On March 17, 2026 Whitehawk Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: WHWK), a clinical-stage oncology therapeutics company applying advanced technologies to established tumor biology to efficiently deliver improved antibody drug conjugate (ADC) cancer treatments, reported it will present three preclinical abstracts, including an oral minisymposium and two posters, highlighting its next-generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) portfolio at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2026, taking place April 17–22, 2026, in San Diego, CA.

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"For the first time, we will present comprehensive preclinical proof-of-concept for our three ADC programs, HWK-007, HWK-016 and HWK-206," said David Dornan, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Whitehawk Therapeutics. "These data will highlight the optimized ADC design features aimed at delivering a differentiated ADC profile with the goal of improving outcomes for cancer patients."

Whitehawk’s comprehensive preclinical abstracts demonstrate a potential best-in-class therapeutic index among next-generation TOP1i-based ADCs. These data showed high potency with tumor regressions in xenograft studies at low single-digit mg/kg doses, and in non-human primate studies, Whitehawk’s ADCs demonstrated a high tolerability with a highest non-severely toxic dose (HNSTD) of 60 mg/kg. Underpinning these results is one of the lowest reported free payload in circulation, driven by Whitehawk’s proprietary "carbon-bridge cysteine repairing" linker-payload.

Presentation details:

HWK-016 – MUC16-Targeted ADC (Minisymposium Oral Presentation)
Title: Preclinical assessment of HWK-016, a next-generation, MUC16-targeting ADC with novel bioconjugation and linker–payload technology
Presenter: David Dornan, PhD, CSO, Whitehawk Therapeutics
Session: Advanced Antibody, Conjugate, and Targeted Therapeutic Platforms
Presentation Number: 1324
Date & Time: April 19, 2026, 3:00 – 5:00 pm

HWK-007 – PTK7-Targeted ADC (Poster Presentation)
Title: Preclinical assessment of HWK-007, a next-generation, PTK7-targeting ADC with novel bioconjugation and linker–payload technology
Presenter: Kathleen S. Keegan, PhD, VP of R&D, Whitehawk Therapeutics
Section 12: Antibody-Drug Conjugates and Linker Engineering 3
Poster Number: 4439
Date & Time: April 21, 2026, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

HWK-206 – SEZ6-Targeted ADC (Poster Presentation)
Title: Preclinical assessment of HWK-206, a next-generation, biparatopic, SEZ6-targeting ADC with novel bioconjugation and linker–payload technology
Presenter: Kathleen S. Keegan, PhD, VP of R&D, Whitehawk Therapeutics
Section 12: Antibody-Drug Conjugates and Linker Engineering 3
Poster Number: 4440
Date & Time: April 21, 2026, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

These abstracts are currently available on the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2026 meeting website, and the presentation and posters will be accessible on the Presentations page of the Investors & News section of the Company’s website at www.whitehawktx.com.

(Press release, Whitehawk Therapeutics, MAR 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234663635])

On March 17, 2026 Akamis Bio, a clinical-stage oncology company working to advance the standard of care in colorectal cancer, reported an upcoming poster presentation of initial clinical data from the FORTRESS study of NG-350A, an oncolytic immunotherapy for the treatment of mismatch repair-proficient (pMMR) locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2026, taking place April 17-22 in San Diego.

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The ongoing Phase 1b FORTRESS study (NCT06459869) is assessing the anti-tumor effects of NG-350A plus chemoradiotherapy (CRT) following a 12-week active treatment period to establish whether NG-350A can improve response rates relative to expected outcomes from CRT alone. The trial is enrolling adult patients with pMMR LARC and at least one risk factor for local or distant recurrence.

NG-350A is an intravenously delivered oncolytic immunotherapy designed to drive intratumoral expression of a CD40 agonist monoclonal antibody triggering the activation of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) resident in solid tumors and their draining lymph nodes. Once activated, APCs recruit T cells into the vicinity of the tumor to deliver a potent anti-tumor immune response.

