On May 15, 2025 CEL-SCI Corporation (NYSE American: CVM) reported financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2025, as well as key recent clinical and corporate developments (Press release, Cel-Sci, MAY 15, 2025, View Source [SID1234653199]).

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"We are highly encouraged about the latest development for the commercialization of Multikine in global markets. Based on guidance from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), we intend to file for drug approval based on the wealth of data from our completed Phase 3 study," stated CEL-SCI CEO, Geert Kersten.

Corporate and Clinical Developments include:

Multikine resulted in up to 95% improvement in quality of life. CEL-SCI published new data from its Phase 3 study of Multikine in newly diagnosed, treatment naïve, resectable, locally advanced head and neck cancer patients in the highly regarded peer reviewed journal Pathology and Oncology Research (POR). The article titled "Neoadjuvant Leukocyte Interleukin Injection Immunotherapy Improves Overall Survival in Low-risk Locally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma -The IT-MATTERS Study" included a comprehensive presentation of results from CEL-SCI’s Phase 3 trial, the largest study ever conducted for newly diagnosed locally advanced head and neck cancer. The new, previously unpublished findings included the following patient quality of life data:
Quality of life (QoL) was assessed and validated through use of two instruments, EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-H&N 35 across all clinical sites.
QoL improvements in Multikine treated patients included reduction in or cessation of pain in the head and neck area, improvement or complete restoration in ability to eat, drink, and swallow, ability for selfcare including walking and using the toilet, and improved emotional wellbeing.
95.1% of complete responders to Multikine reported improved QoL.
Complete responders to Multikine treatment reported a 100% (wherein all respondents scored the highest possible improvement from baseline) on 60% (39/65) quality of life measures.
89.4% of partial responders to Multikine reported improved quality of life measures.
CEL-SCI is in the final stages for the launch of its 212-patient Confirmatory Registration Study for Multikine in newly diagnosed locally advanced head and neck cancer patients, reviewed and concurred to by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This final Registration Study is specifically designed to confirm the statistically significant efficacy and safety results from CEL-SCI’s previously completed randomized controlled Phase 3 trial.
CEL-SCI is in talks with potential partners. Given Multikine’s excellent survival data, strong statistics and the recent focus on PD-L1 as a diagnostic biomarker for predicting the most effective treatment strategy for head and neck cancer, as well as its favorable safety profile, CEL-SCI is pursuing discussions with key parties that may be interested in partnering with CEL-SCI.
Financial Results

During the three months ended March 31, 2025, net loss was $6.6 million compared to $7.2 million in the prior year period. Basic and diluted net loss per common share increased to $0.08 for the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to $0.14 for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The Company has instituted several cost-cutting measures including reductions in salaries. In demonstration of his deep commitment to the Company and Multikine’s potential to significantly improve patient outcomes, CEO Geert Kersten has been and is currently working without taking a salary.

On May 15, 2025 MAIA Biotechnology, Inc. (NYSE American: MAIA), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing targeted immunotherapies for cancer, reported that an abstract about the efficacy data from the Phase 2 THIO-101 clinical trial was accepted for poster presentation at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper), taking place May 30 to June 3, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois (Press release, MAIA Biotechnology, MAY 15, 2025, View Source [SID1234653198]). The poster is scheduled for presentation on May 31, 2025, from 01:30pm to 04:30pm CDT in the Lung Cancer track.

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"We continue to believe that our telomere targeting agent ateganosine (THIO) could become a best-in-class anticancer treatment with the potential to challenge the standard of care for NSCLC," said MAIA CEO Vlad Vitoc, M.D. "Treatment with ateganosine has shown excellent efficacy in third-line NSCLC to date and we look forward to presenting our findings at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2025 on May 31st."

Poster Presentation Details

Poster title: "Phase 2 Study of Telomere-Targeting Agent THIO Sequenced With Cemiplimab in Third-Line Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor–Resistant Advanced NSCLC: Evaluation of Overall Survival"

Session date and time: May 31, 2025, 01:30pm to 04:30pm CDT

Presenter: Tomasz Jankowski, M.D.

