On January 22, 2026 Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) and the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) reported to have partnered on a new award, the ICRF-CRI Immunotherapy Collaborative Project Grant, given to Dr. Asaf Madi, PhD, of Tel Aviv University. Dr. Madi was awarded $180,000 over a three-year period to support his research on refining tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy to predict response and overcome drug resistance in melanoma.

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"We are honored to once again partner with CRI, a world-class immunotherapy research organization, on this cutting-edge project," said Alan Herman, ICRF’s Executive Director. "There is a clear, unmet need for personalized treatments like TIL therapy, and Dr. Madi’s research into adoptive cell transfer could offer new hope to melanoma patients in urgent need of better options."

Adoptive cell transfer (ACT) using TILs is a promising personalized immunotherapy for melanoma, shown to improve survival in advanced cases. However, many patients do not respond, and others develop resistance, limiting the long-term effectiveness of this approach. Dr. Madi’s research aims to address these challenges by identifying predictive biomarkers, uncovering mechanisms of tumor resistance, and optimizing TIL selection and expansion to improve therapeutic outcomes.

Dr. Madi and his team are studying the gene circuits that program immune cells, controlling their differentiation, activation, and regulation. By examining how T cells behave in tumors, particularly following immunotherapy, they aim to determine why some T cells sustain anti-tumor activity while others become exhausted or suppressed. Insights from this work will guide the selection and engineering of more potent TIL populations capable of durable tumor targeting and generating long-term immune memory, reducing the risk of cancer recurrence.

"This collaboration reflects what progress in immunotherapy really looks like—bringing together partners, data, and discovery to tackle resistance head-on," said Alicia Zhou, PhD, CEO of CRI. "By understanding why some immune cells persist while others fail, Dr. Madi’s work moves us closer to making personalized cell therapies like TILs more reliable, more durable, and more transformative for patients with melanoma."

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. In the U.S. alone, over 100,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, and advanced melanoma can be resistant to standard treatments. Because it can spread quickly and evade therapies, developing new, effective treatments is critical to improve survival and offer hope to patients and their families worldwide.

Dr. Asaf Madi earned his Ph.D. in computational immunology at Tel Aviv University in collaboration with the Weizmann Institute of Science, studying B cell and T cell repertoires. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute, focusing on T-cell differentiation and cancer immunology. Dr. Madi then returned to Tel Aviv University, where he is now an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology, leading a team that drives the development of novel anti-cancer therapies.

(Press release, Cancer Research Institute, JAN 22, 2026, View Source [SID1234662175])

On January 22, 2026 PAQ Therapeutics, a clinical-stage oncology company developing novel targeted protein degradation therapies for KRAS-driven cancers, reported the closing of a Series B extension, bringing the company’s total Series B financing to $77 million, and the dosing of the first patient in a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating PT0511, the company’s pan-KRAS degrader.

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The Series B extension builds on PAQ’s previously announced Series B financing, with participation from existing as well as new investors, and further strengthens the company’s balance sheet to advance multiple clinical programs. Proceeds from the financing will support the ongoing Phase 1 development of PT0253, PAQ’s KRAS G12D degrader, as well as the clinical advancement of PT0511.

"Completing this Series B extension and dosing the first patient in our PT0511 Phase 1 study represent important milestones for PAQ," said Nan Ji, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of PAQ Therapeutics. "Together, these achievements highlight our continued execution against a multi-program clinical strategy and our focus on addressing significant unmet need across KRAS-driven cancers."

PT0511 is a pan-KRAS degrader designed to target multiple oncogenic KRAS variants. The Phase 1 study is a first-in-human, open-label, dose-escalation trial evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary anti-tumor activity of PT0511 in patients with advanced solid tumors harboring KRAS alterations.

"The initiation of clinical dosing with PT0511 expands our clinical portfolio beyond single-mutation KRAS targeting," said Andrew Krivoshik, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer of PAQ Therapeutics. "A pan-KRAS degradation approach has the potential to address key limitations for patients observed with existing KRAS- or pan-RAS inhibitor therapies."

PAQ continues to advance a differentiated KRAS pipeline by leveraging targeted protein degradation to achieve deep and selective suppression of oncogenic signaling, while maintaining favorable safety and combinability profiles.