Poster Presentation Details

Title: Phase 1b trial of NG-350A, a CD40 agonist antibody expressing adenoviral vector, in combination with chemoradiotherapy (CRT), in patients with mismatch repair-proficient (pMMR) locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC): Initial results from the FORTRESS study
Session Title: Phase II and Phase III Clinical Trials
Date and Time: April 20, 2:00PM – 5:00PM PST
Location: Poster Section 52
Poster Number: 19

About NG-350A
NG-350A is a clinical-stage, intravenously delivered Tumor-Specific Immuno-Gene (T-SIGn) therapeutic designed to drive intratumoral expression of a CD40 agonist monoclonal antibody triggering the activation of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) resident in solid tumors and their draining lymph nodes. Once activated, APCs recruit T cells into the vicinity of the tumor to deliver a potent anti-tumor immune response. Akamis Bio has evaluated NG-350A’s safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy as a monotherapy (FORTITUDE study) and in combination with pembrolizumab (FORTIFY study) in patients with metastatic or advanced epithelial tumors. Across these studies, NG-350A has demonstrated a consistent safety and tolerability profile, as well as strong evidence of tumor-selective delivery, replication and transgene expression.

About the FORTRESS Study
The Phase 1b FORTRESS study (NCT06459869) is an open-label, single-arm, and multicenter trial of NG-350A in combination with chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in adult patients with mismatch repair-proficient (pMMR) locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) and at least one risk factor for local or distant recurrence or with oligometastatic disease. The FORTRESS study builds upon the Akamis Bio-supported, CEDAR study, which showed a significantly greater response rate in LARC patients treated with a combination of Akamis Bio’s first generation oncolytic immunotherapy and chemoradiotherapy (CRT), relative to expected outcomes using standard-of-care CRT alone. The FORTRESS study is planning to enroll approximately 30 patients aged eighteen and older with histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the rectum which is locally advanced (clinical stage II-III based on pelvic MRI). During the 12-week active treatment period, patients will receive NG-350A plus CRT (oral capecitabine plus long-course intensity-modulated radiotherapy). The primary endpoint for the study is the proportion of patients achieving a response (complete clinical response [cCR] or near complete clinical response [ncCR]) at week 12. Key secondary endpoints include the incidence and severity of adverse events, characterization of the anti-tumor effects of NG-350A in combination with CRT (including clinical response outcome and magnetic resonance tumor reduction grade [mrTRG]), and measurement of levels of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) clearance. Patients recently diagnosed with pMMR LARC interested in learning more about the FORTRESS trial can visit www.FortressStudy.org.

About Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer (LARC)
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States (US), and it has recently emerged as the leading cause of cancer-related death in patients under 50 years of age. There are 159,000 people newly diagnosed with CRC in the US each year, with approximately 30,000 of these people diagnosed specifically with LARC. In patients with LARC, tumors have either grown through muscle and into the outermost layers of the rectum, or in more severe cases, through the wall of the rectum where they may attach to other organs and/or into the lymph nodes. Approximately 95% of LARC patients have mismatch repair-proficient (pMMR) tumors indicating that their tumor cells have a functional DNA repair system.

(Press release, Akamis Bio, MAR 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234663651])

On March 17, 2026 Prelude Therapeutics Incorporated (Nasdaq: PRLD), a precision oncology company, reported that a poster with preclinical data on the Company’s oral KAT6A selective degrader (PRT13722) has been accepted for presentation at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2026, taking place from April 17-22.

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"We look forward to sharing additional preclinical data from our potent and selective first-in-class KAT6A degrader development candidate, PRT13722. We believe that our selective KAT6A degrader, with the potential for improved efficacy and tolerability in combination with other standard of care agents, has the potential to be a promising new therapy for patients with ER+ breast cancer. We expect to file an IND in the middle of this year and enter clinical trials in the second half of 2026," stated Peggy Scherle, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Prelude.

