Medicenna Showcases MDNA11's Promising Phase 1/2 ABILITY-1 Study Progress at AACR 2024

Medicenna Therapeutics, a clinical-stage immunotherapy company, has reported promising results from its Phase 1/2 ABILITY-1 study involving MDNA11, a long-acting IL-2 super-agonist. The drug is designed to preferentially activate immune cells that target cancer cells while sparing immunosuppressive Tregs. The study, presented at the AACR Annual Meeting, showed a 29% response rate and a 50% clinical benefit rate among patients with advanced solid tumors who had previously failed checkpoint inhibitor therapies.

The trial has demonstrated MDNA11's safety, with no dose-limiting toxicities or vascular leak syndrome observed. The treatment was well-tolerated, with the majority of adverse events being mild and resolving quickly. Notably, four patients exhibited partial responses, including a complete resolution of baseline lesions in two cases—one with pancreatic cancer and the other with melanoma. Additionally, three melanoma patients experienced stable disease for 6 to 18 months, with concurrent tumor shrinkage.

MDNA11 has shown to enhance the immune response by expanding cytotoxic CD4+ T, CD8+ T, and NK cells, while minimizing the impact on Tregs. The drug's profile suggests a potent effector immune response, which is crucial for fighting cancer. The ongoing study continues to enroll patients with metastatic melanoma and other specific tumor types, as well as exploring combination therapies.

Medicenna's focus on developing Superkines, including MDNA11, aims to address the limitations of current immunotherapies. The company's approach is to create highly selective versions of cytokines that can more effectively target and treat cancer. MDNA11's unique properties, achieved through specific mutations and fusion to a human albumin scaffold, are designed to improve its pharmacokinetics and therapeutic activity.

Medicenna is also advancing other immunotherapy programs, such as its IL-4 Empowered Superkine, bizaxofusp, which has shown potential in treating brain cancer. The company's innovative BiSKITs and T-MASK programs aim to further enhance the efficacy of Superkines in treating a variety of cancers.

The results from the ABILITY-1 study are a significant step forward in the development of MDNA11 and highlight its potential as a novel immunotherapy for patients who have exhausted other treatment options. The company looks forward to presenting additional data in the near future, as it continues to explore the full potential of its Superkine platform in cancer treatment.