Purple Biotech Ltd. (NASDAQ/TASE: PPBT) announced that it will present data on its novel CAPTN-3 tri-specific antibody platform at the Annual Congress of the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR) 2025, taking place in Lisbon, Portugal from June 16-19, 2025. The clinical-stage company is developing first-in-class therapies designed to overcome tumor immune evasion and drug resistance.
Platform Technology and Mechanism
The CAPTN-3 platform represents a preclinical platform of conditionally activated tri-specific antibodies that engage both T cells and NK cells to induce a strong, localized immune response within the tumor microenvironment. The technology incorporates cleavable capping technology that confines the compound's therapeutic activity to the local tumor microenvironment, potentially increasing the anticipated therapeutic window in patients.
The platform's third arm specifically targets Tumor Associated Antigens (TAA), presenting a novel mechanism of action by unleashing both innate and adaptive immune systems to mount an optimal anti-tumoral immune response.
Lead Candidate Development
IM1240 serves as the first tri-specific antibody in development within the CAPTN-3 platform, targeting the 5T4 antigen. This antigen is expressed in a variety of solid tumors and is associated with advanced disease, increased invasiveness, and poor clinical outcomes.
Conference Presentation Details
The poster presentation will be delivered by Dr. Hadas Reuveni, Vice President of R&D at Purple Biotech, during the Immunotherapy session on June 17, 2025, from 10:45 to 20:00. The abstract, numbered EACR25-1964, is titled "CAPTN-3: A novel platform of conditionally activated T cell and NK cell engagers."
Company Pipeline Context
Purple Biotech's oncology pipeline includes multiple therapeutic candidates beyond CAPTN-3. CM24 is a humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks CEACAM1, supporting tumor immune evasion and survival through multiple pathways. The company completed a Phase 2 study for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma treatment with CM24 in combination with nivolumab and chemotherapy, demonstrating improvement across all efficacy endpoints and identifying two potential serum biomarkers.
NT219, a dual inhibitor small molecule targeting IRS1/2 and STAT3 simultaneously, demonstrated anti-tumor activity in combination with cetuximab in second-line patients with recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The company is advancing NT219 into a Phase 2 study in collaboration with the University of Colorado.
