IO Biotech presents a peptide vaccine targeting TGF-β to enhance anti-tumor immunity at AACR conference 2025.
Quiver AI Summary
IO Biotech announced promising findings regarding a novel peptide vaccine designed to counter the immunosuppressive effects of Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGF-β) in solid tumors. The research, presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)-IO conference, highlights the potential of IO170, a TGF-β-directed vaccine, which demonstrated significant tumor growth reduction in models of pancreatic adenocarcinoma and prostate cancer. By selectively modulating TGF-β activity without systemic toxicity, this approach aims to reshape the tumor microenvironment (TME) and enhance immune responses. The company plans to advance its research and prepare for an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) submission to the FDA for IO170, underscoring its strategy of targeting immune resistance mechanisms in cancer treatment.
Potential Positives
- Findings highlight the potential of IO Biotech's novel TGF-β-directed peptide vaccine, IO170, to significantly reduce tumor growth in pancreatic adenocarcinoma and prostate cancer models, supporting its development for cancer treatment.
- The approach of selectively modulating TGF-β activity, as opposed to systemic inhibition, showcases a unique strategy that may lead to improved immune responses and minimized side effects.
- The company is preparing for an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) submission to the FDA for IO170, indicating progress towards clinical application and potential market opportunity.
- IO Biotech's lead investigational cancer vaccine candidate has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA, underscoring its promise in combination therapy for advanced melanoma.
Potential Negatives
- The press release includes numerous forward-looking statements, indicating potential uncertainty in the outcomes of their clinical trials and the company's financial position, which can signal risk to investors.
- The focus on developing a novel peptide vaccine for a challenging target (TGF-β) may highlight the complexity and potential difficulties in achieving successful results in the competitive cancer treatment market.
- Although the findings appear promising, the press release does not provide comprehensive data or timelines, which could lead to skepticism regarding the project's viability and progress.
FAQ
What is the novel peptide vaccine developed by IO Biotech?
The novel peptide vaccine targets the immunosuppressive effects of TGF-β in solid tumors, promoting T cell activation and anti-tumor activity.
When and where will the poster presentation take place?
The presentation will occur on February 25, 2025, from 1:45 to 4:00 PM PST at the JW Marriott Los Angeles.
What is the significance of TGF-β in cancer treatment?
TGF-β is an immune-suppressive factor in tumors, which can hinder the effectiveness of immune-oncology therapies, making its targeted modulation crucial.
How does IO Biotech's T-win® platform work?
The T-win® platform selectively modulates TGF-β activity instead of inhibiting it, targeting tumor cells and immune-suppressive cells in the tumor microenvironment.
What are the future plans for the peptide vaccine?
IO Biotech plans to continue developing its TGF-β peptide vaccine and intends to submit an Investigational New Drug Application to the FDA.
Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated summary of a press release distributed by GlobeNewswire. The model used to summarize this release may make mistakes. See the full release here.
$IOBT Insider Trading Activity
$IOBT insiders have traded $IOBT stock on the open market 4 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 4 have been purchases and 0 have been sales.
Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $IOBT stock by insiders over the last 6 months:
- QASIM IFTIKHAR AHMAD (Chief Medical Officer) purchased 31,350 shares for an estimated $26,553
- MAI-BRITT ZOCCA (Chief Executive Officer) purchased 12,500 shares for an estimated $10,120
- DEVIN WHITTEMORE SMITH (General Counsel) purchased 12,000 shares for an estimated $9,720
- AMY SULLIVAN (Chief Financial Officer) purchased 10,250 shares for an estimated $8,482
To track insider transactions, check out Quiver Quantitative's insider trading dashboard.
$IOBT Hedge Fund Activity
We have seen 9 institutional investors add shares of $IOBT stock to their portfolio, and 12 decrease their positions in their most recent quarter.
Here are some of the largest recent moves:
- SAMSARA BIOCAPITAL, LLC removed 3,640,015 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q4 2024, for an estimated $3,348,813
- ARMISTICE CAPITAL, LLC removed 1,545,000 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q3 2024, for an estimated $1,622,250
- MORGAN STANLEY removed 1,342,910 shares (-61.0%) from their portfolio in Q4 2024, for an estimated $1,235,477
- LOGOS GLOBAL MANAGEMENT LP removed 493,827 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q4 2024, for an estimated $454,320
- LANDSCAPE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, L.L.C. added 442,196 shares (+inf%) to their portfolio in Q4 2024, for an estimated $406,820
- FMR LLC removed 314,600 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q3 2024, for an estimated $330,330
- CITADEL ADVISORS LLC added 270,504 shares (+inf%) to their portfolio in Q4 2024, for an estimated $248,863
To track hedge funds' stock portfolios, check out Quiver Quantitative's institutional holdings dashboard.
