On April 17, 2026 ORIC Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ORIC), a clinical stage oncology company focused on developing treatments that address mechanisms of therapeutic resistance, reported the presentation of multiple poster presentations at the 2026 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting highlighting the potential of rinzimetostat (ORIC-944), a potent and selective allosteric inhibitor of PRC2 to treat prostate cancer. The posters can be found in the publication section of ORIC’s website here.

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"Our research continues to show the therapeutic potential of PRC2 inhibition across the prostate cancer disease spectrum, by reducing tumor adaptability and sustaining the benefit derived from androgen-receptor targeted therapies," said Lori Friedman, PhD, chief scientific officer. "Additionally, our preclinical studies reveal that targeting PRC2 via EED has potential advantages over targeting EZH2, which, together with the clinical data generated to date, furthers our conviction that rinzimetostat is a potential best-in-class PRC2 inhibitor."

Poster presentations:

Rinzimetostat blockade of PRC2 activity, a key mechanism of treatment resistance, improves response of androgen receptor pathway inhibition across a spectrum of prostate cancer models

Key findings of the presentation:

In a transcriptomics analysis of >1,100 prostate samples spanning normal prostate, primary prostate cancer, and metastatic disease, PRC2 activity was observed early in the development of prostate cancer and was sustained during disease progression and treatment resistance, highlighting it as a critical therapeutic target.
More than half of localized primary tumors demonstrated elevated PRC2 activity vs. normal prostate tissue, and an elevated PRC2 activity in locally advanced tumors associates with poor survival, indicative of a key role early in the disease.
Elevated PRC2 activity was observed in the vast majority of both metastatic CSPC and metastatic CRPC tumors relative to normal prostate tissue.
Rinzimetostat in combination with darolutamide demonstrated antitumor activity across a breadth of in vivo models representing the prostate cancer continuum, including CSPC and CRPC.

Rinzimetostat, an allosteric EED inhibitor with best-in-class properties for the treatment of prostate cancer, is effective in PRC2 methyltransferase-resistant settings in preclinical studies

Key findings of the presentation:

PRC2 inhibition induces transcriptional and chromatin effects that restrain tumor plasticity and enhance antitumor activity of androgen receptor inhibitors in prostate cancer models.
Differential potency of PRC2 inhibitors on EZH1- vs. EZH2-containing complexes impacts activity in resistance contexts, providing potential advantages for EED targeting.
Rinzimetostat retained antitumor activity in prostate cancer cells with overexpressed EZH1 in vitro, while potency was diminished for mevrometostat or tazemetostat.
Preclinical studies show that rinzimetostat overcomes acquired resistance mechanisms observed in the clinic for tazemetostat and valemetostat.
Rinzimetostat demonstrates improved solubility, oral bioavailability, CYP profile, and clinical half-life versus comparator compounds.

(Press release, ORIC Pharmaceuticals, APR 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234664473])

On April 17, 2026 Kura Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: KURA), a biopharmaceutical company focused on precision medicines for the treatment of cancer, reported new preliminary data from a subset analysis of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) previously treated with cabozantinib in the ongoing FIT-001 clinical trial (NCT06026410) of darlifarnib (KO-2806) in combination with cabozantinib. Results were presented at the 2026 International Kidney Cancer Symposium (IKCS): Europe in Paris, France.

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The analysis specifically evaluated patients with ccRCC who had previously received cabozantinib, a population that typically derives limited benefit from subsequent therapy. In this setting, the combination of darlifarnib and cabozantinib demonstrated robust antitumor activity along with a manageable safety profile as demonstrated in all RCC patients across multiple dose levels, including full dose cabozantinib. These findings are consistent with clinical and preclinical data presented at the 2025 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) and in earlier data disclosures supporting the potential of darlifarnib to enhance the activity of VEGFR-targeted therapies and to address mechanisms of resistance.

Clinical Activity in Cabozantinib-Pretreated Patients (N=16):

Objective response rate (ORR) was 44%, with a disease control rate (DCR) of 94% across all doses tested in this population

Tumor shrinkage observed in 75% of patients, with reductions ranging from 32% to 47% among responders

Antitumor activity observed in a heavily pre-treated, cabozantinib-exposed population, including patients whose best response to prior cabozantinib was stable disease

Responses observed in patients previously treated with cabozantinib in the immediate prior line as well as those who had received other TKIs in addition to cabozantinib

Treatment durations ranged from 8 to 56 weeks, with six patients remaining on therapy at the time of data cutoff

These findings are notable given that patients who progress on cabozantinib are generally considered unlikely to respond to subsequent cabozantinib therapy.

