MAIA Biotechnology Unveils Next-Generation Telomere-Targeting Prodrugs at IRT 2026
核心洞察
MAIA Biotechnology presented oral and poster data on its next-generation telomere-targeting cancer therapies at the XXVI International Round Table on Nucleosides, Nucleotides and Nucleic Acids in Barcelona.
The divalent candidates combine lead agent ateganosine with a complementary DNA-targeting agent in a single prodrug molecule to attack tumors through multiple mechanisms.
Next-generation agents showed increased anticancer activity in preclinical in vitro and in vivo models, with structural features linked to stronger antitumor activity identified.
MAIA Biotechnology, Inc. (NYSE American: MAIA) presented oral and poster data on its next-generation telomere-targeting cancer therapies at the XXVI International Round Table on Nucleosides, Nucleotides and Nucleic Acids (IRT 2026) held in Barcelona, Spain. The presentations covered the company's lead candidate, ateganosine, alongside second-generation divalent telomere-targeting drug candidates that demonstrated increased anticancer activity in preclinical in vitro and in vivo models.
Divalent Prodrug Design Extends the Platform
MAIA's next-generation candidates combine ateganosine with a complementary DNA-targeting agent in a single prodrug molecule. According to the company, this design is intended to attack tumors through multiple mechanisms and potentially deliver greater antitumor activity than ateganosine alone.
The oral presentation was titled "Novel Divalent Cancer RedOx Activatable Nucleoside Prodrugs as Potent Anticancer Modalities," while the poster was titled "New Telomere-Targeting Dual-Pharmacophore Dinucleotide Prodrugs for Anticancer Therapy." MAIA was a sponsor of IRT 2026, and the poster is available on the company's publications page.
At the conference, MAIA reported data from multiple molecular designs evaluated in cell-based studies and preclinical in vivo tumor models. The company said it identified structural features associated with stronger antitumor activity, findings that are supporting further optimization of its next-generation telomere-targeting therapies.
"Our presentations at IRT 2026 reflect the continued scientific progress of our telomere-targeting platform and significant scientific interest in our research," said Vlad Vitoc, M.D., Founder and CEO of MAIA. "Our next-generation program is designed to expand the therapeutic potential and versatility of our science and support our long-term strategy of developing differentiated therapies that address significant unmet medical needs."
Sergei Gryaznov, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of MAIA, said the company evaluated multiple molecular designs in complementary cell-based studies and preclinical in vivo tumor models to identify structural features associated with the strongest antitumor activity. "These findings are helping us optimize our next-generation therapies while further validating the potential of our platform to induce durable antitumor immune responses," he said.
Ateganosine Mechanism and Clinical Program
Ateganosine (THIO, 6-thio-dG or 6-thio-2'-deoxyguanosine (搜索)) is a first-in-class investigational telomere-targeting therapy designed to selectively damage cancer-cell telomeres while activating the body's antitumor immune response. The modified nucleotide 6-thio-2'-deoxyguanosine induces telomerase (搜索)-dependent telomeric DNA modification, DNA damage responses and selective cancer-cell death.
According to the company, ateganosine-damaged telomeric fragments accumulate in cytosolic micronuclei and activate both innate (cGAS/STING (搜索)) and adaptive (T-cell) immune responses. Preclinical studies have shown that sequential treatment with ateganosine followed by PD-(L)1 (搜索) inhibitors produced profound and persistent tumor regression in advanced in vivo cancer models through induction of cancer type-specific immune memory.
Ateganosine is currently in clinical development for non-small cell lung cancer (搜索) (NSCLC), where it is being evaluated as a second- or later-line treatment for patients with telomerase (搜索)-positive tumors who have progressed beyond the standard-of-care regimen of existing checkpoint inhibitors. Telomeres, along with the enzyme telomerase, play a fundamental role in the survival of cancer cells and their resistance to current therapies, according to MAIA.
Pipeline Strategy Across Tumor Types
Victor Zaporojan, M.D., Executive Medical Director of MAIA Biotechnology, said the IRT 2026 data demonstrate the breadth of the platform beyond ateganosine and reinforce the company's strategy of developing increasingly potent and optimized molecules that leverage telomere biology to selectively target cancer cells. "We believe this work further strengthens the scientific foundation for expanding MAIA's pipeline across multiple tumor types," he said.
MAIA describes itself as a targeted therapy, immuno-oncology company focused on the development and commercialization of potential first-in-class drugs with novel mechanisms of action intended to improve and extend the lives of people with cancer. The company said the IRT 2026 presentations further support the potential of its telomere-targeting platform and its strategy to develop optimized therapies across multiple tumor types.