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DEM BioPharma Announces Poster Presentation Featuring DEM301 at the 2026 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium

On January 6, 2026 DEM BioPharma, Inc. (DEM Bio), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering novel targets for solid tumors and developing innovative, first-in-class, cancer medicines, reported that preclinical data for DEM301, a first-in-class bifunctional antibody drug conjugate (ADC), will be presented at the 2026 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (ASCO GI), taking place January 8-10, 2026, in San Francisco, CA.

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DEM301 targets a novel plasma membrane-associated glycoprotein protein, DEM-TXX, that is overexpressed in colorectal cancer and several other gastrointestinal malignancies. DEM-TXX plays roles in cell adhesion and myeloid cell suppression, and its expression is negatively correlated with disease progression, underscoring its potential significance in tumor biology.

"This ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) GI presentation represents an important milestone for DEM BioPharma as we introduce DEM301 and its underlying biology to the oncology community for the first time," said Nenad Grmusa, CEO of DEM Bio. "DEM-TXX emerged from our scientific founders’ functional genomics screen and validated by DEM BioPharma as a target that appears to contribute to immune suppression in GI cancers. DEM301 was purpose-built to translate that biology into a differentiated ADC designed with a dual mechanism of action to directly kill tumor cells while engaging immune-mediated mechanisms."

DEM301 is a first-in-class bifunctional antibody drug conjugate composed of an afucosylated monoclonal antibody directed against DEM-TXX and conjugated to a clinically validated linker-payload. The molecule is designed to selectively target tumor cells expressing DEM-TXX while leveraging both direct cytotoxic delivery and immune-mediated mechanisms of action.

The preclinical data to be presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) GI will highlight potent and durable single-agent anti-tumor efficacy in preclinical models of colorectal and other GI tumors and a favorable safety profile in a humanized DEM-TXX mouse model, supporting advancement toward clinical development. DEM Bio is currently advancing DEM301 through preclinical pharmacology and toxicology studies and has initiated CMC process development and manufacturing development in preparation for a planned Phase 1a/1b clinical trial expected to begin in the second half of 2026.

ASCO GI Poster Presentation Details

Title: DEM301, a novel anti-DEM-TXX antibody-drug conjugate with potent anti-tumor activity for the treatment of gastrointestinal tumors
Session: Poster Session C: Cancers of the Colon, Rectum, and Anus
Abstract Number: 159; available on the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) GI website
Date & Time: January 10, 2026, 7:00 – 7:55 AM PST
Presenter: Sarah Carden, PhD, DEM BioPharma

(Press release, DEM BioPharma, JAN 6, 2026, View Source [SID1234661784])

Immunome to Present at 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

On January 6, 2026 Immunome, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMNM), a biotechnology company focused on developing first-in-class and best-in-class targeted cancer therapies, reported that Immunome management reported it will present at the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, January 14, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. PST.

Interested parties can access a live audio webcast of the presentation via the Investor Relations section of Immunome’s website at www.immunome.com. A replay webcast will be available for approximately 30 days following the live presentation.

(Press release, Immunome, JAN 6, 2026, View Source [SID1234661783])

ME Therapeutics Attending JP Morgan Healthcare Conference

On January 6, 2026 ME Therapeutics Holdings Inc. ("ME Therapeutics" or the "Company") (CSE: METX) (FSE: Q9T), a publicly listed biotechnology company discovering and developing novel drugs to reprogram the immune response to cancer, reported that company representatives will attend and participate in one-on-one meetings at the 44th annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference from January 12 to 15, 2026 in San Francisco, California.

At the conference, CEO and Co-Founder Dr. Salim Dhanji will meet with investors to highlight how ME Therapeutics is reprogramming myeloid cells in the tumour microenvironment to directly target cancer cells as well as overcome suppression to restore T cell activity and enable a more effective anti-tumour response. ME Therapeutics will share progress on its therapeutic mRNA, in vivo CAR, and antibody programs and share development plans for the year ahead.

(Press release, ME Therapeutics, JAN 6, 2026, View Source [SID1234661782])

Nuvation Bio to Present at the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

On January 6, 2026 Nuvation Bio Inc. (NYSE: NUVB), a global oncology company focused on tackling some of the toughest challenges in cancer treatment, reported that David Hung, M.D., Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Nuvation Bio, will present at the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 3:45 p.m. PT (6:45 p.m. ET) in San Francisco, CA.