"Patients with advanced ccRCC whose disease progresses on cabozantinib have limited treatment options," said Adanma Ayanambakkam, M.D., M.S., Assistant Professor of Hematology Oncology Director of Genitourinary Medical Oncology Research, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. "The tumor shrinkage and high disease control rate observed with darlifarnib in combination with cabozantinib suggest this approach may offer meaningful clinical benefit in a refractory setting or in patients with disease progression after therapy."

The FIT-001 study is evaluating darlifarnib in patients with RCC at once-daily doses of 3 mg, 5 mg or 8 mg alternating 7 days on and off in combination with cabozantinib at once-daily doses of 60 mg or 40 mg. All patients must have received prior immunotherapy. The study has advanced into Phase 1b dose expansion to assess an optimal biologically active dose for the combination.

"These data highlight the potential of darlifarnib to overcome resistance to prior cabozantinib and enhance the activity of VEGF TKIs in patients with advanced RCC," said Mollie Leoni, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Kura Oncology. "We are highly encouraged by these results and are committed to advancing this combination to evaluate further its potential to deliver meaningful benefit for RCC patients."

2026 IKCS: Europe Presentation
The presentation from 2026 IKCS: Europe is available on Kura’s website at www.kuraoncology.com under the Posters and Presentations tab in the Farnesyl Transferase Inhibition section.

Virtual Investor Event
Kura will host a webcast and conference call today, April 17, 2026, at 7:30 a.m. PT / 10:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. CEST featuring management and Adanma Ayanambakkam, M.D., M.S., Assistant Professor of Hematology Oncology and Director of Genitourinary Medical Oncology Research, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. The live webcast and replay will be available on the Company’s website at www.kuraoncology.com under the Investors tab in the Events and Presentations section.

(Press release, Kura Oncology, APR 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234664472])

On April 17, 2026 Innate Pharma SA (Euronext Paris: IPH; Nasdaq: IPHA) ("Innate" or the "Company"), reported that interim results from the MATISSE Phase 2 study evaluating IPH5201 in combination with durvalumab and platinum-based chemotherapy in resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) will be presented in one of the Clinical Trials Plenary Sessions at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2026, taking place April 17–22, 2026 in San Diego, California.

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The MATISSE study (NCT05742607) is a single arm Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating perioperative IPH5201, an anti-CD39 blocking antibody, in combination with perioperative durvalumab (anti-PD-L1) in addition to neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy in previously untreated patients with resectable NSCLC. The trial is designed to assess whether dual inhibition of the CD39 and PD-L1 pathways, together with chemotherapy, can enhance anti-tumor immune responses and improve clinical outcomes in early-stage lung cancer.

These results follow a pre-planned interim analysis on 40 patients. The combination of IPH5201 with durvalumab and chemotherapy demonstrated higher pathological complete response (pCR) rates compared with the benchmark set by durvalumab plus chemotherapy alone. Notably, pCR was 35.7% and 50% in patients with tumors expressing PD-L1 ≥1% and PD-L1 ≥50%, respectively. Based on these results, the study continues to recruit patients with tumors expressing PD-L1≥1%.

"Patients with resectable NSCLC remain at significant risk of recurrence, underscoring the need for novel perioperative treatment strategies. Disrupting the adenosine pathway through CD39 inhibition with IPH5201, in combination with PD-1 blockade and chemotherapy, could enhance anti-tumor immune responses—particularly in patients with PD-L1 positive tumors, where we observed up to 50% pCR rate in the MATISSE trial. This signal will be further investigated as we complete enrollment of the study in the PD-L1-positive population," commented Dr. Sonia Quaratino, Chief Medical Officer of Innate Pharma.

The presentation will be available in the publication section of Innate Pharma’s website.

Abstract details
Dual CD39 and PD-L1 inhibition: Interim results from the Phase 2 MATISSE trial of IPH5201 plus durvalumab and platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with resectable NSCLC
Abstract Code: CT231
Session: CTPL04 – Advances in Immunotherapy
Session Date/Time: Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 10:45 – 11:00 AM PDT
Presenter: Pr. Fabrice Barlesi, CEO of Institut Gustave Roussy

About IPH5201
IPH5201 is a first-in-class monoclonal antibody targeting CD39, a key immunosuppressive enzyme in the adenosine pathway. CD39 is expressed on tumor-infiltrating immune and stromal cells and contributes to immunosuppression by degrading extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) into adenosine monophosphate (AMP), which is then further degraded into adenosine by CD73. By blocking CD39, IPH5201 promotes the accumulation of immunostimulatory ATP and reduces the production of immunosuppressive adenosine, thereby enhancing anti-tumor immune responses.
IPH5201 is being co-developed in collaboration with AstraZeneca and is currently being evaluated in the Phase 2 MATISSE trial (NCT05742607), a multicenter study investigating perioperative treatment with IPH5201 in combination with durvalumab (anti-PD-L1) and platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
The MATISSE trial is designed to assess anti-tumor activity, including pathological complete response, and safety, with the goal of determining whether dual inhibition of the CD39 and PD-L1 pathways, in combination with chemotherapy, can enhance anti-tumor immunity and improve clinical outcomes in early-stage NSCLC.