MAIA’s poster will be available on the Publications page of MAIA’s website on the day of the presentation.

About ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2025

The 2025 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting will feature over 200 sessions and more than 5,000 posters complementing the theme, "Driving Knowledge to Action: Building a Better Future," reflecting the meeting’s tradition of inspiring and advancing the oncology field with the power of the latest knowledge in cancer care.

About Ateganosine

Ateganosine (THIO, 6-thio-dG or 6-thio-2’-deoxyguanosine) is a first-in-class investigational telomere-targeting agent currently in clinical development to evaluate its activity in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Telomeres, along with the enzyme telomerase, play a fundamental role in the survival of cancer cells and their resistance to current therapies. The modified nucleotide 6-thio-2’-deoxyguanosine induces telomerase-dependent telomeric DNA modification, DNA damage responses, and selective cancer cell death. Ateganosine-damaged telomeric fragments accumulate in cytosolic micronuclei and activates both innate (cGAS/STING) and adaptive (T-cell) immune responses. The sequential treatment with ateganosine followed by PD-(L)1 inhibitors resulted in profound and persistent tumor regression in advanced, in vivo cancer models by induction of cancer type–specific immune memory. Ateganosine is presently developed as a second or later line of treatment for NSCLC for patients that have progressed beyond the standard-of-care regimen of existing checkpoint inhibitors.

About THIO-101, a Phase 2 Clinical Trial

THIO-101 is a multicenter, open-label, dose finding Phase 2 clinical trial. It is the first trial designed to evaluate ateganosine’s anti-tumor activity when followed by PD-(L)1 inhibition. The trial is testing the hypothesis that low doses of ateganosine administered prior to cemiplimab (Libtayo) will enhance and prolong immune response in patients with advanced NSCLC who previously did not respond or developed resistance and progressed after first-line treatment regimen containing another checkpoint inhibitor. The trial design has two primary objectives: (1) to evaluate the safety and tolerability of ateganosine administered as an anticancer compound and a priming immune activator (2) to assess the clinical efficacy of ateganosine using overall response rate (ORR) as the primary clinical endpoint. The expansion of the study will assess ORR in advanced NSCLC patients receiving third line (3L) therapy who were resistant to previous checkpoint inhibitor treatments (CPI) and chemotherapy. Treatment with ateganosine followed by cemiplimab (Libtayo) has been generally well-tolerated to date in a heavily pre-treated population. For more information on this Phase 2 trial, please visit ClinicalTrials.gov using the identifier NCT05208944.

On May 15, 2025 Incyte (Nasdaq:INCY) reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zynyz (retifanlimab-dlwr), a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1), in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel (platinum-based chemotherapy) for the first-line treatment of adult patients with inoperable locally recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCAC) (Press release, Incyte, MAY 15, 2025, View Source [SID1234653197]). In addition, the FDA granted approval for Zynyz as a single agent for the treatment of adult patients with locally recurrent or with metastatic SCAC with disease progression on or intolerance to platinum-based chemotherapy.

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"The FDA approval of Zynyz marks a pivotal moment, bringing effective combination and monotherapy treatment options to patients with advanced anal cancer after decades of limited innovation," said Hervé Hoppenot, Chief Executive Officer, Incyte. "At Incyte, we focus our efforts where we can make the biggest impact for patients. I am proud of our scientists and development teams for their perseverance in delivering the first approved PD-1 inhibitor to U.S. patients with SCAC."

The Priority Review and FDA approval of the supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Zynyz was based on data from two trials: the Phase 3 POD1UM-303/InterAACT2 trial evaluating Zynyz in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy (carboplatin-paclitaxel) in adult patients with metastatic or inoperable locally recurrent SCAC not previously treated with systemic chemotherapy, and the Phase 2 POD1UM-202 trial evaluating Zynyz monotherapy in previously treated patients with locally advanced or metastatic SCAC who have progressed on or were intolerant of platinum-based chemotherapy.

