IN8bio Halts Glioblastoma Program, Cuts Workforce to Focus on Leukemia Asset

IN8bio, a biotech firm based in New York, is shifting its focus away from its brain tumor development program, laying off nearly half of its workforce to cut expenses and concentrate on a promising early-phase blood cancer asset. The firm has decided to halt its 120-patient Phase 2 trial of INB-400 for recurrent or newly diagnosed glioblastoma. This trial, which had just begun dosing its first patient in April, will cease further recruitment as the company seeks partnership opportunities. Despite this pause, IN8bio will continue to monitor all patients enrolled in the study.

The company is also continuing its Phase 1 trial of INB-200 for newly diagnosed glioblastoma. This trial has 21 patients enrolled, and IN8bio plans to track long-term remissions and overall survival rates for these patients. CEO William Ho acknowledged the difficult decision, stating it would help the company reduce spending and focus on key milestones that could generate near-term interest and value.

Additionally, IN8bio is cutting around 49% of its staff, which included 39 full-time employees as of the end of June. This workforce reduction is anticipated to cost the company less than half a million dollars. Alongside the layoffs, executive pay is being reduced by 11%.

The decision to cut costs also stems from financial constraints; the company ended June with only $10.2 million in cash. These measures are intended to provide the necessary resources to advance IN8bio's allogeneic gamma delta T cell therapy program for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The candidate, known as INB-100, is currently being tested in a Phase 1 dose-escalation trial sponsored by the University of Kansas in a post-transplant maintenance setting.

As of last month, all eight AML patients in the Phase 1 trial who received INB-100 remained relapse-free at a median follow-up of 18.7 months. However, some patients with other forms of leukemia in the 38-subject study have relapsed and died due to disease progression. Following discussions with the FDA, IN8bio plans to add a control group to the study and continue enrolling participants in the expansion cohort, aiming for 25 additional AML patients. Long-term follow-up results are expected to be available late next year and in 2026.

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