Details on the poster presentation are as follows:

Poster Details:
Title: First-in-class potent and selective oral KAT6A degrader development candidate, PRT13722, drives complete tumor regressions as a monotherapy with an improved pre-clinical hematological safety profile.
Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics
Session Title: Proximity-Induced Drug Discovery 2
Session Start: 4/21/2026 2:00 PM
Session End: 4/21/2026 5:00 PM
Location: Poster Section 15
Poster Board Number: 20
Poster Number: 5793

Highly selective KAT6A oral degrader program
KAT6 is an emerging and recently validated target in the treatment of ER+ breast cancer. Prelude discovered and is developing first-in-class, highly potent, highly selective and orally bioavailable KAT6A selective degraders. The Company has selected a development candidate and remains on track to file an IND in mid-2026 with phase 1 study initiation planned in the 2nd half of 2026. Prelude believes that selectively degrading KAT6A has the potential for improved efficacy, tolerability and combinability with other agents relative to non-selective inhibitors of KAT6A/B and KAT7.

The Company presented initial preclinical data supporting this hypothesis at the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2025. The presentation can be found at Publications – Prelude Therapeutics.

Additionally, on April 18, 2026, Prelude’s Director of Biology and Translational Research, Norman Fultang, Ph.D. will be providing a lecture during an educational session entitled: ED08 – Chemistry to the Clinic Part 1 of 4: Next-Level Conjugates: Transforming Targeted Therapies. The title of the presentation is: "Beyond Conventional Payloads: Unlocking New Therapeutic Landscapes with Targeted Protein Degrader-Antibody Conjugates (DACs)."

(Press release, Prelude Therapeutics, MAR 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234663667])

On March 17, 2026 Moleculin Biotech, Inc., (Nasdaq: MBRX) ("Moleculin" or the "Company"), reported that it will participate in a fireside chat at the 38th Annual ROTH Conference being held March 22-24, 2026 in Dana Point, CA.

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Details of the fireside chat presentation are as follows:

Date and Time: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at 12:00-12:25 PM PT
Location: BROWN – HEALTHCARE – VIRTUAL (SUITE 1051)
Presenters: Walter Klemp, Founder, President, Chairman & CEO; Jon Foster, EVP & CFO
Registration Link: Here

Investors interested in arranging one-on-one meetings should contact their ROTH representative. For more information, please visit the conference website.

(Press release, Moleculin, MAR 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234663619])

On March 17, 2026 Pixelgen Technologies reported a research collaboration with Andreas Lundqvist’s Group at the Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, to discover novel biomarkers for cancer immunotherapy response using Pixelgen’s Proximity Network Assay (PNA). The project will explore the spatial distribution and abundance of more than 150 cell surface proteins in patients with non-small lung cancer who undergo immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

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"Pixelgen’s Proximity Network Assay has the potential to bring new insights into the organization and interactions of cell surface proteins, which could aid in the discovery of new biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibition response and consequently inform treatment regimens for patients," Prof. Andreas Lundqvist said. "While other tools provide protein abundance analysis, Pixelgen’s PNA brings a new dimension of understanding to the spatial organization and interactions of cell surface proteins that may prove useful for patient stratification."

The collaboration combines the tumor immunology and biology expertise from Prof. Lundqvist’s group and Pixelgen’s technology and experience in cell surface protein interactomics. The team aims to submit results from the project to a scientific journal for peer-reviewed publication, and the research will lay the groundwork for future collaborations.

"We’re very excited to embark on this collaboration with Prof. Lundqvist’s group, which has made significant contributions to tumor immunology, particularly in the areas of immune escape and advancing cell-based therapeutic approaches," said Pixelgen Chief Business Development Officer Erik Pettersson. "Our hope is that this research will contribute to the understanding of the role single-cell protein interactions have in disease, identify biomarkers for immunotherapy response, and ultimately lead to the development of improved immunotherapies for cancer patients."

Pixelgen’s PNA delivers nanoscale spatial analysis of immune cell proteins at scale, as part of the company’s Pixelgen Proxiome Kit. The technology is used by researchers looking for new avenues for drug and biomarker discovery and diagnostics in immunology, immuno-oncology, hematology, and cell therapy.

(Press release, Karolinska Institutet, MAR 17, 2026, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pixelgen-technologies-and-andreas-lundqvists-research-group-at-karolinska-institutet-collaborate-to-identify-novel-biomarkers-for-cancer-immunotherapy-302715490.html [SID1234663636])