(Press release, PAQ Therapeutics, JAN 22, 2026, View Source [SID1234662174])

On January 22, 2026 Hoth Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOTH), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on advancing innovative therapies for cancer patients with significant unmet needs, reported positive interim results from the open-label pharmacokinetic (PK) cohort of its ongoing CLEER-001 clinical trial evaluating HT-001 in cancer patients receiving EGFR inhibitor therapy.

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In the open-label PK cohort, 100% of evaluable patients achieved clinical response by Week 6, accompanied by a ~50% reduction in investigator-assessed disease severity from baseline. In addition to the primary endpoint, supportive clinical endpoints showed meaningful improvements, including a ~34% improvement in oncology toxicity (CTCAE) and a ~37% reduction in patient-reported pruritus, highlighting a broad and consistent treatment effect across multiple clinically relevant measures.

Primary Endpoint: Marked Improvement in Disease Severity (ARIGA)

The primary endpoint of CLEER-001 assessed disease severity using the ARIGA scale. In the open-label PK cohort, mean ARIGA scores improved from 1.67 at baseline to 0.83 at Week 6, representing an approximate 50% reduction in severity.

Importantly, all evaluable patients reached ARIGA ≤1 by Week 6, placing the entire evaluable cohort within the low-severity disease range. Improvements were observed as early as Week 3 and were maintained through Week 6, demonstrating both rapid onset and durability of response.

Additional Endpoints: Improvement in Oncology Toxicity and Patient-Reported Symptoms

Beyond the primary endpoint, HT-001 demonstrated meaningful improvements across additional clinically relevant endpoints:

Oncology Toxicity (CTCAE):
Investigator-assessed CTCAE scores improved from 2.0 at baseline to 1.33 at Week 6, representing an approximate 34% improvement in treatment-related toxicity. CTCAE is a core oncology toxicity scale frequently used to guide dose modification, interruption, or discontinuation of cancer therapies.
Pruritus (Patient-Reported NRS):
Mean pruritus scores improved from 4.22 at baseline to 2.67 at Week 6, representing approximate 37% reduction in symptom severity. This level of improvement exceeds commonly accepted thresholds for clinically meaningful benefit and is directly relevant to patient comfort, quality of life, and treatment adherence.
Favorable Tolerability and PK-Supported Dosing

HT-001 was well tolerated in the open-label PK cohort, with no unexpected safety signals observed. The PK portion of CLEER-001 was designed to evaluate exposure, tolerability, and early clinical signal, and the observed consistent improvements across investigator-assessed and patient-reported endpoints support the selected dosing regimen and continued clinical development.

Oncology Context and Unmet Need

EGFR inhibitors are cornerstone therapies across multiple major cancer indications, including lung, colorectal, and head-and-neck cancers. However, treatment-related toxicity and symptom burden remain among the most common and dose-limiting challenges, often impacting treatment continuity and outcomes. The CLEER-001 results highlight HT-001’s potential to serve as an important oncology supportive-care therapy, helping patients remain on effective, life-extending cancer treatments.

Management Commentary

"These results represent a meaningful milestone for HT-001," said Robb Knie, Chief Executive Officer of Hoth Therapeutics. "Seeing 100% clinical response in the open-label PK cohort, along with a ~50% reduction in disease severity and additional improvements in oncology toxicity and patient-reported symptoms, underscores the potential of HT-001 to improve the treatment experience for cancer patients receiving EGFR inhibitors. We are encouraged by the breadth and consistency of these findings as the CLEER-001 trial continues."

About HT-001

HT-001 is Hoth Therapeutics’ proprietary topical therapy under investigation for the management of treatment-related toxicity and symptom burden in cancer patients receiving targeted therapies, including EGFR inhibitors.

(Press release, Hoth Therapeutics, JAN 22, 2026, View Source [SID1234662173])

On January 22, 2026 Mabwell (688062.SH), an innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company with a fully integrated industry chain, reported that the first patient has been dosed in a clinical trial in the U.S. of its independently developed novel CDH17-targeting antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) (R&D code: 7MW4911) for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer and other advanced gastrointestinal tumors.

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The Phase I/II study (NCT07216560) represents the first-in-human (FIH) study of 7MW4911 in the United States. The study aims to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics and efficacy in patients with advanced colorectal cancer and other advanced gastrointestinal tumors. Previously, 7MW4911 received clinical trial approval and completed first patient dosing in China.