(Press release, Innate Pharma, APR 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234664471])

On April 17, 2026 Immatics N.V. (NASDAQ: IMTX, "Immatics" or the "Company"), the global leader in precision targeting of PRAME with multiple clinical-stage programs spanning cell therapies and bispecifics, reported that an abstract highlighting a pediatric patient treated with a PRAME-directed cell therapy using Immatics’ PRAME T-cell receptor (TCR) has been accepted for a late-breaking poster presentation at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2026 in San Diego, California, USA. The patient case will be presented on April 21, 2026, at 2:00 pm PDT (Late-Breaking Research: Clinical Research 3; Poster Section 52; Poster Board Number 7; Abstract Number LB326) by the treating physician, Dr. med. Christian M. Seitz, Group Leader at the Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ).

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The abstract highlights the case of a 17-year-old adolescent with PRAME-positive advanced nephroblastoma, a malignant kidney cancer that predominantly occurs in children. The patient had rapidly progressing disease with metastases to the lung, liver and brain with an abdominal lesion measuring 16 cm in longest diameter. After exhausting all available treatment options and being ineligible for any ongoing clinical trial, the treating physician requested Immatics’ PRAME-directed TCR (encoded by the IMA203CD8 lentiviral vector) for an individual experimental treatment attempt (named-patient use; "Individueller Heilversuch" in Germany) at KiTZ, where a TCR T-cell therapy was manufactured. Following treatment, the patient experienced a deep anti-tumor response, with remission observed three months post-infusion and ongoing at six months of follow-up. PET scan and MRI imaging demonstrated marked tumor regression across all lesion sites. Additionally, liquid biopsy monitoring showed no more tumor-derived DNA, indicating molecular remission. Safety events reported in the abstract by the treating physician included cytokine release syndrome, which was manageable and resolved under multi-modal anti-cytokine therapy and corticosteroids. At six months of follow-up, the patient is in excellent physical condition.

"We are very grateful to Immatics for providing the PRAME-directed TCR that enabled us to reprogram the pediatric patient’s cells. We hope that possible further clinical evaluation may demonstrate the potential of PRAME-targeted cellular immunotherapies in helping other children and adolescents with cancer, as seen in this patient," said Christian M. Seitz, M.D., treating physician and Group Leader of the Translational Immunotherapy group at KiTZ, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD).

About Immatics’ PRAME-Directed Cell Therapie

Immatics is developing PRAME-directed TCR T-cell therapies engineered to recognize an intracellular PRAME-derived peptide presented by HLA-A*02:01 on the surface of tumor cells and to initiate a potent and specific anti-tumor response.

Immatics’ PRAME-directed cell therapies are being evaluated in clinical trials across multiple PRAME-positive solid tumors in adult patients. Its lead PRAME cell therapy candidate, anzu-cel (anzutresgene autoleucel, IMA203) is currently being evaluated in a registration-enabling Phase 3 trial "SUPRAME" in previously treated advanced cutaneous melanoma and a Phase 2 trial in metastatic uveal melanoma. In addition, Immatics is evaluating its second-generation PRAME cell therapy, IMA203CD8, in a Phase 1a dose escalation trial in patients with PRAME-positive solid tumors, with a focus on gynecologic cancers.

About PRAME

PRAME is a target expressed in more than 50 cancers. Immatics is the global leader in precision targeting of PRAME and has the broadest PRAME franchise with the most PRAME indications and modalities. The Immatics PRAME franchise currently includes three product candidates, two therapeutic modalities and two combination therapies that target PRAME: anzu-cel (anzutresgene autoleucel, IMA203) PRAME cell therapy, IMA203CD8 PRAME cell therapy (GEN2), IMA402 PRAME bispecific as monotherapy and in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor as well as anzu-cel in combination with Moderna’s PRAME mRNA designed to enhance cell therapy.
Cedrik Britten, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer at Immatics, added, "Seeing such a profound response in a pediatric patient who had no treatment options left is both remarkable and deeply encouraging for everyone dedicated to making a meaningful impact on the lives of patients with cancer. It reinforces our belief in PRAME as a powerful target and highlights the potential of cell therapy for pediatric cancers, where tumors often show high PRAME expression. These results support continued evaluation of PRAME-directed cell therapies in pediatric cancers while exploring new therapeutic options for children facing such devastating diseases."

