CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–MAIA Biotechnology, Inc., a targeted therapy, immuno-oncology company focused on developing potential first-in-class oncology drugs (“MAIA”), announced today that MAIA has entered into a research and collaboration agreement with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital to evaluate the potential of THIO in combination with current standard-of-care therapies for cancer. THIO is MAIA’s proprietary, first-in-class, telomere-targeting small molecule currently in clinical development to evaluate its activity in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Through this research collaboration, the organizations will conduct preclinical studies to assess the efficacy and safety of THIO in combination with radiotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors in vitro and in vivo.
“We are thrilled to partner with Nationwide Children’s Hospital, a leading pediatric teaching hospital focused on advancing the health and well-being of all children, and in particular, those suffering with cancer,” said Vlad Vitoc, M.D., MAIA’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We believe that THIO has the potential to be used as a broad anticancer agent and we are excited to evaluate its activity in preclinical models with checkpoint inhibitors and radiation therapies. We are proud to align with Nationwide to advance this potentially ground-breaking scientific work.”
“Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in children beyond infancy in the United States, and while important strides have been made in identifying and developing treatments, more research is needed to advance further,” said Rachid Drissi, Ph.D., principal investigator in the Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “We’re excited to continue that advancement here, so families can focus on their children’s future, and not their disease.”
Sergei Gryaznov, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of MAIA, added, “Childhood cancer rates have been steadily rising in the past few decades, and more than 10,000 children in the US under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer just this year alone. The combination studies under the Nationwide collaboration will grow the body of growing evidence we have with THIO and will advance research in the field of pediatric cancer.”
About THIO
THIO (6-thio-dG or 6-thio-2’-deoxyguanosine) is a telomere-targeting agent currently in clinical development to evaluate its activity in NSCLC. Telomeres, along with the enzyme telomerase, play a fundamental role in the survival of cancer cells and their resistance to current therapies. THIO is being developed for patients with NSCLC that have progressed beyond the standard-of-care regimen of existing checkpoint inhibitors.
About Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2018-19 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric health care systems providing wellness, preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative care for infants, children and adolescents, as well as adult patients with congenital disease. Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 13,000 providing state-of-the-art pediatric care during more than 1.4 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded freestanding pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.
About MAIA Biotechnology, Inc.
MAIA is a targeted therapy, immuno-oncology company focused on the development and commercialization of potential first-in-class drugs with novel mechanisms of action that are intended to meaningfully improve and extend the lives of people with cancer. Our lead program is THIO, a potential first-in-class cancer telomere targeting agent in clinical development for the treatment of patients with telomerase-positive cancers. For more information, please visit www.maiabiotech.com.
Forward Looking Statements
MAIA cautions that all statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in this press release, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our or our industry’s actual results, levels or activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those anticipated by such statements. The use of words such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “future,” “potential,” or “continue,” and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements. However, the absence of these words does not mean that statements are not forward-looking. For example, all statements we make regarding (i) the initiation, timing, cost, progress and results of our preclinical and clinical studies and our research and development programs, (ii) our ability to advance product candidates into, and successfully complete, clinical studies, (iii) the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals, (iv) our ability to develop, manufacture and commercialize our product candidates and to improve the manufacturing process, (v) the rate and degree of market acceptance of our product candidates, (vi) the size and growth potential of the markets for our product candidates and our ability to serve those markets, and (vii) our expectations regarding our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for our product candidates, are forward looking. All forward-looking statements are based on current estimates, assumptions and expectations by our management that, although we believe to be reasonable, are inherently uncertain. Any forward-looking statement expressing an expectation or belief as to future events is expressed in good faith and believed to be reasonable at the time such forward-looking statement is made. However, these statements are not guarantees of future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors beyond our control that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. In this release, unless the context requires otherwise, “MAIA,” “Company,” “we,” “our,” and “us” refers to MAIA Biotechnology, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
Contacts
Investor Relations, Media & General Inquiries:
Amy Conrad
ir@maiabiotech.com