On November 12, 2021 Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. (NASDAQ: PHIO), a biotechnology company developing the next generation of immuno-oncology therapeutics based on its proprietary self-delivering RNAi (INTASYL) therapeutic platform, reported that new study data at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) (Free SITC Whitepaper) 36th Annual Meeting (Press release, Phio Pharmaceuticals, NOV 12, 2021, View Source [SID1234595403]). The data from this study in an in vivo hepatocarcinoma model shows that PH-762 administered locally clears untreated distal tumors, indicating a systemic immune response.
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"We are very excited with this new data on PH-762, our lead product candidate," said Dr. Simon Fricker, Phio’s VP of Research & Development. "These new results, along with a growing body of mechanistic data collected thus far, provide a compelling argument for the clinical potential of PH-762. It furthermore continues to show the potential of our INTASYL platform in various applications, including direct therapeutic use."
The Company has previously presented data showing that local administration of PH-762, our PD-1 targeting INTASYL compound, produces a robust silencing of PD-1 and changes in the tumor microenvironment associated with anti-tumor activity. In this new study, tumors were implanted in mice and treated locally with PH-762. In addition, to determine an abscopal effect or systemic immune response, tumors were also implanted on the opposite side of the original tumor and left untreated. Results showed that PH-762 significantly inhibited growth of treated tumors, but furthermore, the growth of the untreated tumor was also significantly reduced, resulting in 80% of these untreated tumors becoming completely cured. These data indicate that local treatment with PH-762 provides a robust anti-tumor efficacy to both locally treated tumors and to untreated distal tumors, suggesting an abscopal effect, due to a systemic immune response. As such, the results indicate that INTASYL therapeutic use can represent an alternative to systemic antibody checkpoint therapy with potential for improved efficacy and reduced systemic toxicity. This systemic anti-tumor response toward distant tumors and metastases will be investigated in our upcoming Phase 1 clinical trial for locally administered PH-762 in patients with melanoma.
Phio’s presentation detailing the data presented at SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper) titled, "Locally administered immunotherapy self-delivering RNAi PH-762 results in abscopal clearance of untreated distal tumors, suggesting systemic immune response, in a murine hepatocarcinoma model" will be made available on the "Investors – Events and Presentations" section of the Company’s website (click here).