PRAME is a tumor target present on the cell surface of more than 50 cancers and can be targeted by TCR T-cell therapies. Based on the high PRAME expression across multiple different pediatric tumors in combination with the potential benefit of particularly strong immune responses in young patients, PRAME TCR T-cell therapies may offer a promising new treatment option for these patients. Immatics is planning to evaluate the potential of its PRAME TCR T-cell therapy candidates in pediatric patients with cancer and is assessing multiple options for clinical development including a potential first-in-pediatrics Phase 1/2 basket study in pediatric patients with HLA-A*02:01-positive, PRAME-expressing relapsed or refractory solid tumors at KiTZ in Heidelberg.

(Press release, Immatics, APR 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234664470])

On April 17, 2026 Cogent Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: COGT), a biotechnology company focused on developing precision therapies for genetically defined diseases, reported that preclinical data from the Company’s KRAS and ErbB2 pipeline programs will be presented during poster sessions at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2026 taking place in April 17-22 in San Diego, CA.

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"As we prepare for the potential launch of bezuclastinib later this year, we are excited to share updates from two of our pipeline programs this weekend at the 2026 annual AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) meeting," said Andrew Robbins, Cogent’s President and Chief Executive Officer. "First, we are presenting data on CGT1263, our novel pan-KRAS(ON) inhibitor, which shows best-in-class cellular potency along with evidence that its kinase selectivity advantage over multi-RAS inhibitors could drive clinical differentiation with regards to skin toxicity, a current liability of advanced clinical programs. Separately, we provide an update on CGT4255, our novel, selective ErbB2 inhibitor that was specifically designed for its best-in-class CNS penetrant properties to address a significant unmet need for HER2+ patients with brain metastases. This presentation also includes preclinical data in combination with a HER2 ADC suggesting potential synergistic activity leading to improved duration of therapy as well as re-sensitization of patients following HER2 ADC resistance. With multiple potential blockbuster programs advancing in our pipeline, we believe these new data underscore the long-term potential of Cogent Biosciences."

Poster Details

Title: Characterization of CGT1263, a KRAS (ON/OFF) inhibitor clinical candidate with selectivity for mutant KRAS over HRAS and NRAS
Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics
Session Title: Novel Antitumor Agents 1
Session Date and Time: April 19, 2026 – 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM PT (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET)
Location: Poster Section 17
Poster Board Number: 13
Poster Number: 410

Mutations in KRAS are among the most prevalent mutations found in cancer, occurring most often in colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer. The preclinical poster highlights Cogent’s internally developed pan-KRAS(ON) inhibitor with >500x selectivity for KRAS over HRAS and NRAS. Plasma exposure following oral administration across species resulted in sustained pERK inhibition and robust antitumor activity. Tumor pERK inhibition was also achieved with limited skin suppression, supporting the potential of a larger therapeutic window for CGT1263 when compared to multi-RAS inhibitors currently in clinical development. This aligns with historical data implicating the RAS-MAPK-ERK pathway as essential for skin development given its role in regulation of keratinocyte proliferation, differentiation, and survival; combined suppression of multiple targets within this pathway is thought to be the driver of frequent rash observed in patients treated with multi-RAS inhibitors. Overall, these findings suggest CGT1263 could provide an advantage for patients, enabling higher dosing designed to elicit a more profound molecular response. Investigational New Drug (IND) enabling studies are ongoing with an IND submission expected later this year.

Title: Preclinical characterization of CGT4255, an EGFR sparing, pan-mutant HER2 clinical development candidate with potential best-in-class brain penetration
Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics
Session Title: Tyrosine Kinase, Phosphatase, and Other Inhibitors
Session Date and Time: April 21, 2026 – 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM PT (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET)
Location: Poster Section 18
Poster Board Number: 7
Poster Number: 5869

Cogent’s EGFR-sparing, brain-penetrant ErbB2 inhibitor includes potent coverage of key mutations (YVMA, S310F, V842I, L755S) inadequately addressed by currently approved therapies. Activating mutations in the ErbB2 gene have been identified in multiple cancers and demonstrate a tumorigenic role similar to that of ErbB2 amplification. New data presented describe CGT4255’s >100-fold selectivity over EGFR while robustly engaging HER2 amplification, insertion and mutant lines in addition to reinforcing best-in-class potential CNS performance relative to other agents in development. Additional mechanistic studies presented suggest CGT4255 may have synergistic effects on efficacy and durability when combined with HER2 targeted ADCs. Preclinical evidence demonstrates that concurrent treatment of CGT4255 and T-DXd enhances receptor internalization and cancer cell apoptosis, suggesting the potential for a synergistic combination that could improve patient outcomes. The Phase 1 study of CGT4255 is ongoing.

Posters will be available on the ‘Posters and Publications’ page of Cogent’s website.

(Press release, Cogent Biosciences, APR 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234664468])