7MW4911 is a novel CDH17-targeting ADC developed by Mabwell based on its proprietary IDDC platform. It is composed of a highly specific CDH17 monoclonal antibody capable of efficient internalization into tumor cells, a novel cleavable linker with high plasma stability, and a proprietary DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor payload, MF-6, specifically designed to overcome the multidrug resistance.

Preclinical studies demonstrated that 7MW4911 exhibited potent antitumor activity in CDX/PDX models of various gastrointestinal tumors. In multidrug-resistant models, its antitumor effect was significantly superior to MMAE/DXd-based ADCs, and it was able to reverse tumor progression following treatment with such ADCs, highlighting its advantage in treating resistant tumors. Relevant research findings have been published in the 2025 AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) and the internationally renowned journal Cell Reports Medicine (July 2025).

(Press release, Mabwell Biotech, JAN 22, 2026, View Source [SID1234662172])

On January 22, 2026 Plus Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSTV) (the "Company"), a healthcare company developing and commercializing precision diagnostics and radiopharmaceuticals for central nervous system (CNS) cancers, reported a business update and highlights REYOBIQ clinical progress and CNSide US commercialization.

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"Our 2 key goals in 2026 are CNSide commercial scale-up and REYOBIQ pivotal trial readiness," said Dr. Marc H. Hedrick, President & Chief Executive of Plus Therapeutics. "Our recently completed upsized $15 million offering will fuel faster progress in these core areas of the business and extend our cash runway through 2027."

Overview of anticipated company milestones for 2026:

REYOBIQ clinical program:

Define optimal dose/interval for REYOBIQ in the ReSPECT-LM Phase 2 trial; anticipate reporting data in Q3 2026
Completing enrollment in the ReSPECT-GBM Phase 2 trial for glioblastoma and conduct an end of phase meeting with the FDA to align on pivotal trial design, with data expected in Q4 2026
Complete commercial manufacturing scale up for REYOBIQ
Begin enrollment in the ReSPECT-PBC pediatric brain cancer Phase 1 trial
CNSide commercial roll out:

Obtain a total of 150 million US lives covered under multiple commercial payor agreements
Obtain Medicare and Medicaid coverage
Achieve a commercial order rate in excess of 1,250 tests per year
Launch portfolio of additional CSF tumor characterization tests that expand the CNSide testing platform
For additional information, the Company’s corporate presentation can be found here.

Webcast and Conference Call
Plus Therapeutics will host a conference call and webcast today, January 22, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. ET to discuss and provide additional details on the business update. Participants can dial in to the call using 1-888-349-0106. Please dial in 15 minutes prior to the start time and ask to be joined to the Plus Therapeutics, Inc. conference call. A live webcast of the conference call will be available here as well as on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at ir.plustherapeutics.com. The webcast will be archived on the website following the completion of the call.

About LM
Leptomeningeal metastases (LM) are a rare but severe complication of advanced cancer, affecting the fluid-lined structures of the central nervous system. LM occurs in approximately 5% of patients with metastatic cancer, with breast cancer, lung cancer, and melanoma being the most common sources. Median survival is typically 2-6 months, and effective treatment options are limited, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapies.

About REYOBIQ (rhenium Re186 obisbemeda)
REYOBIQ (rhenium Re186 obisbemeda) is a novel injectable radiotherapy specifically formulated to deliver direct targeted high dose radiation in CNS tumors in a safe, effective, and convenient manner to optimize patient outcomes. REYOBIQ has the potential to reduce off target risks and improve outcomes for CNS cancer patients, versus currently approved therapies, with a more targeted and potent radiation dose. Rhenium-186 is an ideal radioisotope for CNS therapeutic applications due to its short half-life, beta energy for destroying cancerous tissue, and gamma energy for real-time imaging. REYOBIQ is being evaluated for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma, leptomeningeal metastases, and pediatric brain cancer in the ReSPECT-GBM, ReSPECT-LM, and ReSPECT-PBC clinical trials. ReSPECT-GBM is supported by an award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), and ReSPECT-LM is funded by a three-year $17.6M grant by the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). The Company’s ReSPECT-PBC clinical trial for pediatric brain cancer is supported by a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program.

(Press release, Plus Therapeutics, JAN 22, 2026, View Source [SID1234662171])