Results from POD1UM-303/InterAACT2, featured at a Presidential Symposium on Practice-Changing Trials at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) in 2024, showed a clinically meaningful and statistically significant 37% reduction in the risk of progression or death (P=0.0006). Patients in the Zynyz and chemotherapy combination group achieved a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 9.3 months compared to 7.4 months for patients in the placebo combination group. Additionally, a 6.2-month improvement in median overall survival (OS) was observed (P=0.0273) at an interim analysis; OS follow-up is ongoing. No new safety signals were observed. Serious adverse reactions occurred in 47% of patients receiving Zynyz in combination with chemotherapy. The most frequent serious adverse reactions (≥ 2% of patients) were sepsis (3.2%), pulmonary embolism (3.2%), diarrhea (2.6%) and vomiting (2.6%).

"Patients with inoperable locally recurrent or metastatic anal cancer have historically faced poor five-year survival rates and limited treatment options.1 The POD1UM data highlight the potential of Zynyz to be a meaningful new option, and notably demonstrate that the addition of Zynyz to platinum-based chemotherapy significantly improves progression-free survival," said Marwan Fakih, M.D., Professor, Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, Associate Director, Clinical Sciences, Medical Director, Briskin Center for Clinical Research, Division Chief, GI Medical Oncology, Co-Director, Gastrointestinal Cancer Program, City of Hope. "This approval marks an important advancement as it makes a new treatment approach available for this challenging cancer."

The Zynyz monotherapy approval is based on results from the POD1UM-202 study which demonstrated that treatment with Zynyz monotherapy produced an objective response rate (ORR) of 14% and disease control rate of 49%. Zynyz demonstrated a safety profile as expected of a PD-1 inhibitor with no loss of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection control.2 Serious adverse reactions occurred in 40% of patients receiving Zynyz. The most frequent serious adverse reactions (≥ 2% of patients) were non-urinary tract infection, perineal pain, abdominal pain, anemia, hemorrhage, diarrhea, pyrexia, urinary tract infection, musculoskeletal pain and dyspnea.

"Patients with anal cancer often face a troubling lack of public awareness and understanding when it comes to risk factors, symptoms and their overall cancer journey," said David Winterflood, Chief Executive Officer of the Anal Cancer Foundation. "The approval of Zynyz marks a step forward for advanced SCAC treatment, brings attention to a long-overlooked condition with limited treatment options and offers patients whose anal cancer has returned or spread an option to treat their disease."

In addition to the sBLA in the U.S., Incyte submitted a Type II variation Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for retifanlimab in advanced SCAC and a Japanese New Drug Application (J-NDA) which was accepted by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) for retifanlimab in advanced SCAC.

Incyte is committed to supporting patients and removing barriers to access medicines. Eligible patients in the U.S. who are prescribed Zynyz have access to IncyteCARES (Connecting to Access, Reimbursement, Education and Support), a comprehensive program offering personalized patient support, including financial assistance and ongoing education and additional resources. More information about IncyteCARES is available by visiting www.incytecares.com or calling 1-855-452-5234, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

About Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Anal Canal (SCAC)

SCAC is the most common type of anal cancer, making up 85% of cases.3 It is a rare disease for which the incidence is increasing approximately 3% per year.4 About 90% of cases are associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection—the number one risk factor for anal cancer.5 HIV is an important amplifier of anal cancer, as people with HIV are 25 to 35 times more likely to develop it.6,7 Anal cancer shares many of the same symptoms as non-cancerous conditions, such as hemorrhoids—including pain, itching, a lump or mass and changes in bowel movements—and as a result can go undetected leading to the majority of patients presenting with locally advanced disease.2,8 More information about SCAC is available by visiting www.analcancer.com.