A live webcast of the presentation will be available on the Investor Relations section of the Nuvation Bio website. An archived recording will be available for 30 days following the event.

(Press release, Nuvation Bio, JAN 6, 2026, View Source [SID1234661780])

FDA Grants Orphan Drug Designation to Cellenkos’ CK0804 Treg Therapy for Treatment of Myelofibrosis

On January 6, 2026 Cellenkos Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing allogeneic, off-the-shelf, regulatory T cell (Treg) therapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation to its investigational product, CK0804, for treatment of myelofibrosis, a rare blood cancer with an annual incidence of 1-3 new cases per 100,000 people per year and an estimated U.S. prevalence of approximately of 25,000 patients.

CK0804 is composed of CXCR4hi Tregs that preferentially home to its ligand CXCL12, which is overexpressed in the bone marrow and at the sites of extramedullary hematopoiesis including spleen, in myelofibrosis. Upon arrival in the target tissue, CK0804 Tregs engage with antigen presenting cells (APCs), undergo in vivo proliferation, secrete the suppressor cytokine, IL-10 and resolve inflammation in a non-MHC dependent manner, while regulating PDGF-driven pathways involved disease remodeling.

"Receiving Orphan Drug Designation is an important milestone in the clinical development of CK0804 for myelofibrosis and underscores our commitment to advance CK0804 into phase 2 trials to address the unmet need for patients who have not responded to currently available therapies", said Dr. Simrit Parmar, MD, Founder of Cellenkos. "The observed increase in IL-10 and decreases in TGFβ levels in CK0804 responders, together with reductions in pathogenic monocytes in plasma and bone marrow, support the disease modifying potential of CK0804 Tregs as a distinct and differentiated therapeutic class in myelofibrosis."

In a 13‑patient clinical study in myelofibrosis (median age 68 years; range 55–84 years) in which patients had failed a median of two prior therapies (range 1–6), results presented at the 67th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) in December 2025 showed: spleen volume reduction greater than 10% in 45% of 11 evaluable patients; symptom burden reduction greater than 50% in 78% of 9 evaluable patients; and improvement in transfusion burden in all 3 of 3 evaluable patients. At a median follow‑up of 195 days (range 41–809), 10 patients were alive; 3 proceeded to stem cell transplant, 2 switched to a different class of therapy, and the remaining patients continued their initial treatment with ruxolitinib. CK0804 responders demonstrated decreased circulating levels of TGFβ1, TGFβ2, FGF, PDGF, and sCD40L, reduced plasma and bone marrow monocytes, and normalization of the bone marrow myeloid‑to‑erythroid ratio.

About CK0804
CK0804 is an investigational, allogeneic, off‑the‑shelf Treg cell therapy designed to exploit the CXCR4/CXCL12 axis to engage with the antigen presenting cell, undergo in-vivo proliferation to secrete and deliver tissue targeted, payload of suppressor cytokine IL-10, to resolve inflammation in a non-MHC dependent manner. Specifically in myelofibrosis, CK0804 show disease modifying effect as seen by a decrease in pathogenic monocytes in plasma and bone marrow, normalization of myeloid: erythroid ratio of bone marrow, increase in absolute lymphocyte count and decrease in inflammatory cytokines implicated in the pathogenesis of myelofibrosis including TGFβ1, TGFβ2, FGF, PDGF, sCD40L. Derived from clinical‑grade umbilical cord blood and manufactured using Cellenkos’ proprietary CRANE process, CK0804, i) does not require HLA matching with the recipients, ii) escape innate immune surveillance, iii) can be cryopreserved and stored with a shelf life of more than two years where it retains its viability and suppressor function, iv) can be thawed and infused on‑demand, v) intravenously through a peripheral line in an outpatient setting.

About Myelofibrosis
Myelofibrosis (MF) is a rare blood cancer that affects approximately 25,000 patients in the United States. The disease is characterized by scarring (fibrosis) in the bone marrow, spleen enlargement, progressive anemia, fatigue, and early satiety resulting in poor quality of life. The most widely used treatment for MF patients includes type I JAK2 inhibitors, which can improve symptoms and decrease spleen size but have little effect on the underlying cause of disease. Over time, most MF patients stop type I JAK2 inhibitor therapy due to loss of response. The only cure remains allogeneic stem cell transplant however, less than 30% are eligible for this modality due to high risk of treatment related mortality and lack of donors.

(Press release, Cellenkos, JAN 6, 2026, View Source [SID1234661777])