MAIA Biotechnology, Inc. (NYSE American: MAIA) announced today that the United States Adopted Names (USAN) Council has approved "ateganosine" as the nonproprietary name for its lead anticancer agent THIO. This approval represents a significant milestone in the regulatory pathway for the company's novel telomere-targeting agent, which is being developed as a first-in-class treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
The USAN Council, comprised of experts from the American Medical Association (AMA), the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is responsible for selecting standardized and unique nonproprietary drug names that will be used in product information, drug regulation, labeling, and scientific literature.
"The designation of a new nonproprietary name for THIO is a key step along our development and regulatory pathway as we move forward with Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials," said Vlad Vitoc, M.D., CEO of MAIA. "We chose a name inspired by the mechanism of action of our molecule: altering telomeric guanosine of the cancer cells. The generic name ateganosine is a unique and consistent identity that will support clear communication between healthcare providers, patients and researchers."
Innovative Mechanism of Action
Ateganosine (also known as THIO, 6-thio-dG or 6-thio-2′-deoxyguanosine) represents a novel approach to cancer treatment through its telomere-targeting mechanism. Telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes, play a crucial role in cancer cell survival and resistance to current therapies when maintained by the enzyme telomerase.
The drug works by inducing telomerase-dependent telomeric DNA modification, triggering DNA damage responses and selective cancer cell death. Importantly, ateganosine-damaged telomeric fragments accumulate in cytosolic micronuclei, activating both innate immune responses through the cGAS/STING pathway and adaptive T-cell immune responses.
Promising Clinical Development
Preclinical studies have shown that sequential treatment with ateganosine followed by PD-(L)1 inhibitors resulted in significant and durable tumor regression in advanced cancer models. This effect appears to work through the induction of cancer type-specific immune memory, suggesting potential long-term benefits for patients.
MAIA Biotechnology is positioning ateganosine as a second or later line of treatment for NSCLC patients who have progressed beyond the standard-of-care regimen of existing checkpoint inhibitors. This represents an important potential therapeutic option for a patient population with limited treatment alternatives.
The company will continue to use the name THIO in its clinical trial designations (THIO-101, THIO-102, THIO-103, THIO-104) while adopting ateganosine as the official nonproprietary name for regulatory and commercial purposes.
Addressing an Unmet Need in NSCLC
Non-small cell lung cancer remains one of the most challenging malignancies worldwide, with approximately 85% of all lung cancers classified as NSCLC. Despite advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapies, many patients develop resistance to existing treatments, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapeutic approaches.
Ateganosine's unique mechanism of action targeting telomeres differentiates it from current standard treatments. By specifically targeting telomerase-positive cancer cells, the drug has the potential to address a fundamental aspect of cancer cell biology that contributes to treatment resistance and disease progression.
Looking Toward Future Development
The USAN approval represents an important regulatory milestone as MAIA Biotechnology advances ateganosine through clinical development. The company is currently conducting clinical trials to evaluate the drug's safety and efficacy in NSCLC patients.
As a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing targeted immunotherapies for cancer, MAIA Biotechnology aims to bring potentially first-in-class drugs with novel mechanisms of action to market. The company's approach focuses on meaningfully improving and extending the lives of cancer patients through innovative therapeutic strategies.
The development of ateganosine highlights the ongoing evolution of cancer therapeutics toward more targeted approaches that exploit specific vulnerabilities in cancer cells while activating the body's immune system to fight the disease.