About POD1UM

The POD1UM (PD1 Clinical Program in Multiple Malignancies) clinical trial program for retifanlimab includes POD1UM-303, POD1UM-202 and several other Phase 1, 2 and 3 studies for patients with solid tumors, including a registration-directed trial evaluating retifanlimab in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

About Zynyz (retifanlimab-dlwr)

Zynyz (retifanlimab-dlwr) is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1), indicated in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel (platinum-based chemotherapy) for the first-line treatment of adult patients with inoperable locally recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCAC) and as a single agent for the treatment of adult patients with locally recurrent or metastatic SCAC with disease progression or intolerance to platinum-based chemotherapy in the U.S.

Zynyz is also indicated for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic or recurrent locally advanced Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) in the U.S. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.

Zynyz is marketed by Incyte in the United States. In 2017, Incyte entered into an exclusive collaboration and license agreement with MacroGenics, Inc. for global rights to retifanlimab.

Zynyz is a registered trademark of Incyte.

Important Safety Information

What is the most important information I should know about Zynyz?

Zynyz is a medicine that may treat certain types of cancers by working with your immune system. Zynyz can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in any area of your body and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become severe or life-threatening and can lead to death. You can have more than one of these problems at the same time. These problems may happen anytime during treatment or even after your treatment has ended.

Call or see your doctor right away if you develop any new or worsening signs or symptoms, including:

Lung problems: cough, shortness of breath, chest pain

Intestinal problems: diarrhea (loose stools) or more frequent bowel movements than usual; stools that are black, tarry, sticky, or have blood or mucus; severe stomach-area (abdomen) pain or tenderness

Liver problems: yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes; severe nausea or vomiting; pain on the right side of your stomach area (abdomen); dark urine (tea colored); bleeding or bruising more easily than normal

Hormone gland problems: headaches that will not go away or unusual headaches; eye sensitivity to light; eye problems; rapid heartbeat; increased sweating; extreme tiredness; weight gain or weight loss; feeling more hungry or thirsty than usual; urinating more often than usual; hair loss; feeling cold; constipation; your voice gets deeper; dizziness or fainting; changes in mood or behavior, such as decreased sex drive, irritability, or forgetfulness

Kidney problems: decrease in your amount of urine, blood in your urine, swelling of your ankles, loss of appetite

Skin problems: rash; itching; skin blistering or peeling; painful sores or ulcers in your mouth or nose, throat, or genital area; fever or flu-like symptoms; swollen lymph nodes

Problems can also happen in other organs and tissues. These are not all of the signs and symptoms of immune system problems that can happen with Zynyz. Call or see your doctor right away for any new or worsening signs or symptoms, which may include:

chest pain, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, or swelling of ankles
confusion, sleepiness, memory problems, changes in mood or behavior, stiff neck, balance problems, tingling or numbness of the arms or legs
double vision, blurry vision, sensitivity to light, eye pain, changes in eyesight
persistent or severe muscle pain or weakness, muscle cramps
low red blood cells, bruising
Infusion reactions that can sometimes be severe. Signs and symptoms of infusion reactions may include: chills or shaking, itching or rash, flushing, shortness of breath or wheezing, dizziness, feel like passing out, fever, back or neck pain.

Rejection of a transplanted organ or tissue. Your doctor should tell you what signs and symptoms you should report and monitor you, depending on the type of organ or tissue transplant that you have had.

Complications, including graft-versus-host disease, in people who have received a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic). These complications can be serious and can lead to death. These complications may happen if you underwent transplantation either before or after being treated with Zynyz. Your doctor will monitor you for these complications.

Getting medical treatment right away may help keep these problems from becoming more serious. Your doctor will check you for these problems during your treatment. Your doctor may treat you with corticosteroid or hormone replacement medicines and may also need to delay or completely stop treatment if you have severe side effects.

