Medicenna to Present MDNA11 Phase 1/2 Study Findings at ASCO 2024

Medicenna Therapeutics, a clinical-stage immunotherapy firm, is set to present at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's Annual Meeting in Chicago. The company will showcase its latest findings on MDNA11, a next-generation interleukin-2 super-agonist, and bizaxofusp, a targeted toxin payload for nonresectable recurrent glioblastoma.

MDNA11 is designed to stimulate immune effector cells that target cancer cells while avoiding the activation of immunosuppressive Tregs. This engineered Superkine is fused to a recombinant human albumin scaffold to enhance its pharmacokinetic profile, allowing it to accumulate in vascularized areas like tumors and lymph nodes. The ongoing Phase 1/2 ABILITY-1 study is evaluating MDNA11's safety, tolerability, and anti-tumor activity as a standalone treatment and in combination with pembrolizumab.

An oral presentation at the meeting will highlight the results of the ABILITY-1 study's monotherapy dose escalation phase. The presentation will be led by Dr. Victoria G. Atkinson, an expert from the University of Queensland, Australia, and is scheduled for June 3, 2024.

Additionally, a poster presentation will compare the survival outcomes of bizaxofusp with those of an external control arm in patients with nonresectable recurrent glioblastoma. Dr. John Sampson from Duke University will present the findings on June 1, 2024.

Medicenna's MDNA11 and bizaxofusp are part of the company's pipeline targeting immunologically "cold" tumors with its BiSKITs and T-MASK programs. The company's focus is on developing highly selective versions of IL-2, IL-4, and IL-13 Superkines, aiming to enhance the treatment of various cancers.

The full abstracts will be accessible on the ASCO Annual Meeting website from May 23, 2024. Medicenna's commitment to advancing immunotherapy is evident through its innovative approach to cancer treatment, with MDNA11 and bizaxofusp showing promise in clinical trials. The company's dedication to improving pharmacokinetics and targeting specific immune cells could potentially revolutionize cancer therapy.