Full Release
• Findings support the development of a novel peptide vaccine targeting the immunosuppressive effects of Transforming Growth Beta (TGF-
β
) in solid tumors
NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IO Biotech (Nasdaq: IOBT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel, immune-modulatory, off-the-shelf therapeutic cancer vaccines, today announced details of its poster presentation at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)-IO conference taking place February 23-26, 2025, in Los Angeles, California.
Poster Presentation Details
Title:
A TGF-β-directed peptide vaccine induces T cell activation & drives anti-tumor activity by modulating the architecture of the tumor microenvironment
Poster number:
B117
Presenter:
Matteo Bocci, PhD, Senior Scientist
Date and time:
Tuesday, February 25, 2025, 1:45-4:00 PM PST
Location:
JW Marriott Los Angeles, Platinum Ballroom A-E
Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGF-β) is a key immune-suppressive factor in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of most solid tumors, often limiting the efficacy of various immune-oncology therapies. While global TGF-β inhibition strategies have shown limited success due to systemic toxicity, a more targeted modulation approach may be key to achieving sustained anti-tumor activity. IO Biotech’s proprietary T-win
®
platform is designed to selectively modulate TGF-β activity rather than fully inhibit it, targeting both tumor cells and key immune-suppressive cells within the TME.
The poster details the potential of IO170, a TGF-β peptide vaccine that showed significantly reduced tumor growth in pancreatic adenocarcinoma and prostate cancer models. The vaccine-induced robust immune responses reshaped the TME without causing systemic toxicity or adverse off-target effects. These findings support the continued development of an immune-modulatory vaccine targeting TGF-β as a novel approach for treating a wide range of cancers.
“Unlike other existing approaches that aim at inhibiting the TGFβ signaling systemically, our strategy uniquely targets TGFβ+ cells that are contributing to key immune resistance mechanisms in cancer,” said Ayako Wakatsuki Pedersen, PhD, Senior Vice President of Translational Research at IO Biotech. “These findings further validate our approach to immune-modulatory cancer vaccines that reshape the tumor microenvironment to enhance treatment efficacy. We look forward to advancing this research and sharing additional data as we explore its clinical applications while we prepare for an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) submission to FDA for IO170.”
About IO Biotech
IO Biotech is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel, immune-modulatory, off-the-shelf therapeutic cancer vaccines based on its T-win
®
platform. The T-win platform is based on a novel approach to cancer vaccines designed to activate T cells to target both tumor cells and the immune-suppressive cells in the tumor microenvironment. IO Biotech is advancing its lead investigational cancer vaccine candidate, Cylembio™ (imsapepimut and etimupepimut, adjuvanted) also known as IO102-IO103 in clinical trials, and additional pipeline candidates through preclinical development. Based on positive Phase 1/2 first line metastatic melanoma data, IO102-IO103, in combination with Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA
®
(pembrolizumab), has been granted a Breakthrough Therapy Designation for the treatment of advanced melanoma by the US Food and Drug Administration. IO Biotech is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark and has US headquarters in New York, New York.
For further information, please visit
www.iobiotech.com
. Follow us on our social media channels on
LinkedIn
and X (
@IOBiotech
).
Cylembio is a trademark of IO Biotech ApS.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements, including regarding the timing or outcome of primary analysis of the company’s Phase 3 trial, other current or future clinical trials, their progress, enrollment or results, or the company’s financial position or cash runway, are based on IO Biotech’s current assumptions and expectations of future events and trends, which affect or may affect its business, strategy, operations or financial performance, and actual results and other events may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements due to numerous risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and should not be unduly relied upon. Except to the extent required by law, IO Biotech undertakes no obligation to update these statements, whether as a result of any new information, future developments or otherwise.
Contact:
Investors
Maryann Cimino, Director of Investor Relations
IO Biotech, Inc.
617-710-7305
mci@iobiotech.com
Media
Julie Funesti
Edelman
917-498-1967
julie.funesti@edelman.com
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