Before you receive Zynyz, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

have immune system problems such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or lupus
have received an organ transplant or tissue transplant, including corneal transplant
have received or plan to receive a stem cell transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic)
have received radiation treatment to your chest area
have a condition that affects your nervous system, such as myasthenia gravis or Guillain-Barré syndrome
are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Zynyz can harm your unborn baby
Females who are able to become pregnant:

Your doctor should do a pregnancy test before you start treatment.
You should use an effective method of birth control during your treatment and for 4 months after your last dose. Talk to your doctor about birth control methods that you can use during this time.
Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant during treatment.
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Zynyz passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment and for 4 months after your last dose
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

The most common side effects of Zynyz when given with the chemotherapy medicines carboplatin and paclitaxel in people with SCAC include tiredness, numbness, pain, tingling, or burning in your hands or feet; nausea; hair loss; diarrhea; muscle and bone pain; constipation; bleeding; rash; vomiting; decreased appetite; itching; stomach-area pain.

The most common side effects of Zynyz when used alone in people with SCAC include tiredness, muscle and bone pain, diarrhea, infection, rectal or genital-area pain, bleeding, urinary tract infection (UTI), rash, nausea, loss of appetite, constipation, stomach-area pain, shortness of breath, fever, vomiting, cough, itching, low levels of thyroid hormone, headache, decreased weight.

The most common side effects of Zynyz when used alone in people with MCC include tiredness, muscle and bone pain, itching, diarrhea, rash, fever, nausea.

These are not all the possible side effects of Zynyz. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects to Incyte Corporation at 1-855-463-3463.

General information about the safe and effective use of Zynyz

Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Medication Guide. If you would like more information about Zynyz, talk with your doctor. You can ask your doctor for information about Zynyz that is written for health professionals.

Please see the full Prescribing Information, including the Medication Guide, for Zynyz.

You may also report side effects to the FDA View Source or to Incyte Corporation at 1-855-463-3463.

On May 15, 2025 City of Hope Research Spotlight offers a glimpse at groundbreaking scientific and clinical discoveries advancing lifesaving cures for patients with cancer, diabetes and other chronic, life-threatening diseases (Press release, City of Hope, MAY 15, 2025, View Source [SID1234653196]). Each spotlight features research-related news, such as recognitions, collaborations and the latest research defining the future of medical treatment.

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This roundup highlights diabetes research, the role of obesity in multiple myeloma, results from a clinical trial of a new liquid biopsy for evaluating potential responses to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors in metastatic colorectal cancers, the discovery of a biomarker that could predict a patient’s response to immune checkpoint inhibitors, a scientific statement from the American Heart Association on addressing cardiovascular toxicity in patients who had pediatric cancers and a study of a new medication that helps stop leukemia cells from decreasing the activity of the immune system.

To learn more about research at City of Hope, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, with its National Medical Center named top 5 in the nation for cancer by U.S. News & World Report, subscribe to City of Hope Research Spotlight.

HIRN Closes the Gap Between Vision and Victory in Type 1 Diabetes

A new report highlights the remarkable advances made in type 1 diabetes research since the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases established the Human Islet Research Network (HIRN) in 2014.

Lead author John Kaddis, City of Hope associate professor in the Department of Diabetes and Cancer Discovery Science within the Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute, and members of the HIRN reflect on the past, present and future of type 1 diabetes research. The HIRN was formed to bring together experts from around the world to solve intractable problems in type 1 diabetes.

The article describes the milestones, achievements and critical goals of type 1 diabetes research, including:

Pioneering advances, technologies and systems that uncover the interactive role of insulin-producing beta cells within their physiological environment.
Innovative tools, disease models, devices and strategies that promote novel discoveries.
Shared resources, data access and interdisciplinary training to challenge scientific dogmas.
Although significant progress has been made, Kaddis emphasizes that successful approaches to preventing type 1 diabetes are still in their infancy. Kaddis and colleagues point out knowledge gaps in the processes underlying human beta cell loss, protection and replacement in type 1 diabetes.

Contributions by the HIRN are expanding scientific knowledge about the causes of type 1 diabetes and expediting the development of effective strategies to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease, the authors concluded.

