On November 7, 2025 IMUNON, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMNN), a clinical-stage company in Phase 3 development with its DNA-mediated immunotherapy, reported it will host an R&D Day on Monday, November 10, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. ET in New York City featuring in-depth discussions with experts including principal investigators leading the Phase 3 OVATION 3 clinical trial and Phase 2 minimal residual disease (MRD) trial of IMNN-001, a novel IL-12 immunotherapy in development for the treatment of women with advanced ovarian cancer.

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"This is an opportunity to hear directly from the investigators driving IMNN-001 clinical progress forward—physicians who see firsthand the urgent need for new ovarian cancer treatment options and the potential clinical impact of our novel IMNN-001 immunotherapy," said Stacy R. Lindborg, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of IMUNON. "The data and insights shared will be consequential for understanding the future of ovarian cancer treatment and how we are leading the effort to bring the first advance in the standard of care that could transform frontline treatment, which has not seen innovation for about 30 years."

The event will include presentations from:

Premal H. Thaker, M.D. (Washington University School of Medicine) – Unmet need and OVATION 2 trial data including survival benefits
Amir A. Jazaeri, M.D. (MD Anderson Cancer Center) – Phase 2 MRD study results and immune activation mechanism overview
Giorgio Paulon, Ph.D. (Berry Consultants, LLC) – Phase 3 trial statistical design and path to approval
Douglas V. Faller, M.D., Ph.D. (IMUNON) – Phase 3 trial enrollment momentum and clinical milestones

(Press release, IMUNON, NOV 7, 2025, View Source [SID1234659636])

On November 7, 2025 Akeso, Inc. (HKEX: 9926.HK) reported that the final Overall Survival (OS) analysis results from the HARMONi-A study, a Phase III study evaluating ivonescimab combined with chemotherapy for the treatment of EGFR-mutated non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (nsq-NSCLC) following EGFR-TKI progression, were selected as a "Late-Breaking Abstract" (LBA) for the 40th Annual Meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper), held in National Harbor, Maryland, USA. Professor Xiuning Le from MD Anderson Cancer Center presented these findings to a global audience during an oral presentation session.

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HARMONi-A is the first global Phase III clinical trial of an immunotherapy in the EGFR-TKI resistant, EGFR-mutated nsq-NSCLC setting to demonstrate clinically meaningful and statistically significant benefits in both Progression-Free Survival (PFS) and Overall Survival (OS). This final OS analysis, the first from a Phase III trial of ivonescimab, confirms the breakthrough value of ivonescimab-based therapy in improving both PFS and OS. Historically, cancer immunotherapies have largely failed to demonstrate significant breakthroughs in this specific indication. Prior Phase III trials involving other regimens—such as PD-1 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy or immunotherapies combined with anti-angiogenic therapy, failed to show significant OS benefits. The significant positive outcomes in both PFS and OS in the HARMONi-A study underscore the substantial clinical benefit improvement of ivonescimab over PD-1 inhibitors.

Previously, the HARMONi-A study had already met its primary endpoint, demonstrating a statistically significant improvement in PFS at the interim analysis (PFS HR 0.46, P < 0.001). Previously, during the regulatory review for the approval of ivonescimab in first-line PD-L1-positive NSCLC in China, a descriptive analysis of OS from the HARMONi-A study was conducted in May 2024 at the request of the regulatory authorities. The final OS analysis results presented at SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper) 2025 represent the final and only pre-specified formal OS analysis for the HARMONi-A study, performed as a sequential test according to the pre-specified statistical analysis plan (SAP).

The final OS analysis, with a median follow-up period of 32.5 months, showed that the ivonescimab plus chemotherapy regimen provided a clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement in OS compared to chemotherapy alone:

The median OS was 16.8 months in the ivonescimab treatment group compared to 14.1 months in the control group (OS HR=0.74, P=0.019), achieving statistical significance. The OS benefit increased with extended follow-up.
The ivonescimab combination regimen consistently demonstrated OS benefit over the control group across all subgroups:
In patients with brain metastases, OS HR=0.61;
In patients without brain metastases, OS HR=0.77;
In patients with EGFR 19Del mutations, OS HR=0.83;
In patients with EGFR L858R mutations, OS HR=0.60.
With a median follow-up of 32.5 months, the long-term safety profile of the ivonescimab combination therapy remained favorable, with no new safety signals identified. The incidence of common treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) showed no significant difference between the two groups.

