On May 5, 2026 Alpha Tau Medical Ltd. (Nasdaq: DRTS, DRTSW) ("Alpha Tau"), the developer of the innovative alpha-radiation cancer therapy Alpha DaRT, reported that an abstract entitled "Management of Locally Advanced and Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Elderly Patients Using Diffusing Alpha-Emitter Radiation Therapy in Combination with Pembrolizumab" has been accepted for podium presentation at the American Head and Neck Society ("AHNS") 12th International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer, taking place July 18-22, 2026, in Boston, Massachusetts. The presentation is scheduled to occur during the Proffered Papers session on Radiation and Adjuvant Therapies on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
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The AHNS International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer is one of the world’s premier forums dedicated to advancing multidisciplinary head and neck oncology, bringing together leading surgeons, oncologists, and researchers from across the globe. Selection for a podium presentation represents one of the highest distinctions at the conference, reserved for abstracts of particular scientific merit and clinical significance.
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide, with approximately 25-40% of patients diagnosed at age 70 or older. Elderly patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease face a particularly significant unmet medical need, as they are often ineligible for or unable to tolerate aggressive multimodal therapies, and available treatment options for this vulnerable population are associated with suboptimal survival outcomes. While the emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors has expanded the therapeutic landscape for HNSCC, there remains a compelling rationale for combining localized intratumoral treatments with systemic immunotherapy to potentially enhance immune activation and improve clinical outcomes, particularly in patients for whom conventional approaches carry unacceptable toxicity.
The accepted abstract presents complete top-line data from a clinical study conducted at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel, evaluating Alpha DaRT in combination with pembrolizumab in elderly patients with locally advanced and metastatic HNSCC, from which interim data had previously been presented at the Company’s R&D Day in January 2025. This study represents a natural evolution of Alpha Tau’s head and neck cancer program, building on a foundation of strong monotherapy data generated across clinical studies in the United States, Europe, Israel, and Japan. Preclinical research has strongly suggested that Alpha DaRT treatment may activate an immune response, providing a scientific rationale for combining it with checkpoint immunotherapy. In this combination approach, Alpha DaRT is designed to act as a localized intratumoral add-on to the patient’s standard-of-care immunotherapy regimen, without altering or interrupting the ongoing systemic treatment.
Uzi Sofer, CEO of Alpha Tau, stated, "The selection of our combination therapy abstract for a podium presentation at the AHNS International Conference is a strategic milestone for Alpha Tau. Our head and neck cancer program has matured significantly over recent years, with monotherapy studies across the United States, Europe, Israel, and Japan consistently demonstrating the strong safety profile of Alpha DaRT. Moving into combination with immunotherapy is a natural and deliberate next step in our strategy. Head and neck cancer remains a devastating disease with a profound burden on patients and their families, particularly for elderly patients who have limited treatment options and face poor prognoses. We believe the combination of a targeted intratumoral radiotherapeutic approach with systemic immunotherapy represents a highly promising frontier, and we are committed to advancing Alpha DaRT toward becoming a meaningful treatment option for these patients."
Prof. Aron Popovtzer, MD, Director of the Sharett Institute of Oncology at Hadassah Medical Center and the lead Principal Investigator for Alpha DaRT clinical studies at Hadassah, commented, "The patient population in this study – elderly patients with locally advanced or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma – represents one of the most challenging groups in oncology. These patients often cannot tolerate aggressive chemoradiation, and their treatment options are severely limited. The procedure itself is straightforward, and Alpha DaRT is delivered as an add-on to the patient’s ongoing standard-of-care immunotherapy without requiring any changes to their existing treatment regimen. I look forward to presenting these data at the AHNS conference and to discussing the potential of this combination approach with colleagues from around the world."
Robert B. Den, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Alpha Tau, stated, "This podium presentation at AHNS is an exciting achievement for our combination therapy program. The clinical trial landscape in head and neck cancer is increasingly focused on combining localized and systemic therapies to enhance immune activation, and numerous studies are exploring different intratumoral approaches alongside checkpoint inhibitors. What differentiates Alpha DaRT in this space is its safety profile: Across all of our head and neck cancer studies to date, we have generally observed acute, low-grade toxicities associated with Alpha DaRT, with no chronic effects reported. For patients and physicians alike, this is a critical consideration – the ability to add a potent intratumoral treatment without compounding the toxicity burden of existing systemic therapy. We believe this combination approach opens a compelling new pathway for patients who currently have very few options."
(Press release, Alpha Tau Medical, MAY 5, 2026, View Source [SID1234665154])