as the Airport Director, Sam Rodríguez, actually departed El Paso in 2024 to take a development role at San Antonio International Airport. Current airport staff confirmed they were as surprised by the FAA mandate as the public.

Looking Toward February 20

The FAA has indicated the restriction will remain in place until 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2026, unless “modified or rescinded.” As of Wednesday morning, the airport terminal remained open but largely deserted, with airline staff assisting a handful of stranded passengers who were caught in the late-night grounding.

“We are pending additional guidance from the FAA,” the airport said in a brief social media statement. “We encourage all travelers to contact their airlines directly for rebooking options.”

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The plans aim to preserve the Herrington Burn site while providing modern offices

A derelict former miners’ welfare institute on Wearside is set to be brought back to life as office space for a driving school.

The 100 year-old former Philadelphia Miners Welfare Institute in Herrington Burn is currently in a state of disrepair. But Sunderland architectural design and structural engineering firm Building Design Northern has developed plans for an extensive makeover on behalf of its client, the UK driving school operator Pass n Go.

The vision for ‘Enterprise House’ includes remodelling the two-storey building to provide modern office space and meeting rooms, as well as open-plan facilities and staff amenities to the first floor including a mezzanine-level boardroom. And with planning permission in place, outside there will be bike storage, car parking for nine vehicles and landscaping works.

Hannah Thompson of Building Design Northern, explained: “The building is a great example of a former miners’ welfare institute that once stood at the heart of many mining communities up and down the country. Its strong character and facade exemplify the architectural design that was prominent and typical of the early 1900s, and we’re delighted to have been appointed by Pass n Go to design and deliver appropriate plans for this site.

“Our designs will retain, preserve and restore the building’s rich industrial heritage and many historic features including stone window surrounds, a large central focal window and other decorative elements both internally and externally.”

The institute was built in 1926 and is said to be typical of the type scattered across northern mining towns during the last century. Like others it became the heart of the coalfield community as a place to socialise, to learn and as a library. During the height of Britain’s industrial period, miners’ institutes were mostly operated by miners’ groups who offered a proportion of their wages into a welfare fund to support the construction, maintenance and general running of the buildings.

Having already been turned into offices some years ago, the Herrington Burn property has stood empty but will now benefit from extensive renovations and retrofit upgrades. It has original red brick, stonework and asymmetrical frontage and is regarded by many as a non-designated local heritage asset.

The separate reports from NatWest and KPMG have the North East among the best performing UK regions

Two well-regarded surveys have pointed to a more positive picture in the North East economy.

The latest NatWest Growth Tracker data showed a renewed expansion in output amongst firms in the North East, with the rate of growth among the fastest in the UK.

The tracker – which measures change in the region’s manufacturing and service sectors – rose from 49.5 in December to 54.4 in January, pointing to an increase in business activity for the first time in three months. Nine of the 12 monitored UK regions and nations recorded a rise in output, with the second-fastest expansion seen jointly in the North East and West Midlands, behind London.

Private sector firms in the North East also registered a steeper increase in new business intakes, while business confidence reached its highest level in more than four years. Employment levels were unchanged, NatWest said, but some companies in the region are looking to increase headcount to keep pace with rising demand.

Malcolm Buchanan, chair of the NatWest North Regional Board, said: “North East-based companies were buoyed by stronger optimism and higher new order inflows to raise activity levels for the first time in three months at the start of 2026. Output rose at the fastest pace since last August, and was behind only London in terms of growth leaders across the 12 monitored UK regions and nations.

“The near and medium-term pipeline is also positive for the North East region, with growth in new business intakes reaching a three-month high, while outstanding business continued to accumulate – signalling pressure on capacity amid growing demand. Looking further ahead, companies were confident that positive trends would continue over the coming 12 months. The overall degree of confidence surged from the end of last year to reach the highest since May 2021.

“Moreover, local firms were among the most optimistic of the monitored UK areas, with only London-based companies recording a stronger degree of optimism.”

Meanwhile, a report for Big Four accountancy group KPMG has suggested that 92% private business owners in the North East are confident about growth in 2026, the highest level of confidence of any Northern region. KPMG’s annual Private Enterprise Barometer puts business confidence in the North East five percentage points above the national average.

Rising demand for products was identified as the main reason for the increasing positiveity, while some businesses also highlighted plans to expand into new markets and launch new products.

Michael Downes, senior partner for KPMG at its Newcastle office, said: “Leading the Northern regions in confidence reflects not only resilience, but a determination from the businesses in the North East to invest in the future.

“It’s particularly encouraging to see businesses across the region increasingly looking beyond domestic markets, with appetite for international expansion well above the national average. That confidence is being reinforced by continued investment in technology and AI at home, supported by major developments such as the North East’s AI Growth Zone, which is helping to drive innovation, skills development and job creation across the region.

“With technology, diversification and a growing openness to alternative funding all shaping growth strategies, the North East’s private businesses are showing the ambition and forward-thinking needed to compete on the international stage.”

Children are routinely exposed to adverts for weight-loss injections, diet products and cosmetic procedures online, according to a new report by Dame Rachel de Souza, who has called for tougher regulation of social media platforms.

The report, based on a survey of 2,000 children aged 13 to 17 alongside focus groups, found that young people were being “bombarded” with content promoting body transformation, despite restrictions on certain types of advertising.

Respondents reported seeing ads for weight-loss drugs and diet products, as well as skin-lightening treatments, some of which are illegal to sell in the UK. Others described beauty and cosmetic content, including promotions for lip fillers and aesthetic procedures, as “unavoidable” across major social media platforms.

Dame Rachel said the content was “immensely damaging” to young people’s self-esteem and urged ministers to consider a ban on targeted social media advertising to children.

“We cannot continue to accept an online world that profits from children’s insecurities and constantly tells them they need to change,” she said. “Urgent action is needed to create an online environment that is truly safer by design.”

The findings come amid the rollout of the Online Safety Act, which aims to make the internet safer for users, particularly children, by placing duties on platforms to remove harmful material quickly.

Dame Rachel’s report suggests amending the Act to introduce a clearer “duty of care” obliging platforms to prevent children from being shown body-image related advertising in the first place. She also recommended changes to Ofcom’s Children’s Code of Practice to explicitly protect young users from “body stigma” content.

Ofcom said such material is already covered under its existing code. “Body stigma content can be incredibly harmful to children, which is why our rules require sites and apps to protect children from encountering it and to act swiftly when they become aware of it,” a spokesperson said. The regulator added it would not tolerate technology firms “prioritising engagement over children’s online safety”.

The commissioner also called for stronger enforcement of rules governing the online sale of age-restricted products and suggested the government consider limiting children’s access to certain social media platforms altogether.

Dr Peter Macaulay, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Derby, said restricting advertising to children was a necessary step but not sufficient on its own. “We also need stronger platform accountability, improved enforcement of age-appropriate design standards and better education to help children critically navigate online pressures,” he said.

A government spokesperson said ministers had always been clear that the Online Safety Act was “not the end of the conversation” and confirmed that a national consultation had been launched on further measures, including the possibility of banning social media use for under-16s.

The debate highlights growing concern among policymakers about the commercial drivers behind youth-facing content, as platforms face mounting pressure to demonstrate that their business models do not undermine children’s mental health.

Amy Ingham

Amy is a newly qualified journalist specialising in business journalism at Business Matters with responsibility for news content for what is now the UK’s largest print and online source of current business news.

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