Early-stage pharmaceutical companies make strides in cancer- and immunotherapy

Schlieren-based biotech startup ImmunOs Therapeutics AG develops HLA-based therapeutics to combat cancer and inflammation. They have recently entered a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Merck & Co., Inc. (USA). This collaboration aims to evaluate their lead compound, IOS-1002, in combination with Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA, in an ongoing Phase 1a/b clinical trial. IOS-1002, a first-in-class checkpoint inhibitor, targets LILRB1, LILRB2, and KIR3DL1, activating innate and adaptive immune cells to trigger anti-tumour activity. Christoph Renner, M.D., CMO and co-founder of ImmunOs, emphasises how the unique action-mechanism of this combinational treatment will translate in the clinic to potentially activate broader and deeper anti-tumor immune responses, leading to significantly better outcomes for more cancer patients. ImmunOs is currently enrolling patients in the Phase 1a/b trial to explore the potential of IOS-1002 as both a monotherapy and in combination with KEYTRUDA.

iOnctura's Research on Autotaxin and TGF-β Inhibitors
iOnctura SA, a biotech company based in Geneva, is making strides in developing selective cancer therapies. They recently shared their findings in the peer-reviewed journal Cancer Research, shedding light on their strategy to combine two drugs: IOA-289, which inhibits a protein called autotaxin, and IOA-359, targeting the TGF-β pathway. This research highlights the role of autotaxin in making cancers resistant to therapeutic inhibition of the TGF-β pathway, a pathway in cancer responsible for aggressive growth and immune escape. Davide Melisi, Associate Professor of Medical Oncology at the Department of Medicine, University of Verona, explains that these findings pave the way for clinical studies that will use both autotaxin inhibitors and TGF-β pathway inhibitors together to break down the barriers that protect tumors and reverse immune system suppression. iOnctura's CEO, Catherine Pickering, underscores the importance of these findings, especially in the context of treating pancreatic cancer, offering hope for longer survival and better outcomes for patients.

Numab Therapeutics' Milestone in Atopic Dermatitis Treatment
Zurich-based biopharmaceutical company Numab Therapeutics AG is making substantial progress in treating atopic dermatitis (AD), an inflammatory skin condition that affects millions of patients worldwide. They have now initiated a Phase 1 Multiple Ascending Dose (MAD) Study of NM26, a first-in-class bi-specific antibody designed to target IL-4Rα and IL-31 for the treatment of AD. NM26 is engineered to block itch and inflammation by targeting key cytokine-signaling pathways involved in AD pathogenesis. This innovation has the potential to offer faster relief from itch and more pronounced improvements in skin lesions compared to current treatment options. Dosing the first patient with NM26 represents a major milestone for Numab. The MAD study in AD patients is a planned continuation of the ongoing single ascending dose (SAD) portion of the Phase 1a/b trial in healthy volunteers. Numab's CEO, David Urech, underlines the importance of this development as they advance the treatment of AD and explore potential applications in other inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases.

(Press release/SR)