On April 17, 2026 Onchilles Pharma, a private biotech company advancing therapeutics targeting the ELANE pathway, reported new preclinical data from its NEU-002 program presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting 2026. The poster highlights the translational development of NEU-002, an engineered therapeutic elastase program intended for systemic administration, and demonstrates anti-tumor activity following both intravenous (IV) and intraperitoneal (IP) delivery in preclinical solid tumor models.

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"NEU-002 is designed to bring the ELANE pathway to more solid tumor indications that are not well served by local delivery," said Court R. Turner, J.D., Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Onchilles Pharma. "The preclinical data presented at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) show anti-tumor activity after both IV and IP administration and move us closer to a systemic approach intended to kill tumors while preserving the immune response needed for durable control."

The data presented at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) show that candidates from the systemically delivered NEU-002 program achieved tumor biodistribution and anti-tumor activity in preclinical CT26 colon cancer models following both IV and IP administration. In a CT26 flank model, IV-delivery of a NEU-002 candidate drove complete tumor clearance in all treated animals and durable protection across multiple tumor rechallenges, consistent with long-term immune memory. In a separate CT26 visceral model, IP-delivery of a NEU-002 candidate reduced ascites and total tumor burden, supporting the potential of these NEU-002 candidates in settings relevant to disseminated abdominal disease.

NEU-002 was developed to extend the ELANE pathway beyond tumor-directed delivery through engineering intended to protect elastase activity against circulating serine protease inhibitors. Together, these findings support continued advancement of the NEU-002 program as a systemic approach for solid tumors, with two lead candidates moving forward for additional evaluation, including into non-human primate pharmacokinetic studies, to inform final development candidate selection.

About Onchilles Therapeutic Programs Targeting the ELANE Pathway

At the core of this approach is the ELANE pathway, a unique cancer-selective killing mechanism that leverages a vulnerability shared by many cancer cell types: elevated histone H1 levels. Our pipeline is led by N17350, our first-in-class, clinical-stage program, followed by NEU-002, the second program that extends this approach with systemic delivery. By targeting the ELANE pathway and inducing immunogenic cancer cell death, N17350 and NEU-002 are designed to rapidly eliminate tumors while mobilizing an adaptive immune response, offering the potential for sustained anti-tumor immunity. N17350 and NEU-002 offer a unique approach to treating cancer regardless of their genetic makeup, anatomical origin, or immune status, positioning them as potential gamechangers in cancer therapy.

(Press release, Onchilles Pharma, APR 17, 2026, View Source [SID1234664495])