Based on the positive clinical data from the HARMONi-A study, ivonescimab received approval from the China National Medical Products Administration in May 2024 for this indication. In November 2024, Akeso announced that ivonescimab was successfully added to China’s National Reimbursement Drug List, effective January 1, 2025, ensuring widespread patient access to this life-saving treatment.

Additionally, Summit Therapeutics, Akeso’s global partner for ivonescimab, announced in October 2025 that it plans to submit a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the fourth quarter of 2025, seeking approval for ivonescimab in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of EGFR-mutant, third-generation EGFR-TKI-resistant, non-squamous NSCLC.

(Press release, Akeso Biopharma, NOV 7, 2025, View Source;302608764.html [SID1234659652])

On November 7, 2025 Trained Therapeutix Discovery, Inc., a biotech company training immunity at its origin with nanomedicines, reported preclinical data on RIDE-001, a nanomedicine designed to program myeloid progenitor cells for an anticancer innate immune response, were presented in a poster at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper) Annual Meeting. The data demonstrated that RIDE-001 effectively induced trained immunity in vitro in primary human immune cells, induced anti-tumor immunity in mouse tumor models of melanoma and colorectal cancer, and safely induced innate immune responses in rats and non-human primates. RIDE-001 showed therapeutic activity against solid tumors as a single agent, and it also exhibited synergy in combination with immune checkpoint inhibition.

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"Myeloid cells can promote cancer by suppressing anti-tumor immune responses, enhancing tumor angiogenesis and facilitating metastasis, but due to their plasticity in the tumor microenvironment, they have been considered an unattractive therapeutic target," said Willem Mulder, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Trained Therapeutix Discovery. "Our approach with RIDE-001 is a breakthrough in immune-oncology, as it targets myeloid progenitor cells before they differentiate into immune cells. By programing myeloid cells at their naissance, we can deploy the power of the innate immune response against cancer. Based on these promising data demonstrating consistent myeloid cell training and antitumor activity across species, in addition to RIDE-001’s favorable safety profile, we have initiated GMP manufacturing in anticipation of the first clinical studies in patients with solid tumors."

RIDE-001 was developed using Trained Therapeutix Discovery’s proprietary ApoA1-based nanomedicines platform to target the bone marrow where it activates the intracellular pattern recognition receptor NOD2. This triggers epigenetic changes in myeloid progenitor cells, inducing the production of trained myeloid cells to generate durable, anti-tumor responses.

RIDE-001 preclinical data showed:

A dose-dependent rise in NOD2 activation;
Trained immunity as assessed by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs);
Trained myeloid cells in rats demonstrating a shift in monocyte phenotype and increased blood neutrophil counts;
Trained myeloid cells in non-human primates with a consistent increase in intermediate monocytes in both males and females following each administered dose;
Single-agent anti-tumor efficacy in the highly immunosuppressive B16F10 melanoma mouse model;
Synergy with a subtherapeutic dose of anti-PD1 in the MC38 colorectal cancer mouse model;
And a favorable safety profile.
A copy of the poster titled "RIDE-001: A well-tolerated innate immunotherapy to treat cancer by targeting and reprogramming bone marrow progenitor cells" (abstract number 1178) is available on the company’s website.

(Press release, Trained Therapeutix Discovery, NOV 7, 2025, View Source [SID1234660997])

On November 7, 2025 Nerviano Medical Sciences S.r.l. (NMS), a member of NMS Group S.p.A. and a clinical-stage biotech company discovering and developing innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer, reported its poster at the World ADC Summit 2025, highlighting its next-generation payload-linker technologies designed to overcome key limitations of current ADC modalities. The poster, titled "Next-Generation ADC Payloads: Redefining Targeted Cancer Therapy" (link to download), attracted strong interest from the ADC community.

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These payload-linker innovations represented an important step forward for ADC development, enabling an improved balance between potency and safety, activity in chemo-resistant tumors, and novel mechanisms that go beyond conventional DNA-damaging payloads.

Expanding the Therapeutic Reach of ADCs

Leveraging its proven expertise in drug development, NMS has advanced a portfolio of novel payloads designed to address the long-standing challenges in ADC design and therapeutic scope.