For more information, see the journal article in Diabetes.

Exploring the role of obesity in progression from precursor condition to multiple myeloma

Patients with multiple myeloma incur some of the highest costs in cancer care to manage their disease. So, it’s imperative that people with a precursor condition called monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) know the risk factors that make progression to myeloma more likely.

To learn more about the role obesity plays in MGUS progression to cancer, a team led by Lawrence Liu, M.D., clinical fellow in hematology and medical oncology at City of Hope, and co-authors Murali Janakiram, M.D., M.S., of City of Hope and Su-Hsin Chang, Ph.D., of Washington University School of Medicine, which reviewed body mass index measurements over time in a cohort of nearly 22,500 people with MGUS.

The team’s findings, published recently in JAMA Network Open, suggest that maintaining a healthy weight may prevent MGUS from developing into myeloma. Using data collected about the patients by the U.S. Veterans Health Administration, the researchers tracked exposure to elevated body mass index for three years post-MGUS diagnosis.

Of the study participants, 21.7% had a healthy BMI between 18.5 to less than 25 at baseline. For this population, an increase of elevated BMI over time was associated with a higher risk of progression. Participants whose baseline BMI was 25 or greater had a 17% to 27% higher risk of progression to myeloma compared with patients with baseline BMI within the reference range. The researchers believe this cohort study is the first to quantify the association between cumulative exposure to BMI 25 or greater and the progression from MGUS to myeloma.

For more information, see the JAMA Network Open paper.

Predicting outcomes of EGFR inhibitors in metastatic colorectal cancer

In a recent paper published in Clinical Cancer Research, researchers from City of Hope, including corresponding author Ajay Goel, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics, reported on outcomes from a clinical trial of a test to predict responses to certain medications in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients.

The EXOsome and cell-free miRNAs of anti-EGFR ResistAnce (EXONERATE) interventional study developed, tested and validated a liquid biopsy to see how well it predicted progression-free survival, overall survival and objective response rate for two, first-line EGFR inhibitors — panitumumab or cetuximab — in mCRC.

Chemotherapy-naïve mCRC patients with certain genes (RAS wild-type) known to respond to EGRF inhibitors were recruited for two nationwide trials to receive cetuximab or panitumumab along with chemotherapy. The EXONERATE assay was developed using a technology called genome-wide small RNA sequencing to identify candidate biomarkers to predict good versus poor responders to the medications.

There can be different responses to treatment based on where the primary tumor is located in patients with mCRC — the disease is characterized as either right-sided or left-sided — so the researchers tested and validated the assay in both populations. They reported that the EXONERATE assay was successful at robustly predicting progression-free survival and overall survival outcomes in patients with mCRC, both right- and left-sided, before they received either panitumumab or cetuximab.

For more information, see the Clinical Cancer Research paper.

Searching for biomarkers to assess likely immune checkpoint inhibitor response

Immune checkpoint inhibitors, which block certain proteins that suppress the immune system so that their body can better fight cancer, have changed the landscape of cancer therapy in recent years. But because many patients do not see long-lasting benefits, better biomarkers are needed to assess likely response rates in patients.

Recently, a team of researchers led by Kelly Mahuron, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of surgical oncology at City of Hope, sought to pinpoint biomarkers for a positive response to a certain type of immune checkpoint inhibitors called PD-1 pathway inhibitors. Building on prior knowledge that CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have been associated with PD-1 inhibitor response, they aimed to identify the subpopulations that have the most prognostic value.

In a paper published in Cancer Research, Dr. Mahuron and other authors outlined a series of experiments to search for predictive biomarkers in 129 tumor samples from melanoma patients. Through studies that included single-cell analysis, the team found that advanced melanoma patients with more than or equal 20% of CD8+ TILs that co-expressed PD-1 proteins and CTLA-4 protein receptors (which they call CPHi TILs) had better objective response rates and survival following PD-1 monotherapy than those below this threshold. Based on these results, they believe the biomarker assay they developed can be used to predict an immune checkpoint inhibitor response.

