Ernexa Therapeutics (Nasdaq: ERNA) announced today that new data supporting the potential of its lead cell therapy product, ERNA-101, will be presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2025 in Chicago. The presentation will showcase how ERNA-101 may boost anti-tumor immunity in ovarian cancer, offering new hope for patients with limited treatment options.
The study, led by Michael Andreeff, M.D., Ph.D., from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, explored the technology behind ERNA-101, which uses specially engineered cells to deliver treatment directly to ovarian tumors. The therapy works by secreting immune-stimulating cytokines to reshape the tumor microenvironment and enhance anti-tumor immune responses.
"We believe ERNA-101 represents a powerful new way to engage the immune system against difficult-to-treat cancers like ovarian cancer," said Sanjeev Luther, President and CEO of Ernexa Therapeutics. "This study reinforces the promise of our treatments and their potential to reshape the future of cell therapy. We aim to offer hope for patients with advanced ovarian cancer, who often face limited treatment options and poor long-term outcomes."
Innovative Cell Therapy Approach
ERNA-101 is part of Ernexa's platform technology that engineers induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and transforms them into induced mesenchymal stem cells (iMSCs). This approach provides a scalable, off-the-shelf treatment solution without requiring patient-specific cell harvesting, a significant advantage over many existing cell therapies.
The therapy specifically targets ovarian cancer, which remains one of the most challenging gynecological malignancies to treat. According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women, accounting for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. The five-year survival rate for advanced ovarian cancer is approximately 30%, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapeutic approaches.
Presentation Details
The new data will be presented during a poster session at the AACR Annual Meeting. Details include:
- Session Category: Immunology
- Session Title: Local Treatments, Novel Tools, and Delivery Systems to Manipulate Tumor Immunity
- Date and Time: Monday, April 28, 2025, at 2:00-5:00 pm CDT
- Location: Poster Section 37
- Poster Board Number: 12
- Published Abstract Number: 3473
Conference attendees will have the opportunity to learn the results of the study at the presentation and meet with Ernexa's Chief Scientific Officer, Robert Pierce, M.D., along with the study's authors.
Expanding Pipeline
While ERNA-101 represents Ernexa's lead program focused on ovarian cancer, the company is also developing ERNA-102, a cell therapy product designed to target inflammation and treat autoimmune diseases. Both products are currently in preclinical stages of development.
The company's technology platform leverages the potential of engineered stem cells to create therapies that can be manufactured at scale and administered to patients without the logistical challenges associated with autologous cell therapies.
"The presentation at AACR represents an important milestone for our ERNA-101 program," a company spokesperson noted. "We look forward to sharing these findings with the scientific community and advancing our mission to develop innovative cell therapies for patients with significant unmet medical needs."
About Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer affects approximately 22,000 women in the United States annually. Despite advances in surgical techniques and chemotherapy regimens, most patients experience disease recurrence, and many develop chemotherapy resistance over time. The tumor microenvironment in ovarian cancer is known to be immunosuppressive, which has limited the effectiveness of current immunotherapies.
ERNA-101's approach of directly modifying the tumor microenvironment through targeted cytokine delivery represents a novel strategy to potentially overcome these limitations and improve outcomes for patients with this challenging disease.
As the AACR Annual Meeting approaches, the medical and scientific communities await the full data presentation to better understand the potential impact of this innovative cell therapy approach in addressing the significant unmet needs in ovarian cancer treatment.