The NMS ADC payload portfolio includes:

Duocarmycins that demonstrated high in-vivo efficacy across multiple tumor models with a favorable safety profile, well-suited for chemo-resistant, highly heterogeneous solid tumors;
Anthracyclines engineered to achieve an improved balance between potency and safety while exhibiting unique immune-activating properties; and
Targeted payloads acting beyond DNA damage, offering strong potential for dual-payload combinations and activity across multiple oncogenic pathways.
By introducing these differentiated payload–linker technologies, NMS aims to broaden the range of targetable tumors and drive oncology toward durable, immune-mediated cancer control.

"We continue to innovate in payload-linker chemistry, enabling the design of novel ADCs that address unmet medical needs and expand treatment options for patients currently beyond the reach of existing therapies," said Tomasz Rzymski, Chief Scientific Officer, NMS ADC Business Unit. "We plan to further invest in our integrated R&D platform to accelerate the development of differentiated payload-linker classes and next-generation ADCs, while also exploring strategic collaborations to bring these therapies closer to patients."

(Press release, Nerviano Medical Sciences, NOV 7, 2025, View Source [SID1234659637])

On November 7, 2025 Akeso, Inc. (HKEX: 9926.HK) reported the preclinical research data for its novel antagonistic monoclonal antibody targeting IL-1RAP, AK135, at the 40th Annual Meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper) held in National Harbor, Maryland.

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The results demonstrated that AK135 effectively targets IL-1RAP and blocks three key pro-inflammatory signaling pathways—IL-1, IL-33, and IL-36 at their source, thereby halting the transmission of inflammatory signals. In preclinical models, AK135 provided significant pain relief in neuropathy, exhibiting dose-dependent efficacy, while also showing good tolerability and safety profiles.

In vitro Results:

ELISA, Fortebio molecular interaction technology, and flow cytometry (FACS) results demonstrated that AK135 has high affinity for IL-1RAP, with binding activity comparable to or superior to that of the control antibody CAN04.
Reporter gene assays further confirmed that AK135 effectively inhibits the activation of IL-1, IL-33, and IL-36 signaling pathways, showing excellent half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values in each of the pathways.
In tumor cell models, AK135 significantly reduced the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (such as IL-6 and IL-8) induced by IL-1, IL-33, and IL-36.
In vivo Results:

The in vitro experiments confirmed the high affinity and potent neutralizing activity of AK135. To further evaluate its in vivo efficacy, the research team established a Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) mouse model and assessed the pharmacological effects of AK135 through intermittent low-dose paclitaxel administration.
Following AK135 treatment, the paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) in the CIPN model was significantly increased, indicating that AK135 effectively alleviated mechanical allodynia, with a dose-dependent efficacy.
Throughout the treatment period, mice in all dose groups maintained stable body weight, with no significant signs of toxicity, demonstrating good tolerance.
CIPN is a prevalent and dose-limiting side effect of chemotherapy, affecting 50-90% of treated patients, of which 30-40% progressing to chronic neuropathic pain. Despite its clinical significance, effective treatment options remain limited, and the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Emerging evidence suggests that pro-inflammatory cytokines released by the damaged neurons play a key role in CIPN pathogenesis. IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAP/IL-1RAcP) is a critical mediator of inflammatory signaling, amplifying responses through the interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-33 (IL-33), and interleukin-36 (IL-36) pathways. Akeso developed AK135, a novel antagonistic monoclonal antibody targeting IL-1RAP, to alleviate the peripheral neuralgia by inhibiting these proinflammatory signaling pathways.

About AK135 (IL-1RAP Targeting Antibody)
AK135 is a novel antagonistic antibody targeting IL-1RAP, internally developed by Akeso, aimed at treating chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). By precisely blocking IL-1RAP, this product simultaneously inhibits the three core inflammatory signaling pathways—IL-1, IL-33, and IL-36, providing relief from neuroinflammatory responses at their source. Preclinical studies have shown that AK135 significantly alleviates neuropathic pain in a dose-dependent manner, while also demonstrating good tolerance. Currently, AK135 is in Phase I clinical trials for the treatment of CIPN.

(Press release, Akeso Biopharma, NOV 7, 2025, View Source [SID1234659653])