The team utilized single cell RNA sequencing to further characterize CPHi TILs and they found that this cell population contains a diverse mix of subpopulations. Their findings have important implications for optimizing checkpoint-based immunotherapy across other cancers.

For more information, see the Cancer Research paper.

Addressing Heart Health in Pediatric Cancer Survivors

While pediatric patients represent just roughly 5% of new cancer cases each year, this population has high survival rates, making them vulnerable to therapy-related cardiovascular disease later in life. To highlight recent advances in the growing field of cardio-oncology, a group of committee members from the American Heart Association, including vice-chair Saro Armenian, D.O., M.P.H., the Barron Hilton Chair in Pediatrics and the director of the Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Survivorship Program, recently issued a scientific statement in the journal Circulation that offers updates on emerging concepts related to established cardiotoxic therapies.

The authors note that an increasing recognition that nearly all cancer treatments can pose risks for future cardiovascular disease has led to close investigations of anthracycline chemotherapy and chest-directed radiotherapy. As a result, dose reduction, use of cardioprotection for anthracyclines, and modern radiotherapy approaches have contributed to improved cardiovascular outcomes for survivors.

The statement includes considerations for newer treatments, such as small-molecule inhibitors and immunotherapies, that have expanded options for some patients but also revealed new cardiotoxic challenges. In addition, Dr. Armenian and the committee members focused on issues related to transition of care after cancer treatment, including surveillance and prevention strategies, examined the role physical activity should play in rehabilitation after pediatric cancer care, and provided updates on how to manage cardiovascular complications.

By incorporating new strategies in an equitable manner, the authors say adult cardiologists can help improve the transition from pediatric to adult care and greatly influence long-term health-related outcomes for childhood cancer survivors who are at risk for cardiovascular disease.

To read the entire statement, see the review paper in Circulation.

Keeping leukemia growth in check

For patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a goal of treatment is to keep the disease from progressing to a blast crisis (BC) or acute phase, in which the cancer becomes more aggressive. The mechanisms of transformation to the BC phase are not fully understood, but recent research led by Bin Zhang, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Hematologic Malignancies Translational Science, and Guido Marcucci, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Hematologic Malignancies Translational Science, has revealed a new pathway that enables leukemia cells to decrease the ability of the immune system to fight CML growth.

A paper in Nature Communications unveils how an acquired deficit of a microRNA called miR-142 can cause the loss of T cells that play a crucial role in attacking cancer as CML progresses to the BC phase. In addition, the miR-142 mutation allows leukemic stem cells to evade the immune system and further promote disease growth.

However, the researchers also found that an miR-142 deficit can be promptly mitigated using a synthetic miR-142 mimic designed and synthesized at City of Hope called M-miR-142. Used alone or in combination with certain monoclonal antibodies and/or tyrosine kinase inhibitors, M-miR-142 extended survival in mouse models with BC CML.

According to the study, the experimental findings add important insights to the mechanisms of BC transformation and may offer conceptually new treatment strategies. A wide range of preclinical studies for M-miR-142 are underway, as the team hopes for a rapid translation of their findings from bench to bedside.

On May 15, 2025 SparX Biopharmaceutical Corp ("SparX"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering next-generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technologies, reported the signing of a research agreement with Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, Inc. (MTPA) (Press release, Sparx Therapeutics, MAY 15, 2025, View Source [SID1234653195]). This collaboration aims to advance an innovative ADC program: a conceptually novel immune cell target-based ADC.

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The research with MTPA will focus on an ADC against a first-in-class immune cell target, with the potential to serve as a universal tumor-targeting strategy across multiple cancer types.

"This collaboration marks significant milestone for SparX, reflecting the strength of our novel target discovery capabilities" said Gui-Dong Zhu, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of SparX Biopharmaceutical Corp. "We are excited to work alongside MTPA to bring transformative ADC therapies to patients worldwide."